The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

62 CINE TECHNICIAN April 1955 blatter For a May 3torning ... MAY DAY has a long history as a plebian festival, reaching back into ancient times. But little was left of the traditional May Day when the first world-wide labour demonstrations for the eight-hour day were held in 1890 — in England, one Maypole was still in use at Knutsford; the chimney sweeps were out on their high jinks with " jack i' the green," and in the villages of Essex and Buckinghamshire and a few other counties the children were still taking round the garlands. The rest of it was gone. Yet Labour's May Day in the year 1890 caught some of the old in the new — held to the roots of it, if not to the flora and fauna. The old festival had been the people's response to the kindling Spring, to the blossoming promise of coming abundance. The same idea found expression in design made by artist Walter Crane for that first World Labour May Day, in which the Spring festival, the emblems of nature and liberty mingled with symbols of a flowering and garlanded earth made joyous and fruitful by the cooperative labour of the craftsmen of field and forge and factory. It expressed a simple enough faith, a belief that useful productive labour, freed from unjust oppression and usury, could make a world where the good fruits of the earth could be shared by all. In 1890, it was a faith that the old Chartists and the newlyorganised dockers could share : and over the years that followed it was the faith that did more than any precise doctrine or electoral opportunism to make organised labour in Britain and other lands a powerful force for social change. Where is it all now? Labour's May of youth has fallen into the sere, the yellow leaf; the garland has withered, the maypole fallen. Not much is left in our movement of the belief in useful work and co-operative effort, judging by Labour's perpetuation in stateowned industries of the inequalities and oppressions of privatelyowned industry, by its devotion to officialdom and a privileged burcacracy, by its dogged adherence to a foreign policy dominated by the belief that might is right. GREAT and good social changes need great hearts and great ideals to bring them into being. In Britain, and in Western Europe, A.C.T.'s Executive Committee recommended ttiat this number of "Cine" should contain an article on May Day, the day on which world labour traditionally expresses its universal solidarity. the tide of social change ebbs; counsels are confused, uncertain, divided. But on the perimeters of Western civilisation hundreds of millions of people long enslaved by local and imperial oppressions are stirring. The tide is at flood. In this, if we understand it and conduct ourselves as socialists there is indeed hope and encouragement, promise of springtime. If we seek truly and honestly to make a world where the fruits of labour are co-operatively produced and shared among all peoples, then we shall find a way to break the barriers built by governments in both worlds, a way to ioin hands with the workers and peasants of all countries in a great common purpose. If May Day, 1955, is to mean anything to socialists and trade unionists it must be the day on which all of us recover and renew our old and all but forgotten faith — the day on which under the old Red Flag of world socialism we send greetings to the workers and peoples everywhere; to the old guard and the new generations, to the insurgent peoples of Asia and Africa; to the countless men and women in prison because they are fighters for freedom, trade unionists or socialists — in Kenya, in many South American countries, in East Germany, Roumania, Spain and in so many other lands. The words " liberty, equality, fraternity " graced many a banner on that first May Day : words launched on their subversive way over a hundred and sixty years ago, but in recent years thought outmoded. Not so today. Whatever the government, whatever the prevailing system, these explosive words renew the age-long battle for human dignity and human rights. THE «.I:m:KAL i;u;< TI0\ and A.C.T. AS" Cine " goes to press, news comes of the Government's decision to hold a General Election. Polling Day is to be May 26th. Film industry problems are frequently discussed in Parliament; legislation helps or hinders the industry and affects the conditions of the men and women working in it. A financial appeal has been issued by A.C.T.'s President and Treasurer. Contributions from money donated will go to all association members standing as candidates in the election. A.C.T.'s political fund is not a large one, and all members are urged to send in donations. Three A.C.T'ers are contesting : Secretary George Elvin fights Oxford for the second time; General Council member R. J. Minney fights Bcxley, Kent; and R. Groves is standing for Ilford North. Former A.C.T. member, John Curthrys — now out of the industry — fights Grantham, Lincolnshire. A.C.T.'s medical adviser, Dr. Gordon Evans, is contesting Buckingham. All contributions to the fund should be sent to A.C.T. Head Office. Cars, helpers and loudspeaker equipment are needed badly in all areas. Those able to help in any way can get committee room addresses from A.C.T. Head Office. • At Annual Conference of Scottish Council of the Labour Party, held early this month, a resolution was carried, amid applause, urging Labour Groups on Scottish Town Councils " to give earnest consideration to the question of opening and running municipal picture houses in their particular area." Resolution was moved by Mr. Sinclair-Shaw, Q.C., and seconded by Mr. Cyril Bence, M.P. for Dumbartonshire East.