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THE LABOUR PLATFORM.I
THE LABOUR PLATFORM. I rOONTEIBTrflOJtB TO THIR COLUMN ARt IN- VITED FT JM REPRESENT ATI VIS OF LABOUR, BUT WE DO NOT NECESSARILY SHAKE THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THEM.] Forcing an Issue at Wrexham. r One by one the war restrictions and the limitations imposed upon our popular liberties by D.O.R.A. are disappearing. We are not yet out of the wood by a long way, and thsre are still numerous controls to which wi.- must submit, but jt is, very refreshing to know that the members of our local authori-tie6- once elected by the people—can no longer treat the electors as pawns and co-opt on to our local governing bodies their own nomin- ees. Quite recently it was announced that no steps would be taken to fill the vacancy on the Wrexham Town Council caused by the death of Major Clieve. It was proposed to allow the seat to remain vacant until Novem- ber next. We were not told why this courts was to be followed, and as members of tho Labour party We have decided to put the law into operation and compel the Council to ord-sr an election at once. It is onlv necessary for two burgesses to sign the legal notice and an election must take place. r Labour Party Ready. I The notice had not been formally given two or three days ago but it has been prepared, and 'the Labour party have a candidate ready to take the field. We hope the Town Council will not take any active steps to oppose the election of a Labour mender and, if they do, we can promise them a keen fight and a clean one too. We are determined to test the feel ing of the electorate, and we believe the workers will unite in supporting the claim of the Wrexham Trades and Labour Council to at least one seat on the local authority respon- sible for the health and housing of the twenty thousand people. who make their homes within the borough of Wrexham. It is about time a little new blood was introduced into Ola BorOugh Council, and we think that which flows in the veins of the workers' candidate will stimulate the circulation of the body into which it is to be introduced. Labour and the Discharged Soldier. I.. At the time of writing nearly two million men have been either discharged or demobil- ized, and thousands of these men will be thrown on the Labour market physically in equal to the ordinary standard of the worker. A few days ago a report appeared in a local newspaper of a public authority that had de- cided to offer a vacant post to a pensioner at a wage lower than had been paid to the man who had previously held the office. This exploitation of the pensioner is a danger not only to the men themselves but is also' a peril to the whole labour world. If the pension 59 to be made use of in order to drive wages below subsistence level then the worker will be thrust back into a Estate of despair lower than he has ever hitherto experienced. Whitt then is the remedy? Public authorities and employers must be made to realise that the man's pension is his own and has already ben earned by him for past services. It is not a reward for present or future work. In the next place they must not be allowed to pay a workir less than he is worth in the laborr market merely because he has other means. This result can only be attained by unity amongst the workers. There is only one way. We must help ourselves. We must work fo,- a live and active organisation based upon a broad and humane Trades Unionism. United we stand. Divided we will be crushed .1Û- tween the upper millstone of the mean-soul?d public authority or the forgetful emplefyar and the nether millstone of unemployment. Our crippled bodies will be squeezed for blood to oil the edgs of a soulless industrial machine. The Local Elections. I Labour is taking more interest in tne pre3- ent local elections than has hitherto been tha case. In the past labour has been conspic- uous by its absence from our local parlia- ments, and many public bodies have been ruled and run by men who paid attention not to health but to vested interests, and who 11 many cases became members merely because they