The Cambria Daily Leader

I -p I BOXING. Boxing at Hoxton Baths, on Monday ni; ht, Billy Beynon (Aberavon* put up a j good display against Tom Gardner tSmeth- II wick), but failed to last, and was out- pointed. In the principal contest at the Ring, on Monday, Harry Reeve (ex-light heavyweight champion) of Plaifstow, defeated, says the Press Association, Seaman Powell, the Welsh champion, who retired in the ninth round with an injured right arm. Powell must have been leading on points when this happened.

MR. T. J. WILLIAMS ILL. I Mr. T. J. Williams, M.P., of Maes-y-Gwer- ju-n Hall, near Swansea, ha* heen ordered to his bed for special treatment for coliti ar d he will be unable to undertake any "public duties for three or four weeks. I

MR. WiGNALL'S COMPLAINT In Parliament, on Monday, Mr Wignall (Lab.), Dean Forest, complained that thousands of German prisoners of war were being employed to the detriment of demobilieed men at Chepstow. Mr. Churchill said prisoners were being sent back to Belgium and France as speedily possible. Mr. Wignall thanked the right hon gen- tleman for his promise. Ho understood every word eaid there wat, solemnly ra- coried, and he hoped tint the right hon. gentleman's assurance woaM be circulate j in his constituency, because it would 0 him a great deal ot good and show that had accomplished something for La. j (Loud laughter.) j

TOWN TALK. I To the cinema devotee life is reel, life is serial. :0: In a Swansea tramcar last night a man was telling his friends that, after much search, he had succeeded in finding a house. No one seemed to believe him. — o.— There are few more patient and pains- taking judges than Judge Rowland Rowlands, who nonages to get at rock- bottom facts in every case that comes before h. m. — o:— Referring to thoso goody-goody and morose Christians," the Rev. J. Puglj, Jon,Ds said at Neath Abbey that irp Heaven there will neither be vineg-a. hottles nor long faces. -:0: Notwithstanding reports to the con- Irary, March proverbially came in like a voaving lion in Korth and South Wales. !n England, however, March was ushered in with blue skies and brilliant sunshine. -:0:- They're all out, eaid tho neighbour, "Xplaining the darkened hous-o next door. Yes-they used to be in Wednesday tights always, but they're following a pic. ture now which takes them out Wednes- days." -:0: The area between Mumbles Road and Biackpill on Tuesday morning, where the Pill runs into the sea, resembled a huge lake. The cause of this was the hig-h spring tide, which caused the Pill to overflow its banks. —: o: — Early oij Monday morning a keen Swan- sea ornithologist observed a large flock of birds, numbing some hundreds, living westward over the town. This is said to indicate a spell of fine weather. Doesn't look like it yet. —: o: — 1 U He- told the Registrar that if be had that he had told a lie, and before ho left the Court he had succeeded in mak- ing the Registrar and everybody else that it was quite possibly true that he had told lies. "-Solic; tor at Swansea. County Court. :— A S .anea it knut" who went into a tobacconist eh(1) last night and began slinging compliments about was cut short m the middle of his speech by the young Tady behind the counter, who told him there wasn't a single packet of cigarettes ;11 the shop. —! ft: A large nnmber of passengers on the Mumbles train on Tuesday morning wcro quite interested in the tide. inasmuch as it was the highest spring tide that wo shall experience. The highest point reached in the Bristol Channel will be j about 47 feet. -:0:- If this is the new Britain we fondly imagined we were going to return to." ex- claimed a