Belgo Geordie: May 2018

On the March

This year I were thinking about Stan Moran. Born on 1 May 1899 and who died in 1998. He were a waterfront man, good unionist and one of the organisers of May Day from the 1930's on. Not that I remember that far back like. Boot in his wurds "On May Day 1930, we organised about 500 people, mostly unemployed, to assemble...and march to the Domain." They were attacked by the coppers and Stan Moran hit in the face with a wooden baton. The year afore only eight folk turned oop for May Day march, and seven of them were arrested. Aye an' copper told Stan he might be number eight if he hung around. The 1930's slogan were "double the dole." And it were Stan who gave prime-minster Bob Menzies the nickname "Pig Iron Bob". Because the wharfies saw the damage of Hitler and his cronies getting their mitts on pig iron for rearmament and refused to load it onto ships. And it were no surprise, in the thirties Mr Moran fought against fascism. He mentions a picket outside German consulate in Bridge Street and a wee lass going past the demonstration saying "What's this fascism? Must be some new sort of face cream." Fer all those who think our weenies today don't pay attention ter politics. Nowts the same, boot the same.

Mr Stan Moran

Stan Moran though, always ready ter put hiself on line, arrested more than thirty times. Did a lot of jail time for political actions because in court he allus refused to pay fines. Why encourage the state were his view. He were, a true communist activist. Stan Moran were slung oot Labor party fer being a communist. Now yer marginalised fer being a socialist! Not un ter play the game of them times were our Stan. Ter respect law when it were a donkey with backward facing legs. And a lot of the charges he had slapped on him were soft. Like for calling a judge a blockhead - prison time at Long Bay. He asked ter be categorised a political prisoner. No chance! When he got oop and spoke on the hustings in Domain sum un were there taking short hand ter capture owt he said that were inflammatory and could be used against him. Then in the 1940s the communist party were banned in Australia. Homes were raised looking fer incriminating material. Das Capital, Viz and sooch stuff. One lass hid herself in nettie with party membership cards on her lap while coppers searched the place and she refused ter come out until their size tens rumbled inta distance. Or Stan telling coppers picture of Karl Marx on wall were Santa Claus, his grand-da or a young Jimmy Donovan. And in 1946, his famous trade mark speech debating on waterfront the extension of night shift hours he got oop and said "The nights were made for love - not work". Aye twenty years before his time! Takes me breath away sumtimes when I think of how hard it were to be union in them days.

A gathering an it were all in black and white then

Yer can read more about him in his "Reminiscences of a Rebel."A booklet put oot by The Communist Party of Australia (Maritime branch) and MUA fer Mr Moran's 100 year anniversary in 1999. No doubt in all municipal libraries and book stores worth owt. Me marra Jimmy Donovan born aboot same time as Stan remembers Mr Moran. He said Stan was only a short fella but he could speak! Aye and so can Mr Donovan. Its what inspires oos in union - the good crack of comrades and life stories of a struggle that has bought some good.

Which brings us ter May Day 2018 in Sydney. One of union folk in Queensland tells oos 40,000 regularly hit streets on Labor day there. Boot I've seen nay evidence. Like sooch numbers being splashed on front page of Tele - that Stan Moran said even in his day were a rag weapon of capitalism; lying in print. Aye well forty ter a hoondred thousand marched in Melbourne after May Day. fer the Change the Rules campaign. In Sydney it were aboot five thousand marchers in sun. Loads of unions and young folk. It were good to catch oop with marrers. Not so good to hear aboot ones who were too ill ter attend and those who have died. MUA veterans is thinning out. We took heart from young uns on march and listening ter comrade Kevin Robinson talk ter two wee marxists aboot Liverpool Dockers strike were a treat. Aye, particularly the take home message. Organise and engage the grass roots. Stan Moran would have agreed. Enjoy pictures....