By C.W. Christenson:Jake, as he was known to everyone, had a span of over forty years of representing the International. Starting our as Business Agent for Local 175, Tacoma, Washington he rapidly became noticed by the International for his ability to expedite the business of the Local. It was not long until he was asked to cover the District as an International Representative on a part time basis. This went on for some time until the management of the theatre complained that he was laying off the job to much. He then called the International, informed them of this, and knowing he was too valuable to lose they made him a full time Internationl Representative. I am proud to say that at the last seven Conventions I nominated him for Vice President.
Jake and I were friends for many years. Sometimes we would sit in his room and talk. So I feel that I could justly say that the work of a Vice-President or International Representative is for a rugged individual who has to make decisions regardless of whom it affects. Jake had the character for fulfillment of this job, which make him great. Jake once said to me, on Local 159, Portland, Oregon 50th Anniversary, "This is the kind of an assignment I like, Chris. No trouble."
Vice President Orin M. Jacobson was born November 28th, 1891 in Marinett, Wisconsin. He died Novenber 7th, 1967 in Portland, Oregon on assignment.
Vice President Jacobson started the District #1 Bulletin in September, 1932. It was in mimeograph form and he was the Editor. The District Insurance Plan was also started by Vice President Jacobson in 1941.
Brother Jacobson's first International Convention was the one held in 1919 in Ottawa, where the per diem fund was established. He was understood to have voted enthusiastically for that--after a trip across the continent and having to share a berth with delegate from Vancouver, who like himself weighed over two hundred pounds. Vice President Jacobson had attended all Conventions since the 1919 Convention.
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March 1968 Bulletin
JAMES McNABB DIES
Seattle, Washington, Local 154--By Thomas Watters, Jr.:Sad news of the Quarter is reflected by the passing of one of our retired members and for many years an outsanding leader and organizer of men-James McNabb, Mac passed away December 15, 1967 in a convalescent home in Ellensburg, Washington. He had been cared for in recent years by his two faithful and devoted daughters, Annabelle and Margie.
So many speeches, articles and comments have been devoted to Mac over the past half a century that I find it difficult at this time to be able to elaborate, improve or reminisce on the subject. Members of Local 154, Members in District No. One and innumerable members of the Alliance throughout the country could provide endless conversation about Mac and his years of struggle for improvements of the IA and the Labor movement. It is difficult to put into words the achievements and progress this man made over the years. So many victories were accomplished from his tenure of offices that just added significant stepping stones to progress and improvements. Yet, and I know because I hold the similar office today, these all go down in the record as just doing your daily duty. At this point I could speed write a voluminous book on the headaches, strife, failures, abuse, tension and exhaustion this job holds for the title bearer. And a hell of a lot of things have been done before me by better men than I that I do not have to do today. So if it was worse then than it is today then no one has to tell me what the real hero went though.
Let us review the simple facts of the organizer of men and protector of the Labor Union principle. Mac was a member of Local 154 for 42 years, six of these in retired status. Out of the 36 years of active status in this organization he held the job of Business Representative for over 30 years and 23 of these were consecutive. For years he served on the Executive Board of the King County Labor Council, was one of the foremost leaders of the Theatrical Federation of Seattle, served as Chairman of the Legislative Committee of District No. One and was appointed IA delegate to the AFL-CIO Convention. Many awards were attributed to Mac for his noteworthy success and a great proportion of achievements of Local 154 can be credited to his long, hard, suffering, endless struggles.
These are a few facts on the old stubborn head Scotsman and we can only realize that our work is a little more endurable because of him.
Portland, Oregon, Local 28--By Don DuMas:The Local elected a new Business Representative Brother John DiSciullo. Retiring Brother Morgan to B.A. Emeritus, member of the Executive Board, Delegate to the District and IA Convention. Will still be active in advisory capiacity. John and the Alaska Air Lines had a few meetings and a vague promise that when they returned from Alaska they would take care of everything. The usual stall. Seattle and Spokane have more data on this outfit.
Portland, Oregon, Local 159--By C.W. Christenson:The fight is on with the unfair Moyer Theatres. We have an assessment of 4% to pay for it. They are in the process of automating their theatres now and we had pickets in front of all their theatres here, two twin hard-tops and four Drive-Ins, for fourteen days for every hour of each day. We bought two full pages in that span of time in the Labor Press.
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June 1968 Bulletin
Wrapping text on right side
$4,000,000.00 FACE LIFT COMPLETED
Portland dedicated its $4,000,000.00 Civic Auditorium with all the fan fare this lavish structure deserved.
Just as the Memorial Coliseum on the East Side created a great interest in indoor sports, exhibitions and big conventions, so do city fathers beleive the Portland Civic Auditorium will be a successful home for concerts, theatre events, stage productions of all kind and smaller conventions.