demobilised ooldier to a friend y?terday. give me the old one," Ib tv stated that the ex-@OIdier Iud j'Mt been told by the twenty-third tobac- conist that he was sold out of cigarettes. A Pentrechwyth correspondent writes registering his entire agreement with the leading article in Saturday's Leader." Surely," he say?. the new areas can wait fire years for luxurious improve- ments. We in the top end of the East Ward have had to wait many times five for necessary communal services." — :0 TP,.t(l er A correspondent in the ?' Lp?der yes- ?rday accused some of our Members of ?rliament of putting their own ;ntrests I before those of the country. If this is correct," comments another correspon- II dent. "then most of their promises re- folve themselves into mere MPty tal." Help! Now that margarine has beeom* plenti- ful and has dropped in price, a good many people are hoping that bntter will follow suit, for despite the fact that marg has become more popular than in the days when llb. had to be given away in order to induce purchases of a similar amount, not a few have tried and failed in the attempt to u-je it as a substitute for butter. -:1):- The following clause will be found in the rules for allotment holders in the Borough of Swansea:—"The allottet; shall "ot without the written consent of the Corporation underlet, assign, or part with. the possession of the allotment or any tJart of it." Notwithstanding this, we find in the Mumbles there are plenty of eases where this rule is not carried out, and pome are working two or even three plots, while there are many who can't get one. To-day is Sbrove liiwAaT, or better known as Pancake Day. As a good many are not aware of the origin of this, we will enlighten them on the matter. It is called throve Tuesday in the English Church from the custom which enjoined confession of sins and shriving immedi- ately before the Lentern feast. It was an ancient custom that, after confession and absolution on tnis particular lues- dny. the people should partake of pan- cakes. -'0- One poor Swansea husband wants to know what has become of the luxury tax proposed some time ago. Hie reason is that yesterday his wife came home from a window-gazing expedition and remarked that she had seen, and wanted to buy, H suc h a dinky little blouse at forty-five shillings! We don't know what has be- come of the luxury tax, but wa are afraid tl,iat even taxes on dinky" blouses would not have nyich effect on the aver- age woman. —: (V — An incident occurred on Monday even- < Ing on one of the first-class carriages on the Mumbles Railway at the Rutland- street terminus which caused quite a sensation for the time being. One of the conductors was preparing to light one of the acetylene lamps, when there hap- pened to be a leakage of gas. No sooner had he struck a match than there was a report like the dropping of a bomb. It was quite exciting to see the passengers rushing out to see what was the matter. —: o: — Before the war he was an ordinary com- mon or garden useless man a-bout the house. A week ago he returned home, and 1 the first thing he did was to buy a hair- cutting machine to do the children's hair. His next job was to distemper the house f-ronsh, and on Friday, instead of look- ing all over the town for a man to put a new washer on a leakiusr tan (which was usual in the davs of pnace), he actually ,lId it himself. The revolutionary change 11.q naturally pleased his wife, who hopes that her hxxsband will continue his good So you see. it's not only the Navy '?n. turn out handy men! "I T In fairness to the authorised p?am?