had an axe to grind. If we are to have the new Heaven and the new Earth promised to us, we must secure the return of men who will support a really progressive policy. We want healthy homes and no sweating of public employees. Our greatest enemy is apathy, indiffirence and carelessness. A real live interest in local government is the corner stone of a sound tod healthy political state. • • i Unemployment. w < < I Considerable unrest and dissatisfaction has been aroused by the announcement that the unemployment benefit is to be diminished, while there is also a great deal of complaining of the nature of the work offered to many out- of-works. A widow with two children Vas offered a post at 12s. a week at a place seven miles from her home. She would have to leave home early in the morning and return late at night. The return fare by bus would be Is. 4d. per day, leaving her with the mag- nificent sum of 8d. per day or 4s. per week for the support of herself and two children. She refused to accept the post with the i-sult that her unemployment benefit was stoppsl and she is now receiving 5s. a week parish relief. This is scarcely the reward of a gra, ful country to a woman who has worked har-i and who was gassed in the discharge of her duties some few months ago. ■Hi » Trades Disabled Soldiers Select. I I- I.- I » In a previous note it was urged that tne I disabled should be encouraged to take up training. Example is better than precept, and it may help disabled men to go in fr)r training to tell them whatkinds of tradis their comrades in misfortune have alrealy -tackled. Up to the formation of the Shrews- bury Joint Sub-committee some 250 men had been sent for training by the* Salop County Pensions Committee. Amongst the trades selected eleotrical engineering attracted the greatest number (63), next comes motor me- chanics (40), dental mechanics (30), perambul- ator making, it is interesting to learn, ltis been chosen by no fewer than 23. Otlur trades selected are mechanical engineering (20), market gardening, (18), bootmaking (17), cabinet making and carpentry (9), artificial limb making (9), diamond cutting (6), and jewellery working (3). To the making Of arti- ficial limbs the disabled should bring a rare sympathy. No one would wish or expect to see artificial limb making become a permanent industry on any large scale. Nevertheless, thftra will be hiq demands fur K £ @$Eii adjuncts for many years yet, -and it is perhaps surprising that so few have taken up this work. It is an interesting comment on the dangerous nature of some modern occupations that thirty odd years ago the London and North Western Railway Company, in aeir great workshop-town of Crewe, embarked on this branch of manufacture, and undertook to supply legs and arms of the most finished workmanship to any man who lost his own in their service." » The C.E.M.S. and Labour, I To ignore the social problems of to-day if folly to run away from them is cowardice; to handle them rashly is to play the partf fanatics; to study them is to play the -art of wise men. The wisdom of the Shrewsbury branch of the Church of England Men's Society is shown by the attempts they have made of late to bring together employers nd employed to discuss the vexed questions of capital and labour. Religion is too often rtl- garded as something to be isolated. The C.E.M.S. apparently does not share that view, but recognises that it has relations with every phase of life. It is to be hoped that the further meeting now being arranged bv the C.E.M.S. will be even better-supported than j those which have preceded it. Perhaps it is unfortunate that on this occasion it should have chosen as its principal speaker a repre- sentative of the Alliance of Employers and Employed. There is little love between Or- ganised Labour and the Alliance. Both em- players. and employed are so highly organised j in their respective trades to-day that the I Alliance is generally regarded by trade i unionists as a superfluous and unrepresent- ative body. This, however, should not Ui- í tate against the good relationships existing between, Labour and the C.E.M.S.
