| The House That Dues i hom the hit-parade from the me stage, and the night be- ve that the members of a ge union had argued the ‘otty problems of organized 101. In fact.’ said Ed Simpson, rgetic hall manager of ilermakers’ Hall, “there is “aething on every night at the litorium.” Hie settled back in chair and offered me a cig- tte.. “Running this hall is a time job. I never get any 2p any more. Someone is al- 7S wants something, and '2>n they do the cry goes up, iere’s. Simpson.” " ‘here isn’t a single board in © floor, or nail im the whole ) der Street building that Ed = sn’t know intimately. When big union first bought the | , and the first crew of work- 1 came in and started to rip | m2 walls and ceilings, Ed was “it on the job with them. His ‘adless energy has become so ciated with the hall that he (lways called when some- /s goes wrong. Now that — union hall is a going con- ', the membership of the } ermakers’ Wnion have indi- | d their confidence in him by | umously electing him hall q ager ~~ ~ Pen ae > se hall itself represents a | Ming achievement for the ermakers’ Union. The all- Fs front and modern archi- | iral lines make it stand out i the comparative drabness 'the surrounding business ss. Imside, airy offices and best facilities offer the © xt services of any public | ling ni town. per | vhen we started out to re- = | this place,” said Ed, ‘“peo- ™ aid it wasn’t possible. They /us we’d wind up bankrupt. |) the members of the union ® determined that they'd © their own building and we have the best union build- ‘in the country.” ‘said he’d ind the place. show me We started 0wling alleys in town are ed, and :the only alleys 1 MALCOLM McLEOD °res. Shipyard General Workers? Federation. By FRED WILMOT ©'e basement. Here the fin-. Fenton HE lights in the great auditorium were dim, the chords of the symphony orchestra vibrated through the hall, ead the regular broadcast of the CBC symphony was on the ir! The night before a husky voiced: girl had sung songs equipped to handle ten-pin as well as five-pin bowling. “Every one of the major bowling leagues in town’ uses - these alleys,” Ed informed me with pride. “Our own team, the Boilerniakers, have won cham- pionship matches on these al- leys.” I looked at the modern, well- equiped alleys, and decided that Ed’s enthusiasm was well founded. From the basement we went upstairs and entered the office space, which takes up the ereat- er portion of the main floor. Judging from the names on the office doors, it was obvious that Boilermakers’ Hall has become the heart of the shipyard move- ment. in this) city. Im addition to the Boilermakers, office space is rented by the Dock and Shipyard Workers’ Union; the Shipwrights’. Caulkers’ and Jonitrs’ Industrial Union; the Shipyard General Workers’ Federation; the Vancouver La- bor Council; and the auditorium facilities are used by many others. In the large, airy ana well-lighted offices I could see busy union officials and effi- cient office staffs hard at work. As we left, Ed looked back and said, “the chances are that if you want anybody who is anybody in the union movement in town you'll find him here.” He then showed-me into the small main floor auditorium. Here smaller gatherings take place. The room is wired for sound, with a small raised plat- form at one ‘end, and a seating capacity of over two hundred. Ed took me out through a small doorway at the end and led me upstairs. He stopped at a landing and we looked into a small, compact office unit. ‘This is the mezzanine,” he SX . from all parts of the hall. “Sive sight. Ss << — Said. “It’s occupied by the Ship- yard General Workers’ Federa- tion.”’ As we continued upstairs, Hd turned to me. “You’re in for a treat. You’re going to see our pride and joy.” E entered the main audi- torium. It was an impres- The great sweep of polished hardwood offered a fine dancing surface, Stretching: almost endlessly to a solid wall ‘of glass. Alone the full length of one side swept an overhang- ing baleony, and the Stage, ap- pointed and lighted in the most modern manner, was designed to be clearly visible NS SS SS ~ ~ ~ ED SIMPSON Boilermakers’? Hall manager. The indirect overhead lighting filled the room with a soft glow. An overhead cluster of spotlichts attracted my eye. “That’s for the fights,” said Ed in reply. to my questions. “We put onthe best fight card intown. Hvery fighter of prom-_ inence on the coast has fought in this hall, and if you ask any of the fans that crowd here to cleverly. ~ # April 23, W945) = Page 16 see the bout-, they'll agree that _ We put on bouts of Golden Glove quality.” “The main auditorium is also used for union meeting=, con- certs, symphonic concerts, pub- lic gatherings and mass mee.- ings. “Her meetings we have a large canvas covering that goes over the floor, and we can seat around 2 thousand peopl? in the ball. When they held the Scot- tish Ball here, we had chairs on Ahe floor. We cleared off the chair, lifted the canvas and had the place set for dancing in under 17 minutes. That’s or- ganization for you.” From the auditorium Ed led _me to the synasium. Here was @ regular boxing rine, weights, ru-chine” hags and other muscle buildin~ -equipment. Down a short “all were a dressing room and shower room. In the en- imenceway were two check- rocms and washroom that Ed also assured me were the finest in town. We went up the stairs that rose from the entranceway and Ed showed me into a long com- mittee room. : “This issa sort of trick ar- rangement,’ he said with a smile. ‘The walls of this room are portable. You can have one large room, two smaller rooms er three small rooms. It is used for meetings or committees, small banquets or dinners.” “There is a small room that we intend to have equipped for catering as soon as the govern- ment releases the equipment.”’ As we went downstairs, Ed looked at me and said: “This hall represents a lot of hard work, and the confidence of our membership. You could call it the house that dues built.” After Hall. The hall is the realization of the dream of a far-sighted execu- tive, backed by the confidence and belief of the union member- ship. Boilermakers’ Hall stands seeing Boilermakers’ Buili one can agree with Ed. WILLIAM WHITE Pres. Boilermakers’ tinion. as a tribute to the great strides ment has made. The facilities that the B.C. trade union move- which are offered to the trade union moyement and the Boiler- makers’ membership are with- out parallel.” Here through con- certs, programs, dances, speak- ers and other activities, the un- ion is becoming a part of the community life, offering the finest in entertainment and re- creation to the people of the city. The Labor Avrts Guild has presented a series of concerts. sponsored by the union, through the winter months, that has brought the best cultural enter- tainment to the largest number of people. The “House That Dues Built?” deserves a well-earned niche in the halls of trade union achieve- ments, and the energetic sincer- ity: of its popular manager, Ed Simpson, will assure that Boil-- ermakers’ Hall becomes sy- nonymous with the growth of trede union influence in the life of the community. VERY PRETTY, ALL © THESE THINGS YOU Say _ ABOUT BEING FILIPINO GUERRILLAS-- BUT HOW CAN YOU HIDE OUT SO SIDE--- TLL SHOW YOu! THESE HUTS ARE ALL BUILT INTO ROCK--THE JAPS CAN'T SPOT LIS FROM THE AIR---AND THEY CAN?T COME INTO OUR HILL AS THERE 1S ONLY ONE j . PASS, AND WWE MOW THEM DOWN WHEN THEY TRY 17! 2 VEE Fe SUDDENLY --- TIGER JOE 1S TO YOUR HUTS! Vas Sey eT AWAY! io7 FTTIGER = \ J-J-I- JOE? J TAM! HERE'S My B CHANCE To SHOW MILA & HOW BRAVE TLL GET THIS TIGER AOE GUY AND oO! PICKING UPA SUB-| | JOUNNIE MACHINE QUN--- = SSA RACES TO THE FEQESATED) PRESS -/7-