&rA of Swansea—both masters ana operatives— the water engineer (Mr. Collinson) wishes to make it clear that pract ca.lly all the exhibits placed before the Water Com- i-niffee on Thursday lastrt^-re .tb":tcl'k of potche-rs or odclob men outside the recognised trade. t fact, the regular plumbing trade is t?art:ly ith the waiter engineer In pattin. an ;;nd to this kind of thing, 35^-43titled to no small share of the C'èdit for what has already been accomTjsi-e £ j in saving the waste of water. I kfc, also, an v possessor of uiucii-men(le(I j Xping should imagine himself the owner of a little gold mine, it must be pointed out that now the Government restrictions have been removed, the value of the materials obtained would hardly repay the cost of melting down, separating, and cleaning the solder from the old pipes. .>

AMUSEMENTS 6.30. TO-NI^HT! 8.30. *:» 'Phone: Central S2. n- v.. W. H. SQUIRE, England's Greatest Violoncellist and Popular Song Composer, LILY FAIRNEY, The Charming Mezzo-Contralto from the London Ballad Concerts, and MARIE NOVELLO, The Great Pianiste, 1 In Selections from their Repertoire. ? FRANK VAN HOOVEN, The Mad Magician. ARTHUR FERRISS, » Comedy Character Studies in Song Form. < 2 Latest News in Pictures. BILLY TUCKER, American Champion Ball Puncher. ALBERT GEORGE, A Clever Dancer.  ENARDO  BROS., ? Eqailibrists and Gymnasts in Mid-Air. THE MULLANEY BROS., j Australian Comedians and Dancers. NEXT WEEK' "ON THE WING," Featuring the Celebrated London Hippo- j i; drome Comedian, George Clarke. Y SI u IYI E???-?M Swansea's Premier Picture House. I 2.30. Continuous Performance. 10.38. Monday, and during the week, J Chrissie White, Henry Edwards and Hamilton Stewart in ¡ THE HANGING JUDGE, I Great Hepworth Picture Play, adapted ) and produced by Henry Edwards from II the famous Play of the late Tom Gallon and Leon M. Lion. Count Bernstorff's Secrets. i Episode 7: The Brown Portfolio. ,õ" And Usual High-Class Prpgramme. H • mmmmmrnmm SALES BY AUCTION. • SWANSEA. VALUABLE INVESTMENTS FOR kr.i SALE. Astley Samuel, F.A.I. .WILL SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION at the HuTEL CAMERON, HIGH- STREET, SWANSEA, on THURSDAY, MARCH 6th, 1919. Freehold and Leasehold Property and Freehold Ground Rents. .■ » 1 Lot I.-All tiiat Freehold Messuage and „ Premises, No. 1, CRADUCK-STHEEi, 4 SWANSEA, let on amierleaee to the -Liverpool Victoria Legal Friendly Socieij tor a term of 21 years from 29th Septem- ber, 1902, at the yearly rent of X43 and v*' rates Lot 2.—A Freehold Ground Rent of A:3 3a. per annum amply secured on the Private Dwelling-house, No. 40. Manse1- street, Swansea, let OD lease for a mini- mum term oi 99 years from 25th March, 1859, and for the period of three lives existing at the commencement of the term, with the reversion to the rack rent at the expiration of the lease in about 39 years. Lot 3.—A Freehold Ground Rent of £ 3 i 3s. per annum amply secured on the i < Private Dwelling-house known as No. 41. Mansel-strcct, Swansea, let on lease for a term of 99 years from 29th September, 1858, with the reversion to the rack rent at the expiration of the lease in abont 381i years. ? Lpt 4.—Ail that Leasehold Dwelling- house and Premises. No. 46, WALTER- ROAX Sold with vacant possession. Lot v —All that Leasehold Dwelling. house and Premises, No. 47, WALTER- ROAD, let for a term of 7 years trotrl 25th March, 191 i. at a yearly rental of £ 10. Lots 4 and 5 are held for a term of 99 years from 25th December, 1873, it a ground rent of S8 tUs. 8d. which will be equally apportioned between the lobi. Lot 6.