This is a great pity...to those of you who come I believe we can promise a fairly decent convention...We have an adequate yet not overcrowded programme lined up...we start off with the opening on Friday night at 8pm. (Booking in etc. being done beforehand)...after the opening a film, and then you can wander off to get some sleep (he says disbelievingly). We have a very decent con-hall, plus a couple of fair rooms for Ken Slater, the art show, welcommittee, etc., and so forth...the hotel manager is a fairly decent type, the hotel will be quiet over Easter anyway, and the Hall is in a sort of annex of its own...roomwise this should be one of the most comfortable hotels we've ever had…there are 3 separate eating places inside the hotel, (the manager would like you to tell him if you're staying in for meals other than the breakfast...this would help his staff arrangements, you see) the food is pretty good too...and I guess that the steak grill will be pretty popular...the most expensive meal in the grill being about 10/-, the restaurant meal would be about 15/- to 17/6...... There are plenty of eating places in the vicinity of the hotel in any case, a map will be put in the con-booklet for your use. ... as I was saying...This should be a decent con...we expect a dozen or so of the Brummies to come in (non-resident) so the hall will be comfortably full, and also we've got plenty of guides for those who need them...there will be at least 3 Brummies on duty Friday morning and afternoon, and hordes more later, their duty is to help you get settled in and do things like showing you where the garage is...

Those of you who have seen Harry Harrison once will not need any description from me...this erudite, fine minded American gentleman is our guest of honour. Those of you who recall his interesting discourse on that previous occasion will certainly not wish to miss this years convention, and this years speech.. Anyhow, however you say it, he's a great guy.

Now we haven't provided a theme for this years fancy dress unlike previous years, we actually wanted something a little freer, (boy...the arguments...pax, pax) that is to say we'd like to give the judges more freedom of choice...choosing the best costumes, then saying, why they think they are good. Please try to find some sort of fancy dress, even if its only like that "the light that failed" last year (I thought that was damn clever), it all adds to the merriment...aha...

About adding to the merriment...there will be a HUM&SWAY this year... (Group 65....hmm..) ..and also the Cleveland and Detroit people have provided sundry monies for a party in aid of the Cleveland Worldcon bid for 1966. As most British fans will know, but perhaps few BSFA members, the States hold "local" conventions...and in addition Worldcons. Now the trouble is this. The great distances in the States make it hard for a fan to get to the Worldcon...a fan living in the middle would have to travel about 1500 miles at the least to either coast, and coast fans have to do 3000. So the rotation plan was evolved, so that once every 3 years either West Coast, Mid West or East Coast got the WORLD convention. Thus giving all a fair crack of the whip... Now it is my understanding that CLEVELAND stood, down from its turn, (its own legal turn) to let London have the 1965 Worldcon ON THE UNDERSTANDING that with 1966 the Rotation plan would be resumed with CLEVELAND as the site (well, the Midwest at least)...but the nigger in the woodpile (ahem...) is that New York want the Worldcon in 1966... which, if London had not stepped into Clevelands place, would have been OK. However…if NEW YORK push this deal through they do 2 things... 1, perhaps not essentially important, they push Cleveland out until 1968 or so...and THE important thing...by doing this they strike a blow at the whole idea of the rotation plan, maybe even bringing back the old anarchy. Now if the voting was held in the States, most of the attendees would know about this Rotation Plan...and important point, be affected by it. The voting for the next WORLDCON site takes place in LONDON in August. This means that most of the people will be British…therefore some will not know of the Rotation Plan and not be affected by it anyway. Under these conditions there is the danger that, lacking information and incentive we British types might wreck the Rotation Plan by supporting New York.

Now, God knows, I've nothing against the New Yorkers, and I'm not very likely to be affected if the Rotation Plan gets busted up...it just will not affect me. BUT, as I see it, the CLEVELAND mob, and all the other supporters of the Rotation Plan are asking for nothing more than simple justice...and, impartial as I am, justice compells me to say that THEY, and not New York should have the 1966 Worldcon, and that the Rotation Plan, in fairness to all the Yanks, should be allowed to survive.

So. there it is...if you get to the LONDON IN '65 WORLDCON at least you'll know something about the voting…DON'T vote for NEW YORK OR CLEVELAND.... vote for what you think is fair.

Right....lets hope this does some good, and lets hope that this also aids the BRUMCON...WE NEED 20 MORE BOOKINGS, come to Brum, its fab. that was....THE 40th CUCKOO...

THIS IS BRUMBLE 4.

printed by KEN. CHESLIN. 18 NEW FARM ROAD, STOURBRIDGE, WORCS. ENGLAND

all illos by MiK. may his stylo never fumble.

For the BRUMCON 2 held in the Midland Hotel, New Street, Birmingham, over EASTER 1965..