The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-06
SOCIETIES VERY BENEFICIAL
Show Rapid Growth in France,
Belgium and Denmark
PRODUCERS TEE DISTRIBUTORS
Relief Funds Are Provided and lnsur.
anee Against Sickness or Lack
Of Work.

washington. May 6.--President Taft
today sent to congress the second in
staIhncnt of the reports of consular Of
icers on cooperation and the cost
OF living which are the result OF the
Investigation ne some time ago directed
should be made. The countries in
cluded in this installment are France.
Gegium, the Netherlands and Den
mark. The reports are accompanied
by letter from Huntington Wilson
Acting Secretary of state.
II appears from the information col.
lected. the Acting Secretary saws. that
the rising cost of living has directed
attention 10 and augmented the MEM
borship of the cooperative societies
more especially in France and Belgium.
The French operative associations
are in the main arranged upon the
same system as those in the United
kingdom. The tendency is toward
small societies and the great majority
of the associations represent groceries
and bakeries. The most successful dis
tributive societies are i'm the manu-
featuring cities of northeastern and
central Frarce. Among these societies
relief funds are administered and in.
surance against Illness and forced non
employment is supplied. Arrangements
are made with dentists, doctors. and
artisans for their services by mem
bers on u commission basis
Agricultural and Industrial.
The operations of the agricultural
societies has been especially successful
IN southcrr France rhe French GOV.
eminent has given encouragement To
these societies by furnishing exports
advice. granting subventions, and per-
mittins long term loans by agricultural
credit association. The general buy ing
is done principally such az IL hey ond
the reach of many individual members
is purchased from the surpuscs or is
loaned gratuitously or upon the pay
Nent Of nominal fees.
Government employees are TO q
large extent organized into cooperative
societies Many of the associations are
affiliated with labor unions that re-
strict their membership To persons en-
gagged in a given occupation.
In regard TO industrial cooperative
production 1t appears that plants
owned and operated by the operatives
are not uncommon in France In Ly-
ons, for example the enterprise is con-
Quoted by societies composed of their
own operatives. including printing and
engraving, building. plr.1bing, tailor
ing, weaving, tanning arpentering.
paperhancing, the makii of paste
board boxes and the making of metal
lie furniture.
Tendency Toward Fairness.
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 a 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 cap
ability and the altruism of the man
ag@nent 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
nave only nominal profits TO distribute.
Many societies guaranteed q 6 per
cent dividend on all purchases and
distributed all remaining profits 10
various funds for insurance. pensions
strike relief indemnities for injuries
and the like. The consular reports
state that the virtual beginnine of the
seneUl cooperative movement in Bel
tum Is said to have been due to the
srowth of the various socialistic and
'aoor parties In 1880 and the years
following.
In Other Countries.
The socialistic societies are reported 4
10 have mo- afiiliation with the Inter
national Cooperative Alliance. The
development of many Of the agricul-
'ural cooperative societies has been
a'ded very greatly by the clerical par
" the league OF church societies COM
prNlng 4S0 associations.
III the Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had it's largest growth
S'hee 1880 The associations include
ue'hestic supplies, agricultural supplies.
"eaineries. farmers loan bank, and
swings banks. A cash basis Is strictly
A"''h'ained The annual dividends re-