Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-06
ON COST OF LIVING
Inquiry in Other Countries by
President Taft's Direction.
REPORTS GO TO CONGRESS
Statistics on Cooperative Associa-
tions Gathered by Consuls.
REMEDY AGAINST HIGH PRICES
Societies Formed for the Purchase of
Supplies-Dentists and Doc
tors on Commission.
REPORTS GO TO CONGRESS
REMEDY AGAINST HIGH PRICES

President Taft today sent to Congress
the second installment of the reports of
consular officers on cooperation and the
cost of living which are the result of
the investigation he some time ago di-
rected should be made. The countries in
Guided in this installment are France,
Belgium. the Netherlands and Denmark
The reports are accompanied by a letter
from Huntington WilssH. acting Secre-
tary of State.
1t appears from the information col
lected, the acting Secretary says, that
the rising cost of living has directed at
tention to and augmented membership
of the cooperative societies, more es-
pecially in France and Belgium The
french cooperative associations are in
the main arranged upon the same sys-
tenn 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 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 nom
employment is supplied. Arrangements
are made with dentists. doctors and ar
tiSanS for their services by members on
a commission basis.
The operation of the agricultural So
cieties has been especially successful in
southern France. The French govern
ment has given encouragement to these
societies by furnishing expert advice,
granting subventions and permitting long
term loans by agricultural credit asso-
Citations. The general buying is done
principally through district unions. High
grade farm machinery. such as is beyond
the reach of many individual members, is
purchased from the SURPRISES or is loan
ed gratuitously or upon the payment of
nominal fees.
Government Employees Organized.
Government employees are to a large ex-
tent organized into cooperative societies.
Many of the associations are affiliated
with labor unions that restrict their
membership to persons engaged 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 Lyon, for ex-
ample, the enterprise Is conducted by So
cieties composed of their own operatives,
including printing and engraving, build
ing. plumbing, tailoring, weaving, tan
ming. carpentering, paperhanging, the
making of pasteboard boxes and the maxi
ing of metallic furniture.
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 To-
Gated down to fair level as we'll as to
enhance the purity and equality of the
goods. The degree of reduction in the
cost of living is almost wholly contingent
upon the capa bility and the altruism of
the management of the respective dis
tricts.
In Belgium, the consular reports state, a
large proportion of the cooperative socie-
ties sell at prices lower than those of the
regular markets. allowing only members
to purchase. and have only minimal
profits to distribute. Many societies guar
antee a per cent dividend on all pur-
chases and distribute all remaining profits
to various funds for insurance. pensions,
strike relief, indemnities for injuries and
the like.
The consular reports state that the
virtual beginning of the general coop
erative movement in Belgium is said to
have been due to the growth of the va
rious socialistic and labor parties in
1880 and the years following. The So
ciaiistic societies. are reported to have
no af1iliation with the International Co.
operative Alliance. The development of
many of the agricultural cooperative
societies has been aided very largely by
the clerical party. the league of church
societies, comprising $50 associations.
Growth in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had it's largest growth
since 1880. The associations include do
nestle supplies, agricultural supplies,
creameries, farmers loan banks and saw
ings banks. A cash basis is strictly main
tanned. The annual dividends returned
to the purchasers average between and
10 per cent. Arrangements are made with
dentists. doctors and merchants who sell
goods which the society does not handle
to give the society a commission on bust
ness done with it's members.
In Denmark sales are not confined to
members of the cooperative societies
unless the latter wishOto subject them
selves to taxation. The joint association
of Danish cooperative societies operates
numerous factories and warehouses
throughout Denmark. At present the aY-