—All that Leasenokl Dwelling- house and Premises. No 114, RHONDDA. STKEET, SWANSEA, held for a term of 99 years from 25th March, 1896, at the yearly ground rent of S2 19s. 6d. The Premises are let on a weekly tenancy of per wee 1- Laretord paying 12s. per week. Landlord paying Rates. "J Lot 7.—All those Dwelling-houses and u Premises, Not;. 97 and 99, NORFOLK- i STREET, let at 10s. per week each, Landlord paying Rates Held for a term of 99 vpars from 29th September, 1888, at a ground rent of S3 19s. fid. each. f mm- Lot S.-All those Dwelling-houses and Premises, Nos. VI. 15, t7 and 19, WORDS- J ¡!>' WORTH-STREET, each let at 8s. per '• week. Landlord paying Rates. Held under one lease for 99 years from 25th. March, 1909, at a ground rent of f,10 a year. Lot 9.-All that Dwelling-house and Premises, No. 7, EDWARD-STREET. let at 10s. a week. Landlord paying Rates. f Held for a term of 99 years from 25th December, 1833, at a ground rent of £1 's Lor- to.-All that Block of Property, being Nos. 2, 3, 4. 5 and 6, i'lSING SUN- ROW, PEXTRECHWYTH, 60 years from 25th March. 190f>. Ground rent, £6 8s A 4d. Total gross weekly rental £1 5s. 6d.. < Landlord paying Rates. Mines and Minerals are Reserved. Sale to commence at Three o'clock p.m. Further particulars and Conditions of Sale as to Lots 1 to 6, from Messrs. Davies, Ingram and Harvey, Solicitors. Goat-street, Swansea: Lots 7 to 9, from I C H Newcombe, Esq., Solicitor, Wind- street, Swansea; Lot 10. from W. Arthur rvavies, Esq., Solicitor. Rutland-street. Swansea; or of all the Lots, from the i \uctioneer, King's Chambers, Swansea. SWANSEA. TO INVESTORS, HOUSE SEEKERS AND OTHERS Astley Samuel, F.A.I. HAS been favoured with instructions to lA SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION, on THURSDAY, 6th MARCH, 1919. at the HOTEL CAMERON, SWANSEA, all that desirable Freehold ResHence Known as 32, BRYN-POAD, with Vacant Possession on 25th March, 1919. The House contains:—Two Reception- Rooms, Kitchen, Scullery, Four Bed- rooms, Bath-room and usual con- venienced. Good Garden. F-,ble to Commence at 3 p.m. Further particulars and Conditions of Sale may be obtained of Messrs. Andrews and Thompson, Solicitors, Fisher-street, Swansea; or of the Auctioneer, King's Chambers, Swansea. — 1 ————— !4 ?tA w i n e- 7- I A twinge?—ouch!— I touch of the old trouble ? Get the Kruschen habit and I good bye, gout! Half a teaspoonful in hot water before breakfast — every morning! Of all Chemists 1/6 per bottle. All British ¡ j( II -VV' ¡ "'rtJ1Jr,ø. ¡ SALES BY AUCTION. GIRLS' NATIONAL CLUB. Alexandra-road, Swansea. ABSOLUTE CLEARING-OUT SALE. Astley Samuel, F.A.I. HAS received instructions to SELL by ■LL PUBLIC AUCTION, on WEDNES DAY and THURSDAY (if necessary). 5th and 6th MARCH, 1919. the Th-ole of the Furniture and Effects, Consisting of: ROLL-TOP DESK, Din- ner Wagon, Bagatelle Board, Counter, Cupboards, Linoleum, Bentwood Chairs, Sewing Machine, Wicker Chairs, Camp Chairs, DINING TABLE, Combined Settee and Bed, Gate-Legged Table. Trestle Tables. Clock, hush Chairs, Mir- rors, Pictures, Carpet, Curb, Overmantel. Wicker Easy Chair, Several COMBINA nON BEDSTEADS, Camp Bedstead, ¡ Bedroom Lockers, CHEST OF I DRA WERS, Mattresses, Overlays, COM BINED WASHSTAND and DRESSING TABLES, Feather Bolsters, Pillows, Sheets, Pillow Cases, Mattress Covers, Face Towels, Rough* Towels, Under. White. Brown, Striped Blankets, Qnilts. Large GAS COOKERS, GAS BOILERS. GAS FIRES, BATHS and GEYSERS. Enamel Sinks, ELECTRIC FITTINGS, DINNER and TEA WARE, Bedroom I Ware, Wall Mirrors, Casement Curtains. 