The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-06
Taft Transmits to Congress the
Second InstaIlment
Of Report on Cooperation and
Cost of Living.
FOUR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Are Included in Work of the
Consular Officers.
Dividends Up to IL Per Cent
Paid in Denmark.

washington, May 6.-President Taft
today sent to congress the second IN
staIment of the reports OF consular
| officers on cooperation and the cost Of
| living which is the result of the 1nves-
| tigation he some time ago directed
should be made. The countries includ-
| ed in this installInent are France, Bel
gium, the Netherlands and Denmark.
| The reports are accompanied by let
ter from Huntington Wilson, acting
secretary of state
1t appears from the information co..
| 1ected, 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 Belgium
The French cooperative 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
distributive societies are in the manu-
featuring cities of northern and central
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 arti-
sans for their services by members on
a commission basis.
The Agricultural Societies.
The operation of the agricultural So
cieties has been especially successful
in southern France. The French gov
ernment has given announcement to
these societies by furnishing expert
advice, granting subventions, and per-
mitting long term loans by agricultural
credit associations. 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 gratuitously
or upon the payment of nominal fees.
Government employees are to a
large extent organized into co-opera-
are affiliated with labor unions that re-
strict their membership to persons en-
gagged in a given occupation.
In regard to industrial cooperative
production it appears that plants
owned and operated by the operatives
are not uncommon in France. In
Lyons for example, the enterprise is
conducted by societies composed of
their own operatives, including print
ing and engraving, building, plumb
ing, tailoring, weaving, tanning, car
pentering, paper hanging, the making
of pastel board boxes and the making
of metallic furniture.
The consular reports state that the
French cooperative societies sell at
prices which are neither higher nor
that they have q tendency to keep
prices throughout the district where
they are located down to fair level
as we'll 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 ca
pability and the altruism of the man
agement of the respective districts.
Sell Below Cost.
In Belgium, the consular reports
Cfa nTOn0FfiOn o.
operative societies sell at prices lower
than those of the regular markets, al
lowing only members to purchase, and
have only minimal profits to distrib-
ute. Many societies guarantee
per cent dividend on all purchases and
distribute all remaining profits to va
rious funds for insurance. pensions.
strike relief, indemnities for injuries
and the like.
The consular reports state that the
virtual beginning of the general CO.
operative movement in Belgium is
said to have been due to the growth OF
the various Socialistic and labor par
ties in 1880 and the years following.
The Socialistic societies are reported
to have no aff1liation with the Inter
national Cooperative Alliance. The
development of many of the agrtcul-
tural cooperative societies has been
aided very greatly by the clerical
party the league of church societies, |
comprising 40 associations.
: In the Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had its largest growth
since 1890. The associations include
domestic supplies, agricultural supplies.
creameries, farmers loan banks, and
savings banks. A cash basis is strictly
maintained. The annual dividends re-
turned to the purchasers average be-
tween and 10 per cent. Arrange
ments are made with dentists, doctors. |
and merchants who sell goods which |
the society does not handle, to give the |
society a commission on business done |
with its members.
In Denmark sales are confined to mem |
bers of the cooperative societies unless |
the latter wish to subject themselves to |
taxation The joint association of Danish |
cooperative societies operates numberous |
factories and warehouses throughout |
Denmark. At present the average dtvi- |
dends range from 5 per cent to II per |
cent. The statement is made in the con- |
sular reports that the prices charged by J
private dealers are kept down.