The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-01
TO-DAY IS DEDICATED
 TO MAY QUEENS,
 VANS AND SOCIALISM

May queens, moving VauS, CIedHIHS brushes, Socialism, religion, politics and postage stamps all enter into the observance of May Day in different parts of the world today. From the time of the ancient Romans and Druids the first of May has been ob- served as festival in recognition Of the return of the gladstone season of Spring. Bel the god of the aborig- inal Britons, has vanished, and Apollo lies dead in stone, but the old customs survive. While the Maypole has dis appeared, and the Queen of the May no longer reigns over loyal subjects, May Day is still observed by the chill dren of most cities and villages of America and England. Of late years the Association for the Revival of Folk Lore has accomplished much toward reviving the old May Day ob- servances of merrie England. Bryn Mawr, the famous college for young women near Philadelphia, is the scene of what is the most faithful reproduc- tion of ancient May Day customs, in cluding the Queen of the May and her court and the Maypole dance, to be witnessed in America. For the most part, however, the May Day observ- is confined to children and consists of visits to the woods or the country side
 The First of May has come to have another and serious meaning, how ever to millions of working men and International Labor Day of the So cialists, the day when they march through the streets singing the Mar seillaise, the anthem of those to whom the cause of red revolution has be- come a religion, and later listen to the impassioned orators whose universal and international text, shouted in hundred languages, is, ''Workingmen of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains-you have world to gain!" Twenty-three years ago the International Congress of Par is added May Day to the labor calen- dar, ito organize great information al demonstration in such manner that the workers of all countries should simultaneously address their demands to their governments" In the United States and Canada the observation of the day by Socialists is each year be- coming more general, and in London and throughout England organized laborers as well as Socialists take part in the demonstrations. Paris is the center of the Labor Day movement, however, and in the French capital the day is awaited with apprehension. The streets are covered with sand the night before, and squads of cavalry wait round every corner. And sometimes, but not always, the watched pot boils over, and the workers clash with the officers.
 May Day as moving day in the big cities of America is not so generally observed as formerly. New York, Chi cago and other cities have discovered that it is better for everybody concern ed to have the spring exodus spread over a longer period, and household CTS no longer consider it absolutely necessary to change their residence on the first of May.
 Americans in Manila will celebrate to-day the fourteenth anniversary of Dewey's victory, as a result of which the Stars and Stripes now float over the Philippines. PIlilatolists or stamp collectors observe to-day as Stamp Day." as it was on May 1, 1S4O that considerable diversion was caused in London by the appearance of the penny post devices" now known as stamps. The Phi1atelic Congress of Great Britain, of which King George is an honorary member, will celebrate the day by opening it's fourth congress and exhibition at Margate. On the church calendar to-day is the feast of St. Philip and St. James. The Con- gross or Parliament of Argentina be- gins it's annual session to-day, and the day is national holiday in Costa Ri-