The Cambria Daily Leader

THE WESTERN FRONT. The French are a candid people. They do not like things to be hidden from them, and they can stand bad news with as much fortitude as their island allies. A speech by the French Premier in the Chamber of Deputies throws a flood of light upon the last offensive. M. Rib}t spoke without reserve. "Perhaps faults have been committed," he said. Perhaps the French people expected too much. But one tact predominates. We have forced all the German reserves to come out against us, otherwise they would themselves have led the attack. Notice has been taken of faults com- mitted, and changes have been made." These changes appear to be working satisfactorily. Monday's operation in the Champagne was the first by General Petain since he took command of the armies of the north, and north-east, and it has revived the confidence of France. On the British front great events are in the making. We are passing the days of heaviest trial. Reuter's correspondent at General Head- quarters says that The idea to keep steadily in mind in every effort to gauge the development of this mighty struggle is that it is essenti- ally a war of exhaustion. The break- ing point will come when one side is so spent that it can no longer stand against the blows of the other. As to which side of the contending lines will wear out first the portents are already too clear and inexorable w challenge question." At the front confidence as to the outcome of this year's offensive was never higher than it is to-day, after six weeks of hard battle in which the German re- serves have been melting away. Sir Alfred Mond's speech at the London Mansion House meeting, called to advocate the establish- ment of local war museums corre 'lated to the National War Museum, will be read with deep interest. Souvenirs," have been accumu- lating at Swansea, concerning its own part in the war, since the first day of the struggle. Very many of them are of greater local than national interest, and the place for their preservation will undoubtedly be a museum at Swansea. But the town must be represented in the great national collection, and it should not be difficult to set up a good working •bask. We see that Dr. Hoyle, director of the Welsh National Museum at Cardiff, Is. naturally enough, setting up the claims of that institution for atten- tion. How far the process of "dilu- tion can proceed with three museums to be fed, the local, the Welsh, and the National War Museum, is a matter for considera tion. Sir Douglas Haig's report of the destruction of a large German am- munition dump on the Arras-Carn- brai road, the explosion of which was felt a great distance behind our lines, means iniinitely more than the few lines may convey to the ordinary reader unfamiliar with the machinery of the line. The de- struction of this particular dump may be a colossal disaster to the enemy which will altogether dislo- cate their defence in an, important sector of the front. Last autumn, according to the German papers, the French suffered severely as the consequence of a similar explosion at Cerisy on the Somme, an ex- plosion, they asserted, which upset a big offensive the French intended starting the following day. Both sides have been hit in this respect, but the accurate shooting of our big guns, and the audacity of our tlving men, have kept the balance largely with the Allies. Let us hope that the latest exploit of either gunners or airmen has given .Hin denburg another worrying day. It is not t(a.sy to make up for such a loss when time is the essential part of the problem. Attention is being directed by those who keep steadfastly before them the after-war problems of Em- pire, to the pronouncements of the t Dominions on the constitution of the t ImDerial War Cabinet. They affect J ¡ the ambitious scheme of reconstruc- tion which has been the shining goal of many. They dispose of the idea that the Imperial Cabinet can evar become ap executive of the Empire, above and independent of its Parlia- ments. We must be content with a working unity which entails far | less concentration of power, and whilst some may feel disappointed as they see a glorious vision fading, they will realise when they think the problem out in line with the pro- cess of development upon which the Empire has grown, that the i position taken up by the Dominion Governments is absolutely in ac- cordance with the geaiu? of the Empire. The statesmen of Great Britain approve and accept the Imperial War Cabinet, bu- they are careful to explain that it "involves no en- croachment