Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-07
COST OF LIVING In FRANCE
President Sends to Congress Infor.
nation Gathered by Consuls.
COOPERATION IS SUCCESSFUL
Societies Of Workers own eroeeries,
Rakeriss F.etories snd rursish
Insurance and Medical serv-
ices st Cost.
From the Minneapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON. May s--President Taft
today sent TO congress the second INSTALL
ment OF the reporth Of consular officers
on cooperation and the cost OF living
which are the result of the Investigation
he some time ago directed should be
made The countries included In this in
stallment are France. Belgium. the
Netherlands and Denmark. The reports
are accompanied by letter from Hunt
ington Wilson. acting secretary OF state.
II appears from the information col
lected, the acting secretary says that the
rising cost OF living has directed attention
to and augmented the membership OF the
cooperative societies more especially in
France and Belgium. The French CO.
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 ma
jority OF the associations represent gro
ceries and bakeries. The most successful
distributive societies are In the manu-.
featuring cities OF northeastern and CEN
tral France. Among these societies relief
funds are administered and insurance
against illness and forced non-employ-
ment Is supplied. Arrangements are made
with dentists. doctors and artisans for
their services by members on a commits
sion basis.
Expert Advice Free.
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 subyentions and permitting
long-term loans by agricultural credit as.
sociations. 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 surpluses or is
loaned grstuitously or upon the payment
of nominal fees.
Government employees are TO a large
extent organized into cooperative so,
cieties. Many Of the associations are
affiliated with labor unions that restrict
their membership to persons engaged In
given occupation.
In regard TO Industrial cooperative pro-
duction II appears that plants owned and
operated by the operatives are not un-
common in France. In Lyons. for ex,
ample. the enterprise is conducted by 50.
eieties composed Of their own operatives,
including printing and engraving. build
ing. plumbing. tailoring, weaving. tan
ming, csrpenterng. paper hanging. the
making OF pasteboard boxes and the
making 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 tendency to keep prices
throughout the district where they are
located down to a fair level as well a.
to enhance the purity and quality Of the
goods. The degree Of reduction IN the
cost OF living Is almost wholly contingent
upon the eapability and the aItruism u
the mansgement OF the respective dis
tricts.
Lower Prices In BeiEiam.
In BelgIum. the consular reports stats.
a large proportion Of the cooperative
societies sell at prices lower than those
Of the regular markets, allowing only
members to purchase. and have only
rninimsl profits TO distribute. Many So
cisties guarantee per cent dividend
on all purchases and distribute all re-
naming profits to various funds for In