I - . I i Oswestry Operative…
i Oswestry Operative Plumbers. DEMAND FOR INCREASED WAGES. I A meeting of operative plumbers was held at the Osborne Hotel, Oswestry, on Thursday, Mr. J. Thomas presiding, to consider tlit3 new demand to be made to master plumbers for an increased wage and a shorter hours week.-The Chairman said that it was im- possible to live on the present rate of wages. In one hand, Wrexham had a standard a of Is. 8d. an hour, and on the other hand was Shrewsbury, with the same standard rate, and they could fiot "findergtand why a to am like Oswestry, which was in between those places, should not have the same rate of wages. What they were asking for, howevjr, was Is. 6d. an hour; hours from 8 a.m. to 5-30 p.m. each day, and 12-30 p.m. on Satur- days. That would be a 47-hoiir week, with a wage of £ 3 10s. 69', a country allowance, and overtime rates.-Mr. R. S. Trainer, the only master present, said he was quite willing to agree to the new demand, providing other masters did the same. He pointed out the difficulty which arose owing to having already made contracts on the old rates,-and felt that a reasonable time should be given the masters in order to accommodate their business to ?! new c6nditions.-On the motion of Mr. W. Bell, seconded by Mr. Tom Davies, the rate of wages outlined by the Chairman, was adopted, and it was decided that a meeting should be catted for the masters next week and the demand be presented to them, the new rate to take effect from March 31.—In a discussion which followed, a strong attack was made on the half-inchers (men who were handy but incompetent and unskilled plumb- I era), and it was alleged that the town abound- ed in faulty workmanship, specimens of which were exhibited.—One member stated that he visited a place where the only supply in the house was from cisterns which he found full of slime, and the. people used the water lot only for themselves but also for hundreds f people who took their meals there. Allega- tions were made that nine out of ten stop taps in the town were deficient, and sugges- tions were made that all taps should he standardised, as many as four keys having to I be carried about at the present time by the plumbers.—A suggestion was also made that I the Council should insist that none but quali- fied plumbers should be allowed to touch ?he various service pipes in the town, and to that I end men should be tested in the Council's workshop, and then a list should be published of those who were competent to do work en the service pipes.—One plumber gave an in- stance of a slater repairing a pipe in a w.c and remarked that there was a great tempta- tion to incompetent plumbers to do bad work- manship, because their work was nearly al- ways out of sight.
[No title]
Mr. Balfour says preliminary peace is in sight this month. I
Advertising
A HELPLESS PARALYTIC. FOR FOUR YEARS-DECLARED A HOPELESS CASF-. -PAIN MADE HER CRY. — MINISTERS COMMENTED ON HER MIRACULOUS CURE BY DR. CASSELL'S TABLETS "Evoèn ministers in the pulpit have com- mented on the miracle of my cure," says Mrs. Affiles Strain, oi Germain-itreet, Ca trine, Ayrshire, N.B. "Tite attack'came on quite suddenly and lasted four years. My right side was completely dead, and both legs were affect- ed. The doctor said it was Spinal Paralysis, aad prescribed for me, but I did ill,at mend. My case was believed ir,o be hopeless. I wae utterly help- less, had to be lifted out of bed, and everything' had to be done for me; I could not move a ¡ finger, and the pain I was in at tames made hie cry like a child. I had fallen away to a. shadow, I too, when IItOot Dr. Cassell's Tablets. I could hardly believe my senses when about the third week after I found I could move my arm. After I that I used to be led up and down the srreet, till one day I astonished m-v siiter by walking into her house by myself. That was only two months$fter taking my first dose of Dr. Caes ell's Tablets, and now, two years later, I am as strong as ever in my life." Nothing that we might, say could add to the convincing gtraigh'tforwardness | of this lady's *tory. It i for sufferers to teat Dr. CMBe?'s T&bIeLs in their own mterestS. Dr. Cassell's Tablets act more brilliantly than ahv .other medicine known in eses of Nervous j Breakdown, Anmmia, Debility, Sleeplessness, j Nerve Paifts, Heart Weakness, Kidney an«M Stomach DisdrderS. Children's Weakness, inal and Nerve Parayfoia, and General Bodily Fatigue, j brain fag influenza, And all run-down c 0111dit o Specially valuable for nursing mothers and during the critical periods of life. Sold by I ,oheryiets everywhere. Price Is. 3d. atid 3s. Large I size most economical. FREE INFORMATION as to their suitability in, your case asi-it, on reqtie#.—Address Dr. II CAss oule Co., Ltd., Chestar-road, Manchester*
'FACTS AND -FANCIES. I
'FACTS AND FANCIES. I The Editor of the Times." I Mr. Wiekham Steed's appointment aS editor of the Times in the place of Mr. Geoffrey Dawson means a greater change w the "Times" tradition than would appear! (says the London Letter writer of the Man- j Chester Guardian "). He is, I think, lhü first editor of the" Times who was not an En_h public school and Oxford man. Mr. Bu c? It, whom Mr. Dawson succeeded, wa? like Delane, of Winchester and New College. Mr. Wickham Steed has had most of Lis education on the Continent, his universities being Jena, Berlin, and Paris. He was strongly Bussophile before the war, and work- ed hard for an understanding with Russia. He has written much on the Balkan problems, and is claimed by the Jugo-Slavs as one < f their chief suppports. He has been Times correspondent at Berlin, Rofe, and Vienna. II He is said to be a man of liberal views. I Mistresses and Maids. I The problem of obtaining domestic servants is a sufficiently stiff one for housewives to settle without the added hardship of being cheated out of money (says the "Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury "). A woman is making quite a good income out of tricking mistresses who want maids. Recently a Liverpool lady was telling a friend that she had engaged a good servant who had bean to see her from Southport. She added that the woman was rather" hard up," and had had to borrow from her the amount of her [.railway fare back to Souttfport to fete]: clothes. The friend to whom thqstory w a,-i told laughed loudly at the lady's stateme-jt, whereupon the latter indignantly inquired the reason of the levity. Then it transpired that the same woman from Southport had success- fully played the same trick of obtaining the amount of a single railway fare from no fewer than three other ladies in the neighbourhood.