on the rights and liber- ties of their own Parliaments. Sir Hebert Borden emphasises the fact that the scheme will have not the slightest effect on the Dominion's authority," and he says definitely that the proposed Cabinet will "deal with matters of Imperial im- port before and not after action by the British Government"—so that the Dominion Parliament will have the opportunity of giving or with- holding its consent. Sir Wilfrid Laurier dwells with satisfaction on the recognition, by these means, of the principle of local autonomy. Mr. Hughes, of Australia, while welcoming the Imperial Cabinet as a 'great step," says that doubt- less certain limitations will be iin- posed, as the very nature of the local self-government enjoyed in I every part of the Empire seems t) render impracticably any attempt to graft upon the system a Council having plenary jurisdiction over the entire Empire." Sir Robert Borden regards the idea of an Im- perial Parliament-i.e., a Parlia- ment exercising control over the whole Empire—as unfeasible and j unwise. Sir Wilfrid Laurier says that" tbehopes of Imperial reor- ¡ ganisation expressed when the re- cent conference was called were known by experienced men to be a delusion. Sir Robert says again that under no relations other than these existing could the Dominions have done so much towards the ¡ prosecution of the war," and that l the measure of what they are ¡ ready to do in the future is demon- strakd by their record in the past. The British Empire will remain ¡ still as always what Mr. J. A. Spender calls "an act of faith." We shall have no writ-ten Constitu- tion which will bind any of the Dominions to do anything against ¡ their will, but we shall have the firmest faith that they will be one with us in all great emergencies. This faith—as Mr. Spender says in the Westminster Gazette —has been abundantly justified by facts and events, and. when Sir Robert. Borden says that under no rela- tions other than those existing could the Dominions have done so much towards the prosecution of the war, we may take courage to be- lieve that the free Empire has greater virtues than some Im- perialists have realised. A conference, at which there were present the Vicar of Swansea and other clergy of the Church of Eng- land, a'goodly number of Welsh and English Free Church ministers, and a number of prominent townsmen, decided on Tuesday to give support to- the Prime Minister's temperance policy as defined in his speech to two Welsh deputations recently. It is in no sense to be regarded as a re j presentative conference, but it is of j high signineance that the pro- gramme of State purchase of the liquor trade, with local veto as its consummation, secured the appro- val of a Swansea gathering without j a dissentient voice being raised. We know that dissentient voices will bh heard shortly from the Old j Guard," who are wedded to the doctrine 01 prohibition and nothing but prohibition. We venture to state, however, that they will be m a considerable minority. State pur- chase stands alone as a way out of our troubles with the most power ful vested interest in existence. What have the prohibitionists to hope for after the period of the war? Do they believe that the public will then support their poJicv purely 3:? a matter of temperance re- form? Do they think they will re- tain all the support they have at present for a war-time expedient? If they do, they will be profoundly disappointed. The value of pur- chase as a solution is that the pre- sent time is ripe for the, greatest ex- ¡ periment in temperance ever de- vised, and that interests which later on will become antagonistic ar to-day shorn of half their influence. It is now or never, and the peoplei, who can look forward with equa- nimity to long fruitless years ?S struggle upon the prohibitionist f issue appear, to us, blind to the pos- sibilities of a movement which will eventually g?ve-them an they desire. ¡ -4 guilty Although we cannot plead guilty í to' the charge that we suggestd I that next Saturday's luncheon was a Corporation function—indeed we carefully differentiated between this event and the civic reception of the following week—we hasten to say, in view of the usual retort of obvious purpose," that the Swan- sea Council has no responsibility for r the luncheon. No word of ours could ha so interpreted, and al though our contemporary seems rather mixed in its assertions, and unable to decide whether we made a statement or a suggestion, we must disclaim any such motive. The Corporation has Quite onough sins of its own.

