New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-14
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THE EUROPEAN ARMY OF HANDwERksBUR
CHEN"-EFFECT ON wAGEs-LA sOCIETH
vOUDOIsE-A SWISS COOPERATIVE GRO
Gerry sTORE-A BOWL OF SOUP FOR TWO
CENTs-EXTENT AND SUCCESS OF THE CON-
MON KITCHEN.
iFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE
BERNE, Sept 26-There is kind of CO0peratiN
store in Switzerland which, without pretending Il
be benevolent, rs in reality employed very largely as
home by the poor NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." or jour.
neymen tradesmen, who are constantly travelling in
search of employment. 1t is estimated that about
100000 of these unfortunate tramps" are con.
stantly on the road in Switzerland, Germany. and
Austria q fact which accounts for the low rate Of
wages and the long days work which employers are
so successful in obtaining in these countries where
fierce organized opposition does not exist. The mon
opoly of organized employers over non-organized
employers has, until very recently been dictatoriA
and supreme, and as a consequence the reward OF
labor has been scarcely sufficient to keep the
muscular system in working condition, while the
dreary u hours of imperiously guarded toll
have extinguished intellectual ambition. The
great labor agitations which are going On IN
nelghboring countries are rapidly awakening the
Swiss working class and causing them to take prompt
measures for selfhelp. Two plans are being pushed
with yigor that of the Arbeter Bilduns Vereine,"
or the societies for relief, counsel and education Of
which shall treat in future letter, and this novel
Cooperative Store and Kitchen System, of which tho
finest specimen have exists at Lausanne, I'M
der the judicious management of Mr. j. l.. Bovet 1t
is called the Socete Vaudoise. This association
was founded more than 10 years ago. but has not
obtained much public notice until within the last
five years 1t has now $50 members, many of whom
are females. It's capital on shares is only 1890
francs; but by turning it over many times year it
- - Cf0f No
francs; and although it does not aspire to money
making yet it has cleared within the last five years
sum of 10000 francs, and is the owner of its own
buildings and other property. valued at little less
than 900 900 of francs As Cooperative Grocery and
provision store il is awell and soidly founded inst
straightforward in its career a close reck
oner, and stranger to MISUNDERSTANDING in
this respect of the true Swiss character Although
its plan is to apportion semiannual dividends, and
to sell at outside market rates. yet 1t is in reality die
tating those rates. and holding greedy shopkeepers
at bay. As example of this, would state that its
Bakery turns out large quantity OF the purest OF
bread that the effect is sensiby felt throughout the
town. A year ago the price of bread went down two
fifths of cent, or two centmes on the pound. The
Store fell with the rest. Soon, however an effort
was made to reestabsh the price, but not obtaining
the consent of the Store il absolutely failed and the
cost of bread remains two confines pound less at
this moment in Lausanne, than in any other town
OF city on. the Lake, Even while l was there
delegation visited this Cooperative Store,
for the purpose of getting information be-
fore starting a similar establishment at Morgue
Attached to this store IS also large nntchers hop
whose book for last year show a purchase OF lsg
beeves, ass calves and 81 sheep.
have drawn an outline of this cooperative bust.
ness in order the more clearly to show the tounaa-
mon kitchen. Here is no excluslyeness All are an
vited. and the tables never groan with Injuries for
the rich or Hes the ast Sensitive and
swell to double proportions at the sight of shining
hat or new coat is invariably the case IN outside
shops hotels, and restaurants. To test TINS, re-
ouested the gentemanly manager. NJ Bowel. to allow
me my own way. Stepping up to the Gmchef or
wicket where are sold the tin and copper cheeks
and, handing out a frank, l asked for soup.
sensible-looking woman gave me piece
of pewter about the size OF an old-fasnioned
cent and my change. There are 100 centlmes
i'm franc and she returned me 80 keeping 10 CEN
times or two cents for the soup. then went TO an
other qucket that opened into the kitchen and pre-,
sented my check Another robust mlnlsterlng anger
brought me pewter threepint bowl In large sau-
saucer of the same metal, and as scrupulonsly
| neat and bright The bowl was nearly full OF the
sayory compound VIII NOT undertake 10 say wnai,
nary artbut had the night before paid % centmes
at the Hotel du Faucon for Tar less rch ana paata
ble soup while in quantity 1t was equally deficient
There was enough however in the pewter bowl for y
hearty dinner and have not yet fairly recovered
from my astonishment at its abundance. All otner
same wav and at the same wonderfully cheap rates.
| NV curiosity rising to a maximum, soon discoV.
cred that this cooperative kitchen is in the habit OF
distributing an average of $1,000 ratlons per month,
or 2l6 600 meals a year. So complete Is the furnace
and all the cooking apparatus that two female COOKS
do all this immense amount OF cooking and serving
with the help of two boys employed in the butchers
| department. who are regularly detailed as waters
dining the dinner hour. The range is really orna
mental as well as an economical affair IL is round
feet high and IS feet in diameter, with three large
| cauldrons, numerous bake-ovens apertules Tor
| smaller utensils and only one ire in the center
| Tanks overhead supply water everywhere. Ii Is
habit of the benevolent people OF Lausanne 70 pnr
chase large quantities of these checks and distribute
them out 10 the needy for by so doing there rs no
possibility of an abuse of charity. 2cent check
| GOOD for n bowl of soup, but nothing else
conceive such an establishment might be erected
| in the CITY of NewYork for 100000, and, once ~
| order il would do more toward supplying the
starving thousands than all the benevolent bureaus
in the CITY The actual cost of raw material for the
| kitchen is. generally speaking, not a whit higher
| than here. Wheat, rye, beef. pork, beans, fIuns
are when bought from the producer direct fully as
reasonable as at Lausanne Labor Is higher but wnat
is the labor of four persons, who Is proved by THIS
| Cooperative Kitchen at Lausanne, can much more
| than furnish 10000 rations per annum Such an
institution would supply meals at less cost than any
family regulation. and four times cheaper IMAM
| any restaurant and will pay fair profit