HENRY’S CLAIM. Back Page

THE WORKING OF THE LOCAL TRIBUNALS.

“SINGLE MEN FIRST.”
[The following has been written by Capt. B. S. Townroe (Private Secretary to the Director-General of Recruiting) in order to explain clearly, and in homely phrase, how the Local Tribunals will do their work.]
Henry stopped on his way from work, and read the poster, headed “Single Men First,” describing the group system introduced by the War Office. He went home quickly and at tea said to his mother: “Do you know, mother, I shall really have to go this time. They are going to take all single men first. I would like to go as a volunteer.”
Mrs. Morris replied resignedly: “Very well, my dear, if you will, you will. I don’t see, though, that it is right to take a widow’s two sons. Still, if they want you to go and help beat the Kaiser, I suppose you must.” Mrs. Morris showed visible signs of tears, and Henry dropped the subject for the time being. Henry that night could not get to sleep. His mind kept revolving over his attempts to join the Army since August 4th, 1914. since his brother, Robert, had enlisted, he had always wanted to join the local Territorials, but his mother, terrified at the idea of both her sons becoming soldiers, had always persuaded him that his place was in her stationer’s shop, and that drills at night would interfere with his work.
Then when war broke, out, he begged his mother to let him go with his old pals. She explained that business in the country had to be carried on by someone, and that he was doing his bit behind the counter as well as if he wore khaki. Henry rolled over on the other side of the bed, as he realised now what a lame excuse that had been. Still, he had been everything to his mother since his father died when he was three years old, and he had given way to her. For her sake, he had received the cold shoulder from Maggie. He rolled over on the other side, as he thought of those winter months when Maggie refused to speak to him on the grounds that he was a “little slacker.”
Then came Mr. Lloyd George’s demand for munition workers. After a great struggle with his mother he had persuaded her to allow him to leave the shop and return to his former work of varnish-making to which he had been apprenticed. His mother had agreed to engage Maggie to help in the shop.
Accordingly, in April, Henry went off to the Varnish Factory, and by October had assisted in the manufacture of many thousands of gallons of varnish which was used to cover high explosive shells.
Henry rolled over again as he thought of those hot summer months in the smell factory, and his qualms of conscience, as further friends joined the Army. At last, he decided to join the next day. With that decision he went to sleep.
He went to the recruiting office the following morning, was found medically fit, received his 2/9 pay, and was passed into Section B, Army Reserve. He was told that, as his age was 26 years and as he was a single man, he was in No. 9 group.

         .           .           .           .           .   