jA RECORD THAT  WILL LIVE. I i WILL LIVE. War Museum Plans. ■ SIR ALFRED MOND UNFOLDS HIS SCHEME. At the Mansion House, London, on Tuesday, a public meeting convened by the Lord Mayor of London, was held to advocate the establishment cf local war museums in sympathy with tho authori- ties of the National War Museum. The Lord Mayor presided, and AmoD, thosa present were the Eight Hon. Sir Alfred Mond, Bart., M.P.. (H.M. First Commis- sioner of Works), Earl of Plymouth, Dr. Havij (Director Welsh National Museum), and the Mayor of Newport (Mr. Alfred Swash). The Lord Mayor of London having ex- plained the objects of the meeting in the course of his remarks, said that the move- ment would be highly popular both from the national and patriotic points of view. SIR ALFRED MONO. Sir Alfred Mond, who was warmly re- ceived, said he was very pleased indeed to have baen able to attend that meeting on such an important mission as that in which those present were engaged—the in- ception and foundation of local war museums. Having been commissioned by the Government, as Chief Commissioner ot Works, to organise a national war museum, he naturally took a great inter-! est in the question both from its nati-onal and local points of view. It was a curious thing, when they reflected, that little re- mained in any organised form, in this: country, of the great struggles of the past. The Napoleonic wars, with its 20 years of struggle, suffering and sacrifice, and ail it,3. critical phases by land, sea, and at home, had practically left no definitely marked records to which the student of to-day could go for military, historic, or local matters. What happened, who fought, how they fought, and how people lived; what were the conditions at home, were unrecorded..We were now in the third year of a war the magnitude of which transcended by far any other- Not merely the British nation, but the Em- pire, was locked in a deadly struggle, and it wa- he thought, of the highest import- ance that the result of the great effort, the enormous sacrifices, should not be allowed to be dissipated after a few years in an inchoate and incoordinate Iteanner so that ourselves, and still more genera- tions to come, would not be able to ten what manner ot sacrifice and struggle had been gone through. A VAST SCHEME. It was this idea that had animated him to suggest to the Cabinet the creation of a great national war museum. —a museum which would illustrate in every phase, by land, sea and air, in all the spheres of ol--cration-iu Flande-s, France, Egypt. Africa, Mesopotamia— wherever the British llag had flown and British men had fought and died—to illus- trate the great deeds that had been wrought. And more than that, it should illustrate as well the great effort made by the civilian population at home, the creation of the mighty munitions—one of the most stupendous engineering and manufacturing efforts we had made and were making, and be a record of the work of the male and female population for ever. That of course was a vast scheme. Irr conjunction with the Director-General (Sir Martin Conway) and an able com- mittee, a technical committee, they were going into the question. And the more they ° went into it the larger the'scheme became. To carry it out would require space, buildings, money, and he felt con- fident that the nation and empire would desire to see the great efforts of its sons and daughters adequately and hand- somely recognised in a memorial worthy of the effort made. (Hear, hearV SWANSEA'S PROUD RECORD. It was obvious a central museum, how- ever great and large its scope, could never hope to adequately fulfil the func- tions of representing in full the efforts of all the towns, cities, hamlets and counties throughout the country. A central museum must confine itself, at any rate to a large exhmt, to the great, broad outlines of the war, to the creation of great libraries, the collection of maps, literature painting, etc. They intended to make the records as complete as pos- sible. There remained great functions to bè fulfilled by local museums. Such should commemorate local effort made i-tv its local people, and its loml battalion filled from the ranks of the citizens, Their names should be recorded there. Their deeds shoukf find a fitting memorial there. Relies as far as possible should be placed there. It was of the utmost im- portance and of greatest value that all should feel that they had a permanent memorial of what was done in this war. In the constituency he had the honour to represent—(Swansea)—they had raised a very fine battalion; its dyds of valour, the distinctions won by those in it, would be recorded in a local museum. And he hoped the same would happen all over the country—(hear, hear)—so that they would have a complete memorial of those who lived and those who had died for their ( .Uor4o tliaii that, country. (Hear, hear.) More than that, evervone would be in having some knowledge, some conclusive evidence, of those who fought, what were the things with which they had fought and what arms were 'captured. The distribution of thes& trophies would be a difficult and delicate matter. NO TROPHIES AT PRESENT. For that reason he wolearned the forma- tion of a strong committee to correlate the di-f-are-nfc local museum?.. He had already had applications from various Corpora- tioas askiug wh.ct.fcov they could secure some German guns or trophy. lie was not in a position at the present time to secure anything for anybody. He said that in order to save himself from corre- spondence at the moment. But the task would become an impossible one unless they had some co-orcliuab" museum authority, which would 4tal with the problem in a central way and which would co-operate with the Central Committee in a friendly and harmonious manner. Other- wise they would get duplication, and un- fair distribution. Sottle people would get too much and others 'too little of their share. He thought by the tirie the war ended there would be a good deal of material to go round. (Applause.) He inspected the other morning a collection the War Office had of captured guns and trophies, and be found already a hand- some beginning hsid been made. And he had been told a large consignment was coining over from the Vimy Ridge. (Hear, hear.) So he had little doubt that by the time we had triumphantly concluded the war we should be able to obtain such an accumulation of German material that there would be a very fair opportunity of the great bulk of tho most important places in this country rc-ceiving for their museums some