1 Brushes, Galvanised Ash Bins, KNIVES. I FOPKS, and SPOONS, Toast Racks. Cruets, Kettles, Saucepans, Kitchen Chairs, DRESSER, Enamel Bowls, I Backets, Enamel Cans, Plate Rack, Knife Machine, Tea Pots, Pudding ■ Basins, Pie Dishes, Trays, Bread Pan, i Flour Bin, and numerous other articles i Sale to commence at 11.30 a.m. Goods on View Morning of Sale. | Terms-Car,h. Auctioneer's Offices, King's Chambers, j Gowcr-street, Swansea. ) Re EDWARD STROUD (Deceased). COUNTY BOROUGH OF SWANSEA. Sale of Valuable Leasehold Properties for Occupation or Investment. Mr. J. Pugh Williams IS favoured with instructions from the Exccutor of the above named deceased to offer for SALE by PUBLIC AUCTION, at the HOTEL METROPOLE. SWAN- SEA, on WEDNESDAY. MARCH 5th. 1919, at 3 p.m. (subject to such Conditions of Sale as shall then and there be pro- duced), the following Valuable Leasehold Properties, viz.: Lot 1-No. t, St. HELEN'S AVENUE, SWANSEA, ccntaining six rooms and scullery. There is a useful Stable, with cartway entrance, at the rear. The houso is let on a weekly tenancy at the low I rental of 9s. 6d. per week, landlord pay- ing rates. Tho stable is estimated to let at 5s. per week. Held for a term of £ 0 years from 24th June, 1875, at an annuai, ground rent of S3 12s 17 "I Lot 2-No. 187, St. HELEN'S AVENUE, SWANSEA, containing six roocM and scullery. Now in hand; estimated to wt at 14s. per week, landlord paying rates. Vacant possession on completion of the purchase. Held for a term of 99 years from 25th March, 1878 (less 3 days), at an annual ground rent of £3 18s. I Lot 3-iNo. 13, PRINCESS-STREET, I SWANSEA, containing four rooms and I scullery. Let on a weekly tenancy at 8s. per week, landlord paying rates. Held for a term of 99 years from 25th December, 1835, at an annual ground rent of £ 1 123. Lot 4.-No. 3. GRIFFITHS-TERRACE, bKETTY. A modern and well-built dwelling-house, containing six roome. bathroom, attic, and scullery. Large garden at the rear. Let on a weekly tenancy at lis. 6d. per week, landlord paying rates. Held for a term of 500 years from 25th December. 1901, at an annual ground rent of Y,2 1-ls. 3d. The Mines and Minerals are Reserved. Further particulars, with orders to view, may be obtained from the Auctioneer, at his offices, 12, College- street, Swansea, or from Messrs. Picton Evans and Jones, Solicitors, 9. St. Mary- street, Swansea. THE CWMGAR./ ESTATE, UPPER BRYNAMMAN, CARMARTHENSHIRE. MESSRS. Wm. & Waiter JamJ F.A. I. ARE favoured with instructions to SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION at the COUNCIL SCHOOLS. CWMGARVV rtOAD, BRYNAMMAN, on SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 15th, 1919, promptly at 3 o'clock, the whole of the above Freehold Estata in 64 SEPARATE LOTS, comprising prac- tically the whole of the Cwmgarw dis- trict of that important industrial centre, "Upper Brynamman," adjacent to Valu- ¡ able Collieries and Tin works. The lot include the exceptionally ) Valuable and Free Public House, the TREGIB ARMS," with vacant posses- sion in iiboui four years. 20 Small Holdings, 6 Accommodation Fields, 34 Freehold Ground Rents, 10 Freehold Cottages and Gardens and several Valuable Building Sites on the j 'Iding Sites on the Main Cwmgurw Road. Particulars, Plans and Conditions of I Sale are now ready, and may be had post ¡ iree from the Auctioneers, Swansea and Llangadock, from Saekvill Owen, Esq., Estate Agent, Narberth, or from Messrs. I Eaton, Evans and Williams, Solicitors, Haverfordwest.. Swansea W fr PensionsrEtcV, Local 'I Committee, Central Police Buildings, Swansea. I APPOINTMENT OF MEDICAL REFEREE (Under the Ministry of Pensions). A PPLTCATIONS are invited for the above Appointment from Medical Practitioners in the Swansea Borough. Terms of Appointment and Forms of Application may be obtained from the undersigned. GEORGE R. WHITE, Secretary.