ITHE CHURCHES.
I THE CHURCHES. ——. THE REPRESENTATIVE CHURCH COUNCIL. Strong opposition was offered to the scheme devised to give a larger measure of self-govern- ment to the Church, which was submitted to a meeting of the Representative Church Council in London last week. The Bishop of Hereford described the proinosed "House of Representatives u merely a House of Anglican notables, and urged that instead of asking Parliament for de- nominational autonomy, they should seek the appointment of a Royal Commitsi(yn.On the motion of the Bishop of Lichfield, it was agreed that women should be admitted to membership of the Assembly.—Dr. Kempthorno said if they agreed to this it would make their procedure consistent, as already under the scheme women 'had a vote for and were eligible to sit on par- ochial church councils and in rurideca-nal and diocesan conferences. At present they said to the Women they could vote for and nave a seat in the minor positions, but they could not vote or take tiheir place with the men in the Repre- sentative Church Assembly. That was an illogical, an unreasonable, and a wholly indefen- sible thing to do. He denied that his proposal j could be regarded as a step to the admission of women to the priesthood. The opinion of women was at least as valuable as men on many subjects. It was not a question of claiming rights for women. Churchwomen were not calling for their rights. What they asked for was the op- portunity for rendering the Church the best ser- vice of which they were capable.—The age limit of lay representatives was fixed at 21.—It was agreed that parochial church councils shall have power, if so decided, to co-opt members not ex- ceeding in number of the elected lay representatives. The franchise qualification age was fixed,at 18.—A long discussion took place on the question of baptismal v. communicant or at least confirmation te.st.-By a considerable ma- jority, the meeting voted in favour of a baptismal Qualification, provided the elector does not be- long to another religious body. LLANYMYNECH PRIMITIVE METHODIST I CIRCUIT. The annual mii?«onary sermons and ml"etings have been held during the week at the following places, the collections taken beingMelverley, Eg 4s. 7d.: Edgerley, JE:3 lis. 6d.; Wern, JB1 9s. The Rev. W. Chapman, Oswestry, was the depu- tation and others taking pai-t were the Rev. G. T. D. Pidslev, Messrs. T. Ward Green, Geo. Mansell. W. Morris and T. E. Whitfield. The de ath accmred last week of the Rev. Evan I Lodwick Ellis. since 1908 rector of Ysceifiog, near Holywell. I The Rev. Herbert Cooper, formerly pastor of North gate Congregational Church, Chester, and latterly assistant to the Rev. J. D. Jones, ( Bournemouth, caught cold at a funeral and died of lung trouble last week.