1916 had come. For three months, Henry had walked the streets, usually in Maggie’s company, proud of the armlet with the red crown displayed on his left arm. He was so proud of the armlet that when he wore his overcoat, he always transferred it so that it could be seen, and Maggie usually carefully adjusted it with the help of a safety-pin.
Then one day, as he passed the Post Office, he saw in the window a notice with the Royal Arms on the top, stating that in a few weeks’ time Group 9 would be called up for service with the Colours.
The time had come, and he was face to face with the great opportunity; he would have to leave his mother and fight for her and for the other mothers of Britain in the ranks of the Army. When he returned home he discussed the question with his mother whether he should appeal to the Local Tribunal to be postponed to a later group. She advised him to consult the Works Manger.
The following day, the Works Manager asked him whether he was willing to appeal, as the firm must have his consent before they could send in a claim that he was required for the manufacture of varnish. Henry said: “I am ready to do whatever I am told and go wherever I am wanted.”
“That is the right spirit,” said the Works Manager. “Well, I think you are helping your country better here than anywhere else, but it is not for me to say. It is for the representatives of the country sitting on the Local Tribunals.”
The employers, therefore, filled in a form. They stated that Henry was not only individually indispensable, but that they had been trying for six months to obtain others also to do similar work. They said they were solely engaged on the manufacture of varnish for shells, and that they had already sent over 40 per cent. of their men to the Army or Navy.
They were prepared to give half wages to any man who had enlisted under the group system, but asked that Henry should not be called up for several months. They stated further that they had just engaged six men invalided from the front as unfit for further service, and were training them to take the places of Henry and five other men. The case came on one Wednesday evening. It was held in a room in the Town Hall. The late Mayor was in the chair. He knew Henry well, for he was a superintendent of the Sunday School which Henry had attended as a boy.
On his right sat Admiral Caroe, who lived at the Hall just outside the town. Next to him was Joe Bartlett, who had organised the great strike in 1911, and whose reputation for fiery recruiting speeches was well known throughout the whole of the country. Also sitting there were two members of the Local Town Council – one a Free Church minister, and the other a local shopkeeper.
Henry expected to have to make a speck and, as a matter of fact, had told his mother exactly what he intended to say. The Chairman, however, asked the military representative present to state why he did not agree with the claim.
Captain Balfour made the following statement: “I have talked this case over very carefully with my Advisory Committee. We fully understand how hard it would be for Mrs. Morris to have to give up her second son, but we wish to point out that with the dependent’s allowance and half wages from the weekly allowance always given her by her boy. Her shop is not dependent on her son, and she has now trained a girl assistant to take his place. With regard to the claim made by the varnish makers, we have consulted a representative of that industry, and we have come to the conclusion that Henry Morris is not indispensable for any length of time – in fact, we understand that in a few weeks’ time it would be possible to replace him.
We, therefore, ask that he be postponed to a group which will probably be called up a little later. We would not urge this if the military necessity was not so great, as you are all aware.”
The Chairman then spoke. He said: “My tribunal has read carefully the requests set forth by Henry Morris and his employers, asking for him to be postponed for several months. We shall not need to trouble the appellant any further, as we have decided to postpone his calling up until Group 14.
In short, we have postponed his calling up for five groups. We hope that will be satisfactory to him, and will give time to his firm to find a substitute for him.”
This concluded his case. The Works Manager reported to the Managing Director that evening: “We shall have young Morris with us for some time. That will get over our difficulties.” The Managing Director replied: “This is an excellent system. It leaves the decision not to the individual conscience or to the individual employer, but to the representatives of the Nation.”
Henry told his mother that night: “You don’t know, mother, what a relief it is to me to have to decide for myself whether I should go, but to know that I am just in the hands of my country, and am doing my bit wherever I am told to go.”

B. S. TOWNROE

LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS P4

V. T. C.

The efforts of the recruiters to bring men to the Colours have in this district not been attended with much success, but as will be seen in our Roll of Honour column a good number have been attested under the group system during the month. Many more must, however, come in before December 11th, if Voluntaryism is to be saved. But even the supporters of Voluntaryism will now begin to admit that some form of compulsion is necessary to repair the wastage of war and keep the Armies up to full strength.
An admirable explanation of the difference between Compulsion and Conscription was given to a disappointingly small audience by Sir Henry Jones a few nights ago. Fresh from the enthusiastic reception he had at Brynamman the previous evening, he must have felt chilled by the meagre audience. Worse than all was the fact that his words fell on the ears chiefly of those who are over military age and are endeavouring to do their bit by joining the V. T. C. Probably not a dozen young men were in the hall, and it is only another instance of how the slackers fight shy of any person who might be able to arouse them to a sense of their duty to their country.
But as Sir Henry put it, “John Bull has a way of gaining his ends,” and they may be assured that a way will be found to bring them in. there is still some doubt as to the position of married men who have attested and joined their group, but as will be seen by an illustrative story elsewhere there is always an appeal to the local tribunal.
This brings us to point out that the tribunals appointed by the local Councils do not evidently meet the views of the higher authorities, and there will certainly have to be a change. The selections so far do not by any means appear to be of that judicial and independent character the Government contemplated. They emphasised strongly in their letter that the Councils should not hesitate to go outside their own members, but such appears to be the conceit of the local representatives here and elsewhere that they could not find anyone so good as, not better than, themselves for this important duty.
The war still goes on, men and munitions are wanted, but with the peculiar optimism which is the characteristic of the British race, we all hope we shall “muddle through.”

