The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

July— August, 1944 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 71 Workmen's Compensation Up-to-Date, by W. H. Thompson. Labour Research Department. 2/'-. Anyone who has anything to do with workmen's compensation is waiting anxiously to learn from I the Government White Paper on social security that it is to be abolished in accordance with the [ recommendations of the Beveridge Report and a new adequate payment substituted which will be integrated with the general system of social insurance. Some eighteen months will have elapsed, however, between the Beveridge Eeport and the White Paper and the period between the White Paper and the passing of its proposals into law cannot be foretold. It is wise, therefore, for those who have to advise injured workmen, to have [isome knowledge of the existing workmen's compensation Acts. The Trade Union movement owes W. H. Thompson much for the work he has done on workmen's compensation and for his continual advocacy of radical reform. The evidence he gave to the Eoyal Commission just before the war, which was later published by L.R.D., was a vivid exposure of the present system. The publication ! being reviewed sets out in 70 pages in language which all can understand, the elements of the present law and is a book which ought to be in | the possession of all shop stewards and branch secretaries. The author makes it clear that those Jwho read his book should not pose as experts, but that his aim is only to teach his readers to be very careful or at least not to give wrong advice or to reach wrong conclusions. The Acts of 1940 and 1943 increasing the rates j; of compensation are fully dealt with and the new anomalies to which women are particularly subject are pointed out. A woman under the Act of 1943 is not entitled to any marriage or children's allowance although she be a widow or has an invalid husband or a number of children dependent upon her ! Readers of this book may be surprised that the Labour movement has for so long tolerated the exploitation of injured workmen by insurance companies and employers and that the right to compensation is dependent on the interpretation of an Act of Parliament as explained by thousands of legal decisions. I hope, therefore, that constant pressure will be kept up for the passing of the Beveridge Report into law as a whole; in the meantime wring out of the present law the maximum benefit which can be obtained and to do that read this book. R. S. W. Pollard The Director, by L. A. G. Strong. Methuen. 8/6d. The plot of " The Director " is quite interesting, set in and about a small priest ridden village in Southern Ireland. Many interesting characters pass through its pages, but any charm the story may have is spoiled, for this reviewer at least, by the screwballs that inhabit his film world. There is Votty, the Russian cameraman (obviously Tsarist Russia) who is such an artist he cannot even bear to have a crew about him. Not only does he hump his own camera about, he pulls focus, operates, loads and apparently holds the clappers. But this is not the end of Mr. Votty's accomplishments. When the weather is bad in the village, blythly he sets about converting a large Barn into a studio. Ah there Mr. O'Brien seems N.A.T.K.E. is not functioning very well in ould Ireland. There is also a sound man, Ted, who anatomically must resemble a Gorgan monster. He tends the boom in one hand, keeps an eye, and probably a couple of hands on the sound camera, and uses the rest of his hands for mixing. Oh yes, before we forget Votty, when rushes are to be shown who processes them and then projects them ? Why Votty the boy genius with the camera. And then there is the Director, what a hive of activity, a veritable dynamo of energy. Are there some facilities needed, off gallops our hero to the seats of Government to lay the law on. Have some props gone astray, just ask the Director, he knows where they are. Artists calls, sure. Set ups? What then. Make up? Why not. Laying tracks? Undoubtedly. Look at the script. Don't be silly. (Mr. Strong must have done a bit of research there). Surely it's about time somebody whispered into Mr. Strong's ear that we may be artists, but we are certainly not supermen. And besides, the Union wouldn't allow it. What the E.T.U. would do when they saw Votty switching on a light, I shudder to think, and as for Tom O'Brien, the studios would be tied up for months. No, it would appear from a study of this book that the problems of labour are Mr. Strong's weak point. Bernard Lewis FILM PREMIERE The premiere of Blithe Spirit is to be made available by Mr. Rank, through the Film Industry Employees Council, to the Benevolent Funds of all the Unions in the industry. The date is some months off and further details will be announced later.