I The Welsh Outlook for March.…
I The Welsh Outlook for March. I SPECIAL GWYL DEWI NUMBER. I The March number of the Welsh Outlook," I a.s befits a St. David's Day number, has specie! reference to current Welsh problems. The W.11h poets are represented by new poems from Elfed, j T. Gwynn Jones, W. J. Gruffydd, T. H. Wil- f liams Parry, R. Silyn Roberts and others. The number contains all the usual attractive features, amongst the contributors being Mr. J. Arthur. Price, the Rev. R. F. Rowlands, the Rev. J. I Pulaston Jones, Mr. T. Henry Davies, and Mr. 'I ). H. Griffiths. Readers would be well advised to (Secure their copies early.c 5.
I.LLANYMYNECH.I
LLANYMYNECH. I PRESENTATION.—The local branch of the GirLs' Friendly Sccietv held a monthly sur- prise party on Tuesday week at the Church House, each member contributing half a pound of something in the nature of a surprise." The members and invited guests numbered about fifty, and a very, enjoyable evening was spent. During an interval in the games and dancing, Miss Betty Jones, on behalf of the girls, present- ed Mrs. Brimelow, the hon. secretary and in. structress, with a birthday gtift of a pair of beautiful silver candlesticks. Mrs. Brimelow, in replying, expressed how highly she appreciated the gift and the kindly thought that prompted it. BAND OF HOPE.-The children of St. Aizatlia's Band of Hope spent a most enjoyable evening, on Wednesday, at the Church House, when they were entertained to tea. by the Rector, the Rev. J. P. Poole-Hughes. After the tables had been cleared, a variety of musical games and dances were indulged in. Several of the child- ren contributed concert items, which they had learned during the winter session.—A vote of thanks to the Rector closed a memorable evening.
.Trade Problems.
Trade Problems. RAIL AND ROAD TRAFFIC. A meeting of traders-of Oswesferv was held in the Guildhall on Tuesday evening, under the chairmanship of the Mayor, Mr. W. Morris, to consider certain matters of im- portance to the trade of the town,—On the motion of Mr W. H. Plimmer, seconded by Mr. J. Baird, a resolution was passesd that the present hours of closing should be ad- hered. to. It was stated that no complaints had been made by the purchasing public, and trade had not suffered in the least by the earlier hours of closing.—The Chairman said they owed a debt of gratitude to the public for falling in with the wishes of the traders. A motion b) Mr. E. H. Bradley, that tho shopkeepers who did not fall in with the wishes of the majority as to early closing should be canvassed by a deputation was car- irièd, and the question of Sunday closing wai left to the Mayor to deal with.—On the ques- tion of increased railway facilities, Mr. J. H. Profit proposed that the Cambrian and Great Western Railway Companies should be re- quested to giv m^re fadltieq by putting on a larger nu±ber of trains, and. more especially on Wednesdays and Saturdays; particularly with regard to the Tanat and Llanfyllin branches, and the G.W.R. motor service* coming direct to Oswestry and going out dir- ect, obviating a change at Gobowen.—Mr. T. J. Bradshaw seconded the motion.—It was eventually decided to ask a committee of the Traders Association to work out the detail* of the proposal in conjunction with the Rail- way Committee of the Town CounciL-A re- solution was passed, congratulating new ro?t ilocomation traffic companies, on tfe heilitjes they provided for country people to trade in the town, and asking the& 'to run vehicles oa I Saturdays, as well as Wednesdays. I TRADERS' ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the Traders' Asso. ciation was held in the Guildhall on Tuesday evening, Mr. J. H. Profit presiding.-The Chairman said that during the past year the stress of business had been so great and war work had taken up so much of their time that even members of the committees had not been able to pay the attention they could have wished to the interests of the Association.- The hon. treasurer, Mr. T. J. Bradshaw, gave the financial statement, which showed a balance of £ 24 Os. 5d. in favour of the Asso. ciation, and it wa-a decided to ask Mr. J. T. Williams to audit the accounts.—-A favourable report was presented by the secretary, Mr. W. L. Williams.—Mr. J. H. Profit was re- elected president, Mr. C. C. Rowe was elected vice-president, and the hon. treasurer and the secretary were re-appointed. Mr. T. HartnelJ was elected to fill the place of Mr. F. W. Harris on the committee, which was re-elected with this alteration.