representative German trophies. That was part of the aspect. PRINTED RELICS. The other part related to the efforts made Locally—'records (Sf local committees, local hospitals, Red Cross work, the flag committees, and of the enormous effort made during the last three years. When they caiiio to organise he thought they would he surprised at the quantity of material already accumulated. Working on as they'had been from day to day they had scarcely recognised the effort made .1 and the' enormous amount of things done. That was work that ought to be taken in hand at the earliest moment. He would like to emphasise that point. It was not a moment too early to begin a very Qnergatic organisation of local war museums. (Hear, hear.) Already it had been founl that things which when made were quite common, were getting scarce. There were early recruiting posters, tilings which had been by hundreds of thousands on the walls, of which it was now very difficult to get a cc-aiplete col- lection. In fact, lSuch a collection had al- ready become a rarity. And they would find that with regard to a great number of things of a fugitive character. Unless prompt steps were taken to collect them they would be lost for ever. Then sol- diers coming home would bring stic-h things as magazines from the trenches, trophies they had captured, and number:; of other things, all of which should be got early. PI CTU RES OF HEROcS. Then they should secure photos of V.C.s. Military Cross heroes, and those who had distinguished themselves. These should be got quickly, for people didn't live for ever. And they might go away to eome other district, or might die. And then there would ba no lasting rcco-rd of men whose* fame should remain green, and who-so memory should be kept fresh— (hear, hear)—for many generations— (hear. hear). So there was a good deal to be done, and he had attended that meeting not merely because he took a deep interest in the movement, but because ha also wanted them to take a great interest in the one ho was more closely associated with. In the Central Museum they wanted to represent local effort, not as fully as it could be represented in the localities. They wanted localities that had raised battalions to send all particulars of what they had raised, of posters issued and names of committees who had acted. They wanted local effort represented, and that even the smaller districts should have a niche in the National Museum. They wanted regiments represented there. CO-ORDINATION. In collecting for local museums, they would finil they got things of such wide interest, either as regards regiments or towns, that their proper place would be in the national collection. In such cases h.3 asked that the National Museum Committee should be communicated with, and they would be very glad indeed to consider the matter and deal with it. They hoped in that way to establish an organisation universal throughout the country, working together in the most harmonious manner eo ae to achieve the great end they all must keep in view, That ivas, that the future aould say, what we could not say at present of the past. Here, before us, the great deeds of those who have gone before live with us to spur on to still greater effort." (Laughter.) LORD PLYMOUTH. Lord Plymouth moved a resolution ap- proving of the formation of the Local war .uusi-ams Association. In reply to inquiries made throughout the country within the last few days, there had not been a single dissentient. (Applause.) Everyone supported the proposal. A great deal had been dona in the country by those interested in collecting records and relics. The desire of the association was to make the effort universal throughout the country by a scheme in which the re' presentatives of provincial centres would join. In the recruiting grounds of regi- ments that had won,, and would win, un- dying fame, there would always be a re- cord of glorious valour not only of the soldiers and sailors, but of the great work that had been undertaken first by many heroic women, and of others who helped in tfce various directions. (Hear, hear.) They had already received the support of many of the most eminent men in the country, and they wanted tho sympathy ¡ and support of the great Services, and they hoped for the hell), and co-operation of the Overseas Dominions* (Applause.* Mr. Reginald Grundy then read letters from Lords French and Beresford express- ing fullest sympathy with the movement, and both saying they would be pleased t, serve on the committee. A number of mayors, including the Mayor of Aberdare. had also written most sympathctically- Sir Clement Vinlach Cooke, M.P. secon- ded the resolution of Lord Plymouth, and congratulated the organisation on having seourod the services of Lord Plymouth, who brought with him knowledge of at I 'fairs and ket-n sympathy in the joys and sorrows of mankind. (Applause. THE PART OF WALES. Dr. (Director Welsh National Museum) WhD. among others supported, said that interest in the movement in Wales was second to the feel- ing in no other part of the country. tor some time they had had a commiUv-w at work on the subject and making^ pre- piirations for su-eh, a museum as that sug- gestc-d, And when he spoke of the np, tional museum of Wales he spoke not only of Cardiff, but the whole Priacipa*- ¡ ity. They took the whoh of Wales for their parish, and wore prepared to do alii they c<mld for th? whole. The motion having been carried, an Executive Committee, with J?ord Ply- mouth as chairman, and power to add to thMr number, was then appnted, and a I vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor closed the proceedings. SWANSEA MAYOR'S VIEW. London, not Card:ff, as Welsh l?, Centre. The Mayor of Swal):a (Aid. D. Davies), in an interview, stated that while Cardiff was now considering the subject of a war museum, Swansea took action in Ib; direction months ago. The Mayor said } he did not a,gre with nlaking the Welsh f National Museum at Cardiff the- centre. He rather favoured the establishment of a Welsh sectio-n at the British National j Museum, which the member fror Swansea Town (as First Commissioner of Works) ? was establishing in Lnndon. He has, in- deed, already taken steps in this direc- I' tiüD, and proposed arranging that Swan- sea and West Wales should act as a feeder for this proposed Welsh section, and that f in return the authorities in London should let Swanspa have for its local mu- seum such souvenirs and literature hav- ing a distinctly Welsh interest as thp British National Museum might have in duplicate and could spare.