The old Public Auditorium, dedicated July 4th, 1917, was home to major cultural events for a half century and in its day was entirely adequate. However, over the years the Symphony, Opera and visiting theatre companies have had an inadequate house in which to play. All of this is now changed with the modern, remodeled structure.
The Auditorium seats 3,004. The main orchestra section has 1,862 seats. First balcony, inculding boxes, has 613. And the second balcony has 529. The walls are tilted to 5 derees for assoustics and covered in teak paneling and canvas. All seats offer an unobstructed view of the stage. The proscenium arch has been widened ten feet for 50 to 60 feet. The stage has been extended from 85 to 107 feet, and increased in depth from 43 to 62 feet, providing room for a greater variety of productions than the old auditorium could accommodate. The sets suspended above the stage have been increased from 70 to 75. But the real difference is in the method of suspension. On the old stage, the sets were suspended by hemp lines which required sandbags to keep them up. The new sets are suspended by a counter-weighted system which relegates sandbags to the realm of the Dodo.
Opening night, May 3rd, 1968, was an exciting time. It seems unlikely that any parton at the Bright Young Lady's debut will not say, "She was worth waiting for".
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September 1968 Bulletin
Highlights-37th District Convention
The District No. 1 Covention was held in the Muehlebach Hotel, Kanas City, Missouri, July 13th, 1968. This is the first time since I was elected District Secretary in 1954 that Vice President Jacobson did not chair the meeting. As a matter of fact, that was the first year, too, for Vice President Jacobson to be appointed Chairman of District No. 1. As you know, he passed away November 7th, 1967. At this Convention Harland Holmden, General Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus, was the appointed Chairman.
Some of the highlights of the Convention were. A debate on off-year Conventions. There were mixed feelings on this, and after quite a discussion, it was decided that they would be too costly and the motion for an off-year Convention was voted down.
Legislation to protect the projectionist from being arrested when running obscene films was discussed. It was the feeling of the delegates that State laws should be enacted to cover this. The Legislative committeeman from each state will investigate.
C.W. Christenson was retained as District Secretary. The Advisory Board: Hobart Burns, Chairman, Lewiston, Idaho; J.C. McNaughton, Butte, Montana; Floyd E. Hart, Jr., Seattle, Washington; Sid Phillips, Lake Oswegon.
Delegate List
DELEGATES TO THE 1968
DISTRICT NO. ONE CONVENTION
Delegate Name
| Local #
| City & State
| Floyd E. Hart, Jr
| 15
| Seattle, Washington
| James F. Morgan
| 28
| Portland, Oregon
| James Wroten
| 91
| Boise, Idaho
| Robert K. Devereaux
| 93
| Spokane, Washington
| Jack C. McNaughton
| 94
| Butte, Montana
| John Gilson
| 117
| Bellingham, Washington
| Ed Hird
| 154
| Seattle, Washington
| Thomas Watters, Jr.
| 154
| Seattle, Washington
| C.W. Christenson
| 159
| Portland, Oregon
| Sid Phillips
| 159
| Portland, Oregon
| Frank Carlson
| 175
| Tacoma, Washington
| J.A. Fiamengo
| 180
| Everett, Washington
| Fred A. Olson
| 213
| Great Falls, Montana
| No Delegate
| 234
| Walla Walla, Washington
| No Delegate
| 240
| Billings, Montana
| Leonard B. Hinds
| 254
| Yakima, Washington
| Merl Olson
| 339
| Missoula, Montana
| G.K. Porterfield
| 344
| Olympia, Washington
| S.R. Lowrie
| 351
| Anacortes, Washington
| Wayne A. Kirkpatrick
| 401
| Centralia, Washington
| Marvin E. Frost
| 429
| Aberdeen, Washington
| George F. Juricich
| 445
| Bremerton, Washington
| No Delegate
| 446
| Astoria, Oregon
| No Delegate
| 463
| Pocatello, Idaho
| James F. Teed
| 613
| Salem, Oregon
| G.H. (Jack) Schubert
| 651
| Wenatchee, Washington
| Hobert Burns
| 663
| Lewiston, Idaho
| Homer Merritt
| 672
| Klamath-Medford, Oregon
| Harold DeLarm
| 675
| Eugene, Oregon
| No Delegate
| 742
| Wallace-Kellogg, Idaho
| A.E. McDuffie
| 785
| Coos Bay, Oregon
| Evelyn Watters
| 887
| Seattle, Washington
| Russ Phelan
| B-20
| Portland, Oregon
| Allen E. Williams, Jr.
| B-19
| Seattle, Washington
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