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Young Liberalism.

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Young Liberalism. Mr. W. F Phillips at Tonypandy. Mr. W. F. Phillips. B.A., B.D., B.Litt., was enthusiastically received at the Judge's Hall on Tuesday night last, when he tlelivered a most interesting and in- structive lecture on "Young I..iberalism." The meeting, which was held in connec- tion with the Mid-Rhondda Branch of Young Liberals, was crowded. There was a good sprinkling of Mr. Phillips' Social- ist "friends" present, and, naturally, interruptions were frequent. Mr. R. 8. Griffiths presided. | In opening the meeting, Mr. Griffiths stated that he had been a consistent Liberal from the time lie was able to form a political opinion for himself. He hoped that the meeting was not going to turn out to be a variety entertainment'' as did the last meeting held in connec- tion with the Young Liberals. Mr. Phillips, who was loudly applauded. said that the. first thing lie was going to say was that no member of the Young Liberals' League had any need to be ashamed of it. They should be proud of what they had already accomplished. Any- one who was aware of the history of the Young Liberals' League as an organisation would know that they had done great things in the past. Whenever the Young Liberals had thrown the whole force and weight of their influence into the scales, it had told heavily. It had told in Mid- Glamorgan. An attempt had been made to throw over the Liberal seat. This was largely a Young Liberal fight, and they had won on the first and second occa- sions. They had put up a good fight in the Gower election of December, 1910. They had fought valiantly, but they had been beaten in a fair fight, and were not going to deny it. The out look and pro- gramme was still more progressive They had a strong force throughout Wales. At the present day they had nearly one hun- dred branches and their executive was a strong one. What did this organisation stand for? Why was it in existence He would answer by explaining what it was not. It was not, emphatically not, directed against Labour. He earnestly hoped it would never become an anti- La lx>ur organisation. He pointed out that there was a marked distinction be- tween Labour and Socialism. Out of principle and method one was bound to distinguish between industrial Labour and political Socialism. One could be a Liberal and yet a good friend of Labour. A Voice: Leave it drop. Mr. Phillips: "Ladies and gentlemen. I have said nothing or done nothing to-" Cries of Quite right" and "No." Mr. Phillips: Then if I have said all.1 done nothing, why should you interrupt? I a.m entitled to my views. I again em- phasise that Labour and Liberal are not hostile. Don't be' afraid of the truth when you get it" (loud laughter and ap- plause. Continuing. Mr. Phillips said that the Young Liberals were as perfect an organ- isation as any they were competing. Who were the men who were running it? A Voice "Capitalists." Mr. Phillips: "If there are capitalists in the Youngs Liberals, so there are'in the Socialist Party (applause). He specified Lady Warwick, a Socialist lecturer, who was in receipt of an income amounting to R,300 a week. What was the nutlook. the spirit and the tendencies of the Young Liberals? Thev were friendly, not hostile, to Labour. He unhesitatingly stated that the main bodv of this organisation was of the -%x,oi-*k- In(, class. They l might be called traitors, blacklegs, < or non-Unionists. Still, they worked for their daily bread. A Voice: Let's have a speech" Mr. Phillips: "If you keep your ears as open as your mouth, you'll get it. For the third time I emphasise that the I Young Liberals are as much the friends of Labour as anyone." A Voice: Question. Mr. Phillips: "I am sick and tired of that monotonous voice, with its untiring Question.' Shout something else to break the monotony" (Joud laughter). The first principle of the Young Liberals was liberty. An interrupter: "For Mr. Phillips: "Yes, for Tonypandy as much as anywhere. That's more than you give me to expound my views. Continuing, the speaker said that they held the liberty of nationality and the liberty of individuals very dear., as did all Liberals. Take the countries of the world where Great. Britain was interested. British rule in India, under the Liberals, was most beneficial. India, 011 the whole, appreciated it. It was the goal of the Indian people to govern themselves, 111 accordance with their own national views. With this in view they were- being edu- cated. The time would come when the heritage of Tory misrule would be swept away, when every shackle and bond would be broken down. Subordinate countries should be allowed a measure of latitude, and not governed with a cast-iron rule. Egypt had been educated to a point that it would soon be able to take its own place in tho civilised world, and have its own Government. A Voice: What about South Africa. The speaker said that nothing depressed him more than that bloody war. with its needless waste of £ 250,000,000. lhere was a party of men who stood against that war He had heard Lloyd George say that there had been a time in his career when lie had contemplated send- ing his wife and children back to Wiles. and himself living in a garret. He stood against that war, and lost pradically all his clients. Failure stared him in the face. But he fought through and won (applause). That man lived to see the iustification of his policy. There were many men who went to the grave without having seen the fruits of their labours. He (the speaker) admired the Labour Putv for having stood together with the Liberals against that war. The Conser- vatives had said that there would be no -???w??;; ?'?t'' ?c *<»' fifty years. 