FOOD PRODUCTION rl. The Preservation of Fruit amt V egetb fes. t A meeting of the Cockett Parish Coun- cil was held at the Union Offices, Swansea-, am Tue*$day evening, Mr. Thomas James in the chair, to discuss a circular received from the Director of Agriculture, Feed '• Production Department, re the formation of a food production society. The clerk read the circular which stilted the work of the Society. One of the members stated that the allotment societies were practi- cally doifig the work which was givqrn oil the circular, and therefore it was only a cn.? of changing the name. Eventuallv it I' was &-cidtd to wnte to tlie varMus allot- ment societies asking them to c?vcne meetings so that ?Q schema eouM be e?- pl??in?<i to thai?. It was also decked h) purchase six potato sprayers and machines for drying fruit and vegetables. Councillor T. E. Rets, who has gone throug-h a course of instruction at Barry in respect of horticulture, and who is o\¡"£' of the representatives under the llorticu- tural Society, was appointed to lecture throughout the whole of the parish o4' Oockett on food production and the pre. serving of fruit and vegetables. j

WELSHMEN AT GAZAJ THRILLING STORY OF A CREAl. BATTLE t From Cairo the Press Association special correspondent 6ends tho full sto of the Gaza battle. By the middle of March (he says) flJ } large force of infantry, mounted troop and artillery had been concentrated oi ui-i homers of Palestine in readiness foil a further advance. Towards nightfall eg the 25th of March we began one of tLoe* swift forward movements which haV again and uguim taken the enemy by "uti prise. Unfortunately, the morning of th' -6th found the country envoloped in < thick mist. In spite of this handica the English and Welsh Territoria gallantly carried out the task assigned tl them. A number of strong positio were stormed in the face of murderous machine-gun fire, and the garrisons we driven out after suffering very heav losses. There can be no doubt that, but for th loss of five hours* daylight, the who Gaza position, with its gani6011. would) nave fallen into our hands. But though the delay caused by the fog deprived uJ, of this additional success, the day's reif suits included the capture of many pri soners, among whom was Musa Kiasiii Pasha, the commander of the 531;( I Turkish Division, with the whole of hif J staff, and the infliction of thousands di t, casualties. We seized from the enemyi another 15 miles of territory and covered the construction of the railway foti another considerable stage. i TANKS IN THE ASSAULT. [ The period from March 27 to April 1 i was one of intense preparation, acoolu. panied by artillery duels, occasion* sniping, and considerable aerial activity j k, uuvvii on the 13th our artillery edin4 into action against the strong enem3 positions, and a heavy bombardment waa kept up for two hours. The moment thi bombardment ceased, our troops moved out into the open with perfect discipline and steadiness. One could see wave aften wave of our men, accompanied by tanks] advancing steadily from ridge to ridge; There was a brief pause as the attack oil the left neared its objective; then the bayonets flashing in the sun as our meU swarmed round the flanks of Sanw?,o? Ridge told us that the position was won One of the tanks went on steadily anrll attacked the next redoubt and speedilyj put the whole garrison hors de combat.1 The troops on this flank now established themselves, from Sheikh Ajlin, a tiny village on the seashore, along the north of Samson Ridge eastwards, until they were in touch with the troops who had advanced from the centre. One hundred and fifty enemy dead were counted in this sector alone, and considering the heavy losses we inflicted our own casualties were surprisingly few. Attention must be called to the strength of the forces that confronted us in this exceptionally strong natural position, which had been converted into. a modern fortress. The enemy was known to have at least five infantry divisions and a con- siderable force of cavalry. The reductioa of the Gaza defences is, therefore, likely to entail a combination of trench warfare and manoeuvre warfare similar to that at! present prevailing on the Western front, j