FATAL INJURY OF PRIVATE. JOHN JONES. P4

 The above is the photo of Private  John Jones, R. W. F., fourth son of  Mr. and Mrs. Griffith Jones, Meurig  Villa, Penybank Road.
 Private J. Jones took part in the  great charge on the 25th September  near Loos, and was reported  missing.
 Recently intimation has been  received from headquarters that he  met with fatal injury (how has not  been revealed) in that charge.
 Deceased was 20 years of age, and had been since the family’s advent to Ammanford in 1904 a most regular attendant at St. Michael’s Church, where he was a communicant and Sunday School scholar.
He enlisted in August, 1914, almost with the first batch, left this country last July, and seen a good deal of active service. A memorial service was held at St. Michael’s Church on Sunday, November 28th, when the Vicar preached an appropriate sermon.
A brother, Private Evan Jones, has been attached to the South Wales Borderers from August, 1914, and has been on active service in France.

XMAS PUDDING FUND. Back Page

We have pleasure in acknowledging on behalf of the Soldiers’ Christmas Pudding Fund, of which particulars will be found in another column, the following donations : —

                                                                              s.         d.
Mrs.Rees,  Abernant, Gwaun-cae-gurwen             10         0
Anon.                                                                      2        6
Miss S. Davies, 1 Brookland Terrace Llandilo         0         6
Amman Valley Chronicle Employees.                    2        6

The “Daily News” fund to date has reached £20,497
Won’t you help to swell it?

ROLL OF HONOUR P6

FURTHER RECRUITS IN NOVEMBER 1915.
Tom Williams		Garnbicca Llandebie		3rd Batt. W/R
John Edward Sinnoch		Brynmarlais Aford		3rd Batt. W/R.
Boaz Wm. Hunt		46 Quay Street Aford		A. R.
Richard Dodd		8a Mill Street Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Augustus Branch		32 Mill Terrace Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Ernest Jas. Holden		32 Mill Terrace Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Ernest Hinton		Brynteg Terrace Aford		A. R.
Dennis Jos. Hanks		1 Oakfield Terrace Aford		A. R.
John Thomas		8a Mill Terrace Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Fred Benj. Bowen		Ynyslas Pentwyn Rd Aford		A. R.
Wm. Thomas		48 Talbot Road Aford		A. R.
Harry Christopher		Derwydd Llandebie		M. T., A. S. C.
Harry Woodward		43 Pantyffynnon Rd Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Raymond Simmons		32 Mill Terrace Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Henry Albert Parry		Bryn Villa Maesysquarre Rd		A. R.
David Ress		3 Walter Road Aford		A. R.
Fred Harold Lock		41 Springfield Terrace Aford		A. R.
William Powell		43 Pantyffynnon Rd Pantyffynnon		A. R.
Dd. Jones		Tirydail Lane Aford		A. R.
Haydn Richards		Noddfa Llandebie Rd Llandebie		A. R.
Ernest Williams		Brynhawddgar High St Aford		A. R.
William Langdon		Norman Rd Aford		A. R.
George Morris		10 Station Rd Tirydail Aford		A. R.
Ernest Wright		Brynderwen Rd Aford		A. R.
Thomas Quirk		63 Wind St Aford		A. R.
Frank Hicks		7 Florence Rd Aford		A. R.
William Rees		43 Station Rd Aford		A. R.
John Jones		Birds View Dyffryn Rd Saron		A. R.
John Stanley Fletcher		71 Wind St Aford		A. O. C.
Samuel Jenkins		22 Talbot Rd Aford		A. R., (R.A.M.C.)
John Davies		Pentregwenlais Llandebie		A. R.
David Naunton Evans		Blaenau Rd Llandebie		A. R.
T. Gwynfron Thomas		No Address given		A. R.
Evan Ifor Evans		Harvey House Llandebie		A. R.
Wm. Jas Davies		Pleasant View Llandebie		A. R.
Alfred Rees		2 Woodfield Rd Llandebie		A. R.
W. Gordon Evans		Gwalia House Llandebie		A. R.
David Brazell Davies		Hazleton House Llandebie		A. R.
John Rees		Tynewydd House Llandebie		A. R.
David Harries		Llandebie		A. R.
Wm. Barnett Davies		American Villa Llandebie		A. R.
Emrys Bevan		Llwynmeredith Blaenau Rd		A. R.
Fred Evans		Fairfield Hse. Aford Rd Llandebie		A. R.
Edwin Evans		No Address given		3rd W/ R
Thos. John Adams		Bridge Hse. Glanamman		A. R.
Geo. Owen Williams		Gwynfryn Aford		A. R.
Thomas Lewis		Liverpool Hse Llandebie		A. R.
Wm. Robert Shearn		Poplars Llandebie		A. R.
David Wm. Rees		Old Post Office Llandebie		A. R.

