The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-05-09
CHECK THE HIGH
COST OF LIVING
Results Of Cooperative Unions
in European Countries.
REPORTS FROM OUR coNsULs
President Transmits to Congress the
Second lnstaiIment, Which Covers
France, Belgium, the Neither.
lands and Denmark.

Washington, May 6.-The president
today transmitted to congress the sec.
ond installment of the reports Of con-
sular officers on cooperation and the
cost Of living which are the result OF
the investigation he some time ago
directed should be made. The coun.
tries included in this installment are
France, Belgium, the Netherlands and
Denmark. The reports are accompa.
MED by letter from Huntington WI.
son, acting secretary of state.
1t appears from the information col
lected. the acting secretary says. that
the rising cost of living has directed
attention to and augmented the mem
bership of the cooperative societies,
more especially in France and Bel
GUM. The French cooperative asso-
Citations are in the main arranged
upon the same system as those in the
United Kingdom. The tendency is to
wards small societies and the great
majority OF the associations represent
groceries and bakeries. The most sue
cessful distributive societies are in
the manufacturing cities OF northeast
ern and central France Among these
societies relief funds are administered
and insurance against illness and
forced unemployment is supplied.
Arrangements are made with dentists,
doctors and artisans for their services
by members on commission basis.
French Agricultural Unions.
The operation of the agricultural So
cities has been especially successful in
southern France. The French govern
ment has given encouragement to
these societies by furnishing expert
advice. granting subventions, and per
hitting long term loans by sgricul-
tural credit associations. The general
buying is done principally through dis
trict unions. High-grade farm machin-
cry such as is beyond the reach of
many individual members is pur-
chased from the SURPRISES or Is loaned
or upon the payment of
fees ..
Government employees are to large
extent organized into cooperative So
cieties. Many of the associations are
affiliated with labor unions that re.
strict their membership to persons en-
gagged in given occupation. . .
In regard to industrial cooperative
production it appears that plants
owned and operated by the operatives
are not uncommon In France.
Keep Prices at Fair Level.
The consular reports state that the
French cooperative societies usually
sell at prices which are neither higher
nor lower than those of private stores
and that they have tendency to keep
prices throughout the district where
they are located down to fair level
as well as to enhance the purity and
quality Of the goods. The degree Of
reduction in the cost of living is al
most wholly contingent upon the capa
bility and the altruism of the manage
ment of the respective districts.
In Belgium, the consular reports
state, a large proportion of the CO.
operative societies sell at prices lower
than those of the regular markets, al
lowing only members to purchase. and
have only nominal profits to dis
tribute. Many societies guarantee a
per cent dividend on all purchases
and distribute all remaining profits to
various funds for insurance, pensions,
strike relief, indemnities for injuries,
and the like.
In the Netherlands the cooperative
include domestic supplies,
agricultural supplies. creameries, farm
ers' loan banks and savings banks A
cash basis is strictly maintained. In
Denmark sales are confined to men,
bers of the cooperative societies I'M
less the latter wish to subject them
selves to taxation. The joint associa-
ton of Danish cooperative societies
operates numerous factories and ware
houses throughout Denmark