THE CYMRODORION AND A CRITIC. There was a fine lot of confused feeling in the editorial notes of our contemporary yesterday. On Satur- day their writer was engaged in the task of showing that the perpetra. tion and popularisation of the Welsh language should be subsidiary to things On Monday the Cymrodorion is reproached because leading members of the society are reputed to have supported Sir Alfred Mond in the recent Parlia mentary election, in preference presumably to a Welshman who s proud of the fact that he speaks Welsh. What they should have done had Mr. Roger Beck or Ad miral Heneage responded to the in vitation to contest the seat is not clear. One would imagine," so the writer proceeds, that a rea- sonable patriotism would consider Parliamentary representation as the most important department for the assertion of that racial feeling which is so exacting where positions of lesser influence are concerned. There is a fallacy here with which we will deal; but the Swansea Con- servatives when in search of a can didate did not bother their heads about his racial or his linguistlical I qualifications. The contention is that ardent! Cymrodorion members are incoc I sistent in protesting against the appointment of a non-Welsh-speak- ing Postmaster, and supporting a non-Welshman as Parliamentary candidate. Are the two things on I all fours I The objection to the ap I pointment of a non Welsh speak- ing Postmaster was that his duties I' would carry him periodically to little sub-offices in the district where the Post Office staff would be mainly Welsh-speaking; and that a Postmastei who could speak in their lamiliar language to the dis- trict staff would be at a very con- siderable advantage over the Eng- lishman. A plain utilitarian pur- pose was served by the objection. No petty Wales for the Welsh spirit entered into the matter; in deed no question of nationalism was involved. It was a clear busi- ness proposition put forward: that m official who had to deal largely with employes who used Welsh as I their main method of speech would I be better fitted for the post be occu- pied if he also understood and I spoke WdRh. Is this argument to I be applied to the function of a mem- et;on of a metn- jber of Parliament at Westminster? knd if an indictment of the Welsh patriotism of ardent Cymrodorion members is to be founded upon this alleged "contrariness," then what ire we to sav of the ardent Welsh patriotism of the HiHanls and Sin- "lairs and Brooks, and other en thusiastic Cvmry, who endeavoure l to get first Mr. Beck, and then Ad miral Heneage, to he the standard bearer of a "Welsh Coalition" campaign? The "ardent Cymrodorion who I are thus lectured can fight their own battles very well, and they will not I thank us for taking up the cudgels for them. But they may allow us I to say that we knew them to be prompted by no exclusive Welsh spirit, and also that the attempt to insinuate that their society has any political bias is ludicrous to those who realise how catholic is the movement in Swansea, and how jealous are* its leaders to be free irom the shadow of suspicion .n such matters. Wales for the Welsh" is a mott-o the ardent Welshmen of the town have never accepted; but surely they are en- titled to assert that, in appoint- ments in which knowledge of the native tongue is not only an advan tage but an essential qualification, due regard should be had to these facts. For the rest, the only pos- sible criterion is merit; the best man whether he was born in Swart. sea or on the other side of the dyke. And now for a point where on there is agreement with the crith. The scheme for the creation of a Secretaryship of State for Wales is I paid to have been "scutt1d" by I rationalists rallied chiefly from Swansea a.nd West Wales As pa.rt justification of the wrecking I' policy, it was locany asserted "— and this time the reference is to the pnrt played by the Cambria I Daily Leader in defeating the pro- posal—" that at Swansea people were not gathering at street-corners to t.alk of the proposed Secretary of State for Wales; the idea was not in the public mind." It is en tirelv true to say that the result Wt the public cold and indifferent, "nd that no interest could bo whipped up in the proposal. Bit if. as the oritic of the Cymrodorion asserts the adoption of some kind nf Federal system must come, and if it is inevitable, in order to relie\e the congestion of Parliament, then it is high time that there should be movements whether movo ments satirised by quotation marks or movements carrving the ap- proval of the critic—" whether spon taneous or engineered." to dis- cuss, the working out of a devolution policy as it affect Wales.