DUTY TO THE STATE P?
ADDRESS BY SIR HENRY JONES AT AMMANFORD

The attendance at the meeting called in the Ivorites’ Hall, Ammanford, on Thursday evening last, to hear an address from Sir Henry Jones, professor at Glasgow University, one of Wales’ most distinguished sons, was disappointing, and contrasted sharply with the overcrowded audience at Brynamman the preceding evening. However, those who were not present missed a delightful treat, for the personality of Sir Henry and his homely phrases in putting the case of our duty to the State captivated all who had the pleasure of hearing him.
Ald. W. N. Jones, Company Commander of the Ammanford V. T. C., who paraded in good numbers for the occasion, presided, and explained that the reason why Sir Henry was going throughout Wales was that the Voluntary System was on its trial. He did not suppose any of them wanted Conscription or Compulsion, though there might be a difference; they wanted to feel that the Voluntary System was doing its work.
They had an appeal from Mr. Asquith and from Lord Derby that had been sent broadcast to every unstarred man, and everything had been done to satisfy the Government that the Voluntary System still held the field.
Half a dozen men were worth 20 or 30 conscripts, and so far as the war had gone to-day we have done under the Voluntary System in a few months what it had taken Germany 40 years to do under Conscription.
They had read the history of the Battle of Mons and the bravery shewn there, and they were proud and glad to know that men from Ammanford and the Amman Valley were out there fighting for us and doing well. Were they going to let them fight alone?
That was why Sir Henry Jones was there, to create a fresh spirit among the people and send out help to those who were fighting at the Front. The latter had gone out voluntarily, and suppose Conscription came, what would the men at the Front say?
When the conscript went out they would say: “You have come now that you have been obliged to come; we came fourteen months ago to save fellows like you, and you hadn’t the pluck to come until you were forced.” He felt sure none of them would try in any shape or fashion to shirk their duty. They would soon be totalling up the number of recruits they had had, and he hoped Ammanford had done well. They believed they were fighting a righteous war, and it was worth fighting to know that in some small measure they were doing something to bring this great war to a successful issue. Some people were talking about peace, and peace at any price.
He thought after the loss they had suffered and had to bear, very few of them would say “Peace” until they had the German power trampled under their feet. (Applause).
Sir Henry Jones, who had a warm reception, observed that in Mr. Asquith’s speech he said they had a great task worthy of a great nation. What did it mean? Mr. Asquith, whatever his merits or demerits as a statesman, was certainly one who measured his words, and every sentence was weighty and great. It meant that for the accomplishment of this task every man must be in it.
Mr. Asquith wanted to leave no one out – rich, poor, wise or simple. And Lord Derby said: “In order to accomplish this task we require the manhood of the nation.” That was true. The manhood was necessary, and somehow or other the men that were necessary would be found.
This old country, with all its faults, had a wonderful way of reaching its purpose and attaining its end; in a very devious way, blundering along according to no laws of reason or logic that any man could find, but still it had the custom of reaching what it wanted.
This belief was that if it was true, as Mr. Asquith and Lord Derby say, that the country requires the manhood of the nation to serve it – each man according to his best capacity – then this country would have it. No other nation would have dreamt of entrusting this struggle to Voluntaryism.
No one would have said at this time last year that they would have had four millions of men ready, but they got their purpose, and now if there was anybody there of military age waiting for anybody else to go first, thinking the might escape, they must remember John Bull.
He had a way of reaching his end. Why did he come from Scotland? Because he felt it was infinitely better to go willingly than to be compelled. He hated Conscription, and would not support I even in this hour of danger as a permanent military method. But conscription was a very different thing from compulsion just now. There were many forms of compulsion, and he could advocate, if necessary compulsion without in the least lessening his objection to Conscription.
Compulsion was the last resort after exhausting the last method of persuasion. If they could not save the Empire through young men not coming up in sufficient numbers, then he for one had not a word to say against compulsion. As Abraham Lincoln said: “Special circumstances demand special treatment.” He (Sir Henry) did not advocate compulsion, but they must have it, that was, if voluntary methods failed.
He came down from Scotland to his own countrymen, because he did not want any of them to be compelled to defend the principles about which they had spoken, and because willing service was so much more valuable in every respect.
There was only one way of avoiding compulsion, and that was by themselves according to their ability. The State had every right to compel, so long as it stood for Right itself. It was said compulsion by the individual liberty. Nonsense; it was one of the many indications how little real thinking was given to those problems of social and intellectual life. Was there any law that was not compulsory? Was there any law that said, “if you please”? Whenever workmen wanted some new rights to be made secure, what did they want? They wanted to pass it into law. Why? Not because it expressed their liberty, but because it expressed their liberty. (Applause).