PITWOOD FOR WALES. [j Serious Effect of Refusal ef Licenses. ( The future supply of pjtwood for Wales collieries continues to cause oorv Siderable apprehension. On Tuesday Mrl "I Willoughby Hawkins, on behalf of the Bristol Channel Pitwood As-, aociation, sent a telegram to Mr. JFinlajJ i A Gibson, the secretary of the MOR. mouthshire and South Wales Coalowneta.* 1 Association, stating that the ImporteT^ Association viewed with alarm the prim sent refusal of the Government to grati4 licenses to import pitwood. They antici- pated serious effect to collieries in a few weeks' time, and urgently suggested thaU the Coalowners' Association should lay" tlie case before the Prime Minister. It was of vital necessity to remove the ree  triction on imports until home supplier came up to repuiremenhs. It was impor- tant to draw the Prime Minister's atteu-i tion to the present anomaly, whereby th;t French Government insisted on FrencJjf steamers and sailors discharging coal at 1 L'( )rient and other similar ports taking i pitwod on return voyages, whereas ouc Government refused pitwood imports. This tonnage is not loaded with pitwood would return in ballast. This telegram, it is understood, wad placed before a committee of coalowners at their meeting at Cardiff, and that a telegram has been sent to the Prime Mini- ster on the general question of the supi"Yl of pitwood to the collieries. -r i

HOUSES FOR WORKERS Pert Talbot Leader of a t Deputation. j At the Local Government Board on, j Tuesday, Lord Bhondda, President of the Boar d received a deputation representing practically all National .AssoclatlOn interested in the subject of the housing of j the working classes. The deputation urgNI I that the Government should give en-^ couragement to private enterprise and co- operative effort in the provision of healthy dwellings for the, people. Mr. G. Lipscomb (Port Talbot), presi- dent of the Land Agents' Institute, said that after the war the Government would have to guarantee to builders building materials at reasonable rates. Materials nad already gone up 60 to 70 per cent., and if that was to be put on the rent after the war it would mean that the working classes would not be able to pay for their houses. If municipal authori- ties, undertook to provide houses for their workpeople the problem would be partly aclved Lord Rhondda6 declared that the matter was a very urgent one, and they should have all their toltns ready, so that at the end of the war they would be in a poei- tion to put their schemes into operation, He was' interested to hear that private J enterprise would be able, without any financial assistance from tlie State except by way of loan, to provide all the houses that would be required after the war at economic rents. Other opinions existed &n that matter, but he was not going to make a de?aration of policy, ?He would? I however, give every consideration to th# arguments placed before him. j it

CORRESPONDENCE. j (Letters to the Editor should be brfef, t6J I th- point, and alxiut something. Oor- resuondente should send thei. naines and addresses, not necessarily for pablication.1 I BOILERMAKERS AND PROHIBITION. I To the Editor. Siiv»-Af ier r&adina The t"lution ia favour of prohibition, passed by the Swan- sea boHettnakel's, mhelf and the majority oil cur members were surprised to know how such a resolution could be passed and i get into the Press, as there wa* uo notice r given, or put on the agenda, that such a. proposition waa to be made. On enquiry, I tind that ic was made and engineered through by ona of the Sketty kill-.ioys Out of a membership of upwards of 200 mem- bers there were not 20 in the lodge room when it was passed, and that it is against the wishes of the great majority of 08J members will be seen by the man in th< street.-Iours. etc.. AN OLD MEMLEB. J