Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-05-06
AND
COST OF LIVING
INVESTIGATED
President Taft Transmits to
Congress Second Instalment
Of Interesting Reports by
Consular Officers.

(ny Evening IIeraid a. y. Leased wire)
washlngiou, May 6.--President TAFT
today sent 90 congress the second In
stallment of the reports OF consular
officers on cooperation and the cost OF
living which are the result OF the in
vestisailon he some time ago directed
should be- made The countries in
cluded In this lnstallment are France.
Belgium. the Netherlands and Den
mark Tho reports are accompanied
By % letter from Huntington Wilson,
acting secretary OF state.
u appears from the Information
collected. the aeting secretary says.
that the rising cost of living has di-
rected attention 20 and augmented
the membership OF the cooperating
societies more especially In France
and Belgium. The French cooperative
associations are in the main arranged
upon tile Same system as those in tho
United Kingdom. The tendency IL to-
ward small societies and the great
majority OF the associations represent
groceries and bakeries. The most
successful distributiye societies are in
the manufacturing cities of northeast
ern ana central France. Among these
societies relief funds administered
and Insurance against illness and fore
eu non-emFloyment Is supplied. Ar
rangemcnts are made with dentists.
doctors, and artisans for their SER
vices hy members on commission
basis.
The operation OF the agricultural
societies has been especially success
ful in southern France. The French
government has given encouragement,
70 those societies by furnishing expert
advice. granting subveBtions. and per-
hitting long term loans by asricul-
turas credit associations, The general
buying Is done principally through dis
| trlct unions. High grade farm ma
chlnery such as is beyond the reach
oI many individual members. Is pur-
chased from the surpiuses or is loan
ed gratultously or upon the payment
OF nominal fees.
/ Government employees are to large
extout organized into cooperative soci.
cites Many Of the associations ara
affiliated with labor unions that re
strict their membership 10 persons en-.
gagged n given occupation,
IN regard 10 industrial cooperative
production. II appears that plants
owned and operated by the operatives
are not uncommon Ia France. ~
Lyons. for example. the enterprise i
conducted by societies composed 81
taelr own operatives. including print
ing and engraving, building, plumb
Ing. tailoring. weaving. tanning. car
penterinp. paper hanging, the making
OF pasteb0ard boxes aud the makini
OF metallic furniture.
The consular reports state that IN
fsrencn cooperative societies usual.
soil at prices which are neither highe
nor lower than those OF private store
and thst they have a tendency L
keep prices throughout the 6istric
! where they are located down 10 a fai
level as well as 10 enhaRce the puriC
end quality of the goods. The degre
OF reduction In the cost OF living !
almost wholly contingent upon th
capabillty and the altruism Of th
management of the respective dis
tricts
Ia Belgium. tho consular report
state. a large proportion Of the ca
operative societies sell al prices lowe
than those OF The regular markets, al
lowing only members TO purchase, an