In this country the great mass of the laws were such as satisfied their desire towards a higher life. Their compulsion was not hard to bear by a good citizen; but it was hard to the bad man.
The State was the instrument for the expression of the will of the citizens. He did not believe anyone in the trenches among the many thousands of young fellows who had given themselves would think it very hard if a compulsory law were passed telling them to enlist. They would say: “We have done it already; we have given ourselves willingly,” and he believed that if our young men generally realised their debt to the State, only realised the splendour of their inheritance, they, too, would give themselves equally willingly.
What has the State done for me? some may ask. A good many of the workmen in South Wales looked upon the ----W--- as an enemy from which they had to extract their rights by force. They said: “It is all very well for men of landed property; I am a workman who lives by the sweat of his brow; the State has done nothing for me.” what did they owe to the State; he would like to examine them on that.
It was another instance of ignorance of the most obvious things. The best way to answer that was, “What has you country not done for you?” He felt as if he could take the personality of any man there and peel it off bit by bit, lower and lower, and he thought he could show him that every bit of the structure of his soul had been borrowed by him from his country. All the contents of his mind and character he had borrowed from his country.
Bring a man up in loneliness, an would he be a rational being? They spoke the language of their country. But for their country they would have no humanity, no mentality, no religion, no worth, no distinction between right and wrong. Every one of these things they had imbibed from the community, just as the leaves of a tree take in their food from the atmosphere around them.
He thanked God for his country, for he owed it all the contents of his mind and character. (Applause).
The State that had no compulsory power would be worth nothing. There must be power in it, and on the whole our State dedicates its power to the cause of freedom. They had proof of that. So far from it being true they owed little to their country, they owed everything to it. If their country perished, none of their interests would hold.
One question more. Was war even right? Had the State any right to compel one to fight and go into war? That was another utterly foolish question universally asked by people who he wanted to convince of not thinking about these things. That was the answer to this question. There was no answer to the abstract question – whether war was right or wrong. The same war might be wrong to one people and right to another people. This war was, he thought, for the Germans one of the greatest crimes known to human history; a crime of treacherous preparation for forty years, to carry out the most aggressive purpose that a great nation had ever entertained.
It was bad in its conception, bad in its purpose, bad in the way in which it was carried out. On the other had, it should be, and it was, to thousands of our young men if not to millions of our young men, in very truth, the service of God. The same war; fought in the service of evil on the one side, and on the other it was a holy war.
Any action depended whether it was right or wrong upon its motive, upon the principle of which action was only the outside shell. It was a fight for territory, or balance of power; we are not better than our neighbours; there is no great merit, just the old story. By and by some other country will be getting too strong and we will be fighting against them. People, in asking what was the motive of this war, looked at some single motive. Was it our own good, or the good of Belgium, or what particular motive drove us to war? That was always our sole question; a silly enquiry. Why? Because although our motives were single, they were never simple.
They were always extraordinarily complex. Why? Because every man really threw into his action, not a single motive, but his own personality. It was the mind as a whole that did really depended upon the character that had been thrown into it. If they wanted to judge the war they must look at the character of the two peoples. What about the Prussian character, because the Prussians were primarily responsible for this war?
Every spot in the history of the Prussian was the same cruel aggressiveness, the same utter disrespect of the rights of others, the same tyranny of disposition. Long before they were kings the Prussian nobility were called by the same name as the Royal House was to this day – Hohenzollern, which meant high taxes.
Was there any body present who for a moment doubted if the Germans got their way with us, if we don’t give ourselves to defeat them, they would tax us, and in the words of Bismarck, when speaking of the French, bleed us white.
That was what we were up against. In conclusion, he made an earnest appeal to the young men “Go like men”; to g willingly, because nothing else would support their minds than a sense of duty, and that they were fighting for a great cause. (Applause).
Madame Kate Morgan sang in Welsh, and the meeting closed with “God save the King.”