'Fn not so. The two races English ..nd Dutch, had been united, thanks to the Lilwra\ Party. ?ea'.n?wSi'' Home Rn?. Mr- PhiUi? said that Ireland should be granted her liberty. There was not a finer people in the world. A Voice: "What about the Welsh?" Mr. Phillips: "W ell, if I were not a Welshman, I would like to be an Irish- man (laughter). It was right and proper for Ireland to govern herself. The Liberals and the Socialists—or at least tli(,l i- leaders-were right in demanding for Ireland what she had been demanding for herself for such a long time. A Voice Witit about the liberty of Will John and Hopla? Mr. Phillips: "I am not in any way responsible for their present position. I am only, sorry that they are not here to hear me to-night." The door of Ireland's liberty was Liberalism. The day would come when Wales would have Home Rule. W ale> was prepared to risk self-government, and it could be done within certain Imperial limits. There was not a country on the face of Europe so well blessed in edrca- tional matters. He stated that on the word of one of Germany's greatest edu- cation authorities. Coming to the Rhon- I dda Ya lIey, lie said they had magnificent education provision. At Porth there was an Intermediate., a Higher Elementary. and a Pupil Teachers' Centre. A child could go right up, if he had the brains, at the cost of the State. The children were being trained as they should be. It should he remembered that the children of to-day were the citizens of to-morrow. The educational output would be fully repaid. What would Wales do if they had self-government? They would have an educational system founded upon the wishes of the Welsh people. He did not believe in that narrow-minded and ex- clusive idea of Wales for the Welsh. III his opinion, Wales was for the friends of Wales, and for men who understood the Welsh. For men who were willing to work hand-in-hand with the Welsh and fight for the rights of this gallant little country to raise to a pinnacle that it had never been before. There was such a thing as Celtic genius. If the far distant history was looked up, it would be found that Julius Caesar, the great Roman Emperor, was profoundly impressed by Welsh qualities. The speaker was not going to say that the Welsh people were perfect. They had their failings like every other jace. But they were men who had fought for their liberty from the earliest periods. The three great enemies of Welsh were:—Militarism, Landlordism and Ecclesiasticism. The Welsh people, in later days, did not believe in war, and a man who had opposed it heart and soul was Henry Richard (applause). Dealing with landlordism, the speaker said that the castles in which the big landlords of Wales had once dwelt were now in ruins. They were now simply spectacles for the English tourists (spend- ing their holidays in Wales) to gaze upon. Centuries ago they were the homes of tyrants. This condition of things had been, to a great extent, killed in Wales. One of the men who had done most in this respect was—— A Voice: 1). A. Tliomas." Mr. Phillips: "No! Mr. Lloyd George! (Applause). It is quite natural for you to mention Mr. D. A. Thomas. He was Mr. Keir Hardie's best friend in the Merthyr Boroughs" (laughter). The battle against ecclesiasticism was the last for the liberty of Wa les. The Disestablishment Bill was bringing this about. It was the- duty of the Young Liberals, as the Liberal Party, to demand liberty for one to go where he liked for his religion (applause). The snobbery of ecclesiasticism was coming to an end, and ^iot before its time. The Young Liberals' League stood for the liberty of the indi- vidual as well as the nation. What was Democracy? To him it was an ideal state by which every man was valued as a man, whether he be wealthy or poor. It was left to the Liberal Party, as far as a political party could, to further the liberty of human personality. The sacred- ness of personality was worth the dignity of man as man, utterly regardless of any other qualifications. Dealing with the Insurance Bill, Mr. Phillips said that it had its flaws., but they would soon be remedied. The lory critics were as poor horticulturists as they were philosophists. When a tree was planted, it was given time to bear fruit- But they had judged the Insurance Bill before giving it a fair trial. They should give it. ti ni and then they would see ?'hat it would do. Its effect on the PDDR Law system would be beneficial. The present system should be abolished, and individual liberty, small though it might be. should be given the aged and infirm. Individual liberty should be given before State liberty. A Voice: "Who is the State" I Mr. Phillips: "The aggregate of indi- viduals. The Liberals ad vocated freedom and, justice. The want. and misery prevalent could be done away with on Mr. Lloyd George's systems. He taxed the rich, gave pensions to the aged, and safe- guarded the lives of children. He pulled down the rich and uplifted the poor. Some day they might be made to shake hands. A Voice: Yes, to fight! Mr. Phillips: "Well, it is to be hoped they will fight fair." Continuing on democracy, Mr. Phillips stated that certain members of the Labour Party had voted against the 30s. Mini- mum Bill. (General uproar followed, and cries of No," "Don't talk rot," and Give us their names came from the Socialist quarters). Mr. Phillips, in conclusion., said that democracy meant the people happy and the people supreme (loud and prolonged applause). Questions were invited. Councillor Mark Harcom be: "The speaker said something about Labour members voting against the 30s. mini- mum. May I ask when and where? Mr. Phiilips: "You know. Councillor Harcombe, as well as I do that the La bour Leader complained of this." Councillor Harcombe: "Isn't it a fact that when this subject was broached the House rose without dividing? Mr. Phillips: We must speaking of two different occasions. I am speak- ing of the Government workers' mini- mum." Councillor Harcombe: So am I. Mr. Phillips: Then you are wrong, for the Labour Leader castigated same of the members of that party for voting agai nst the proposal." Councillor Harcombe: Is it not a fact that the highest percentage of Govern- ment employees already get 30s. a week?" Mr. Phillips: I don't carry percentage registers in my head. Neither do you." A question was asked Mr. Phillips what right had he to allege (on a previous occa- sion) that Keir Hardie had said that a Socialist who was scrupulous was not worth his salt? Mr. Phillips said he had heard it in conversation, and seen it in the Press. What was more, he had never heard of or seen it contradicted. The questioner: "In what paper Mr. OPliillips: "In the I Rlioii(l(],i Leader,' for one, which is any time better than the Bomb.' A questioner: "Is it not a fact that you paid the entrance fee of a certain member of the Newport I.L.P. ? Mr. Phillips: "It is true that I gave 2s. 6d. to a certain member. I often give pennies to organ grinders (loud laughter). In answer to a question as to whether Liberalism was opposed to Labour, and .whether Labour and Socialism weren't similar. Mr. Phillips said: If you plead Lab.-Soc.. I can plead Lib.-Lab." Votes of thanks, proposed and seconded by Messrs. Willie Thomas and Llew. James, closed the meeting.

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