Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-05-14
VOLUNTARY COOPERATION
VS..
BUSINESS METHODS.

operation, yet we. like all other re-
formers, have multitudinous plans
as to the details of practical organi-
cation.
Two of the commonest phrases in
use among the pioneers are ''volun-
tary cooperation" and business
methods" each having it's advocates.
by voluntary cooperation" is
meant that each member shall have
the largest personal liberty, not only
to select the department in which he
will work, but that each member shall
also reserve the right to change de-
partments without notice to. or per-
mission of, foreman or superintend-
ent: that each member shall also re-
serve the right to work or not at any
time or place, even absenting himself
from work entirely, without notice to
foreman or superintendent; the sole
remedy being the expulsion of con-
firmed strikers from the colony.
By business methods" is meant a
stricter discipline, greater regularity
in work with increased etfec tiveness
in production. Those who advocate
this method expect less freedom dur
ing working hours, but, owing to in
creased productiveness, look for far
greater freedom from poverty and
plutocratic exploitation.
The first method works well when
there are few partners, when the as
ISOLATION is for work of minor import
ance and so terminable at pleasure,
and especially where all the members
are acquainted with each other and
spend much of the working day in
each others society. In country
store one member of a firm may,
within certain limits, work or go fish
ing as suits his inclination and no
harm result. 1t will do we'll for pic
nic--which lasts ten hours. 1t does
very well where. as in a church. any
member may retire at any time he
sees fit without greatly inconvenience
ing himself or any one else. But the
plan seems lily adapted to large as
ISOLATION whose members have never
met each other, where the interests
at stake are vital and lasting, where
withdrawal or failure means the loss
of many years toll.
Those who favor voluntary co-ope-
ration fear ''cast iron rules" 1.-The
tyranny of bosses, /" 1.-THE loss of liber-
ty," etc.
ods' fear disorder, non-production
leading to poverty, lack of co-ordina-
ton implying waste, and the suspi-
cions and chickering's which must in
evitably arise when large bodies of
men are so loosely organized that
their rights and duties are vague and
uncertain. Voluntary cooperation
is an ideal relation for ideal people
very we'll for angels. but rather risky
for flesh-and- blood mortals, especially
when associated in such large num-
bers that they do not come to know
each other by daily intercourse.
AS voluntary co-oper ration does not
require many rules or elaborate or
ganiza ton, it is, very naturally, the
method adopted by the first members
of colony. When there is need of
water someone, anyone, gets it.
When there is need of wood someone,
anyone, brings it. Enthusiasm is
high overtime work is general; the
work of each member is known to all
and the general result is quite salts
factory.
But with the increase of numbers
the groups of workers are separated,
and being unacquainted with each
other suspicious and chickering's grow
apace.
Voluntary cooperation is excellent
for ten hours at picnic, for each
member may go home when he sees
fit: but it is not conducive to large
produc ton for a foreman to go to the
field and find that three of his force
have chosen to work in the construc-
ton department. Neither is it
conducive to harmony for twenty
people to go to the dining hall
to find that the cook has volunteered
to go visiting, or for the foreman of
the printing department to find that
during press of work one of his force
had gone hunting.
TWO METHODS.
Colony rules should, like politi-
cal laws, be made as nearly self-en-
forcing as possible.
Those who favor voluntary co-ope-
ration, or as some Of them prefer to
call ii philosophical anacchy (uo-gov-
ernmentl, think thatall necessaries
(house, board, fuel, light, laundry, re-
pairing, etc, etc. be free TO all
members, regardless of whether they
work or are idle, the colony reserving