THROUGH A COTTAGE WINDOW. I ix. "Happy Valley" An Economic I Apologue. I By GEORGE W. GO UGH. The miners have agreed to postpone their strike for a week to March 22nd, and to appoint half the delegates on the Royal Commission which is to &et to work at once to inquire into the position of the ^•.oal-mining industiy. The Commission, be\ng established by statute, will have all the powers of a High Court, and will, moreover be presided ovei by a dis tinguished judge It will thus be able to ijive us all the neeessary information we require, about the ùhain" and about --very link in it. As this is to be done at once, and as thei-e are great gaps in our existing knowledge of the facts, there is no present need for me to pursue any fur- ther the controversy with Mr. Morgan flees. I value highly, and am personally grateful for, his intervention, for our readers will see. I think, that we do not really differ very much, and that where we do differ it i-s an advantage to them that we should. One thing, however, 1 must recur to in passing, since want of clearness, either on my part or that of my readers, will make farther progress diffi- cult for both of us. If we are to talk about the "justice" of the coal-miners' claims for higher wages we cannot refuse to talk about the jus- tice of the coal-users' claims for lower prices. I pointed out, a fortnight ago, that the increased price of coal due to the granting of the miners' demands would fall heavily on millions of cottagers who, as a matter of fact, are much worse off than miners. This consideration, I agreed, was outside the economic sphere, but fell within the sphere of good citizenship and human fellowship. Mr. Rees, in his first reply, pointed out and, as econom'st, he could do no less, that the community must, as a whole including thoee members who are worse off than ooal-miners, be prepared to meet the miners' demands. even at the oost ot suffering. The rest of the community is regarded by Mr. Rees-aAd this is true though not the whole troth-as having tolerated for miners conditione which miners will no longer tolerate I agree. But the rest of the community, including the miners, has long tolerated the existence of larsre bodies of workers who are as poor as crows com- pared with miners, and if we are to drag in the words just" and "unjust," we are faced with the obvious consequence that it is "unjust" for the miners to make demands which must involve posi- tive hardship for millions of workers whose standard of life ia lower than their own. THE QUESTION OF "JUSTICE." I The miners will reply, of course, that they do not tolerate this lower standard of life of other workers: that these other I workers must do aa they are doing, com- bine and demand a higher standard. This is a perfectly complete and logical reply, and it accounts for my describing last week at sheer nonsense" the habit the miners have got into of talking about the justice of their claims. A wage is al- ways the result ot a contract between a wage-payer and a wage-receiver. Where workers are in fact and law slaves, ns on the American cotton-plantations before the war, there is no wage because there is no contract, any more than there is between a horse and its owner. Hence a Southern cotton-planter could be unjust to his slave, since the only standard one could apply to his conduct was a moral one. But a South Wales coal-owner can- not be unjust to his hewers. The law will compel him to be just in the legal ense. and the hewer really does not care a straw whether the coal-owner is morally just. The coal-owners are quite clear that the miners' demands are unjust the miners are quite clear that they are just." Both of them are trying to pull my leg, and both of them know it. Each of them wants my moral support if it comes to a cessation of work. Hence each of them uses a moral term, justice," in it matter which is outside the sphere of morals. So what I have to say to the miners is this: You want to improve your standard of life You are to be congratu- lated on your oommonsense. It's about time you di.d. Some of you think that the division of the product between profits and wages can be altered to the advantage of wag: I hope that is true, for then you can raise yonr standard of iife without lowering that of my poor neighbours in Merton and Wandsworth. As economist, I get out to be calm and ;mpartial, as a man, I rejoice to see wigqb bIting a chunk out of profits. But I do want you to have clear notions of what | wages are and how a standard of life is I raised. Many of you have very foggy j notions about wages, and what I regard— j you will excuse my plainness—as very imperfect ideas of the proper standard ) by which to measure life. And you really mast not expect to get the big improve- rnent you demand now without setting up all sorts of economic reactions which will dly affect your