I Oswestry Parish Council.…
I Oswestry Parish Council. Monday, present, Messrs. A. E. Petite, chairman, J. i, Deirbyshire, vice-chairman, J. Butler, J. F. Edwards, H. Flux, .T«hn Lloyd, M. Meredith, E. Griffiths, W. H. Duck;tt and T. E. Whitfield, with Mr. DavM Roberta, clerk.—A communication was received from Oswestry Rural District Council, on the subject of I the new housing scheme, asking for a statement of the exact number of houses required in the parish and for definite information respecting the sites.— The Chairman said there were plenty of sites in the parish, and houses were badly needed.—Mr. Duckitt said there wits no doubt at all about the scarcity of houses.—A question was raised about the cost!mess of the housing schemes, and the Chairman said there would be a penny in the £ levied on the rates, the Government would have to find the difference between the rent paid and the cost exceeding the peony rate. —Mr. Griffiths remarked that big prices were being asked for land for building sites.—Mr. Derbyshire said Major Leighton had promised to do all he could to help any idea for the improvement of the district in the housing scheme.—Mr. Flux gave a detailed re- port of prospective sites for houses and mentioned several derel'ct houses, which, he said, would supply the material for the foundation and lower walls of the houses to be built in the Trefonen district; there was plenty of lard adjoining the cottage sites, and in most cases there was a good water supply. There wai a big demand for houses at Trefocn, he said, not only for the villagers, but also for people in Oswestry who wanted to live there.—Mr. Duckiti asked whether they would be able to get people te take the houses at a weekly rent of 6s.—Several memo bers said there would be ro difficulty about that.-It was decided that each ward should call a meeting on the matter, and form a. committee to get the re- quired information for the District Council.-The complaint about the bad state of a footpath leading from Drill to Nautycaws was considered, and it was decided to J'epar the footpath.—A 'etter Was received from the County Council on the subject of polling stations in the parish, and it was decided to a.sk for polling stations at Alaesbiiry, Morton and Tref(men.- The Council instructed the clerk to write to the County Council, asking theiff* to repair the footpathi running alongside the main road from the town boundary to Sweeney.—An application was received from Miss Sarah Roberts, the assistant overseer, for a permanent increase in her salary. It was stated that 41 years ago the salary was £100 and the Council collected at +hat time 92,70 0. Now the salary was only Ego, which included the clerkship salary, and the increased cost of living had reduced It to about £00 pre-war value, while the amount of rates col- lected at the present time was nearly 95,000. Afteir some discussion it was decided to increase the salary to £1210 per annum, to take effect frotn March, 1918.— The date of the election of parish 1 councillors wal fixed for March 17th.—A letter was received from tha Town Clerk of Oswestry, asking the Council to send delegates to a meeting on the question of the war memorial for the district, and after, some discussion, the member of each ward was asked to hold a meet. ing to obtain the feeling of the people on the matter, and to report the result to the Chairman, who hoped to att-end the war inemorial meeting.
[No title]
I The miners have decided to take part in the I Coal Mines Commission and the strike notice are postponed to March 22. Germany is in the grip of a strike man? Two-thirds of the miners were out last wee? the Spartacists are calling on the people t,* destroy the railways and even the doctors cdli chemists are striking against the dictatorship of the workmen. A Parliamentary paper issufed last weeK shows that an expenditure of £ 60,000.000 under the head "railway agreements is ex- pected by the Treasury in the year ei-JImg March, 1920, and half of the money is to he asked for on account. The £ 60,000,000 U presumably the total amount which the uov- ernment expect to have to provide to covalf the loss on the railways. They pay nothing however, for the movement of troops and munitions, and the actual cost of that service should be deducted to ascertain the real ,)8. on working to the country-