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LOCAL WARRIORS Back Page

 Private Caradoc Davies, Royal  Welsh Fusiliers, who has been  severely wounded in the knee, is a  son of Mr. John Davies, Villiers  Road, who also has another son with  the Forces.

 

 

 

*    *    *    *

Sergt. Thomas Lewis, eldest son of the late Mr. John Lewis, schoolmaster, Bettws, Ammanford, and brother of Rev. – Lewis, vicar of Aberdare, has been wounded by shrapnel in the back whilst serving with the 8th Bedfords in France.
He joined Kitchener’s Army in September, 1914. the injured man formerly served in the South African War. He is reported to be going on well.

*    *    *    *

Many of his friends will be pleased to hear of the promotion of Sergt. C. A. Carter, a member of Ammanford Cricket Club.
He is the son of Sergt.-Major Carter, of the Greyhound Hotel, Newport.
In a supplementary “Gazette” on Friday there appeared the name of Charles A. Carter, to be temporary second-lieutenant, dated Oct. 23rd.
Sergt. Carter is at present serving with the D Battalion, 55th R. F. A., 10th Division, at the Dardanelles. He enlisted on August 16th last year, having prior to that been assistant secretary to the managing director of the Ammanford Colliery Company, Ammanford.
He is 23 years of age, is a “Buff,” and a good sportsman, always taking keen interest in all branches of sport. He is well known and very popular in the Ammanford district, and is spoken very highly of by the managing director of the colliery.
He was home on leave in May this year, and went out to the Dardanelles in August.

SMOKERS P4

A well attended smoking concert was held at the New Inn, as a “send-off” to Private Wyndam Williams, son of Mr. John Williams, Fairview, Walter Road, who was home on short leave.
Mr. Williams has another son in the Army, and a third has unfortunately been killed.
Mr. Owen Madden occupied the chair, and conducted the programme very successfully, besides contributing a good chorus song. All the best known local singers gave their services, and the proceedings were very enjoyable.
During the evening a collection was made for the departing soldier, a sum of over £2 being realised, which the recipient and his father suitably acknowledged. Reference was made to the fact that it was the usual people who attended these smokers and contributed to the many gifts, while others had no opportunity to do so, and it was felt to be a discredit to the town that the Reception Committee appointed in conjunction with the Urban Council had made no movement to acknowledge the splendid services of the boys in khaki.
Councillor Bob Thomas, who was present, promised to again raise the matter in the Council.

*    *    *    *

Another smoker was given in the Castle Hotel, on Saturday evening, to Private G. Thomas, Wind Street, and was very successful.

*    *    *    *

On Monday there was a “send-off” for Private. T. Morgan at the Cross Inn Hotel.

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OUR LETTER BOX. Back Page

AMMANFORD EISTEDDFOD.

To the Editor, Amman Valley Chronicle

Sir, - Will you kindly allow me to state, on behalf of the Committee of the recent Ammanford War Eisteddfod, that any letter of an anonymous nature will be treated with the contempt that all such correspondence merits.
Should however, the correspondent who calls himself “Subscriber” have the courage of his convictions, and be honourable enough to append his name and address to what he writes, his enquiries will receive due consideration.
Apart from this, no notice whatsoever will be taken of what appears not conforming with this condition.

Thanking you. – Yours &c.,
D. J. Davies.
Gwyddfa, Ammanford.
30th November, 1915.

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