interests, and which you must watch carofully, lest, after all, you only get an Irishman's rise." And his brings me in due and logical order to my coal-man whom we left last week eomplaining that he was worse off now on four quid a week than he way ixjfore the war on two. I itAISING THE STANDARD. Wages must, says the law, be paid in the current money of the realm. and the miner who, before the war, was paid in sovereigns now gets Bradburys "—about which I shall have something to say later on. The object of the law is to prevent the employer from paying in truck or kind, or, if he pays in money, from stipulating in the wage contract that the money shall be spent at a specified shop. This law goes back to the days of Owd Bob," whom you will remember. For the masters then commonly owned retail shops, and would employ nobody who would not deal there-oo that they plun- dered their employes in the guise of grocers. The Truck Act of 1831 put an end to this little game, and soon after, in 1S14, the famous twenty-eight Rochdale workmen clubbed their money to buy a box of tea in the wholesale market, and so etarted the splendid Co-operative I movwnent. Let us suppose, however, that in some remote mining village in a South Wales valley, the miners do as a matter of fact get no money wages at all. Instead, thereof, the mine-owner undertakes to see that they have all the things they want according to their then prevailing standard of life. The houses are all his, the shops are his; the chapel, the picture house, the pub," and the football field are his, and his workmen are at liberty to go and get all they want on demand up to the standard fixed. They differ in no ) other respect, we will suppose, from other miners in other valleys. They are mem- bers of the same trade union, and these other miners, by spending their money wages in the same way, could reach pre- cisely the same standard. All the miners of South Wales now go on strike. They mean to raise their stan- dard of life. They ask for double thair I former wages and succeed in their de- mand. In all other valleys except ours, the miners get two "Bradburys" where formerly they got but one, and things look rosy at first. But they soon begin to alter their minds. The shops do not seem to get much fuller of goods, and what mere are go up in price so amazingly that the two Uradhurye" soon go no further than the one did at first. In our valley, Happy Valley, there is no 6uch gloom. The new wage-contract compels the coal- owner to have two sirloins of beef and two suits. of clothes where he used to have one. His shops are stuffed with good things. He has to put up another picture- house. Better still, the miners, who can please themselves what they take it out 'n, ask for better cottages, with bath- rooms and gardens, and a lecture-hall and library, equipped with good teachers and Hood books. Their football team wins the cup; their pastor is the pride of the denomination. As for their wivea--weLL my powers of description have their limits! Excursions run from all over the country, professors come from Tokio and Timbuctoo, to see the village that has really lifted its standard of life, and kept it lifted. It is the economic miracle of the ages. And nobody in Happy Valley I ever sees a Bradbury," or wants to, except the one which hangs framed on the I walls of the Institute as a curiosity. THE EDGE OF THE PROBLEM. I This little apologue takes us to the very --(Ige of the problem, and will, I hope, throw some light on the puzzling fact that wn.grs have risen fast during the far without doing the miner very much srood. It is not so very long ago since the miners had a rise, and it is now admitted that they require at I-eaet six shillnjrs more a week to put them back where they were when they got their last rise. So it is clearly no use merely raising money wages. Something else has got to be done. Prices up, wages follow; prices up, wages follow." Here is a vicious circle out of which we must get if the position of the workers—miners and non-miners alike—is to be improved. We will go on with the problem next week, and till then I hope that my readers will spare a little time to think it out for themselves. In doing so, they will be well advised to start from this obvious fact: A pocket full of Bradburys is no use in a town of empty shops." I say start" of set purpose. Any fool can see that the fact is sound enough, but men who can take three steps away from it towards the truth are nearly as rare as white block- birds.

I PORT TALBOT TRADE. Traffic at Port Talbot Docks during the past wet-It was as follows—Exports—Coal and poke, 36,579 tons; patent ful, 5,877; an- giee, gzó; total, 42,884. Imports—Iron ore, ) 2.223 tons; p:g iron, 935; pitwood, 347 ballast, j 5; total, 3 657. The totii tonnafre w?s '!&.5?, as compared wi'h 36,695 in the cor- j responding week of iaet year. J