The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1912-05-10
RESULTS OF THE COOPERATIVE
UNIONS IN EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES.
EXPERT ADVICE IS AN AID
President Transmits to Congress the
Second Installment, Which Covers
France, Belgium, the Meth
erlanGs and Denmark.

Washington, d. C.-The president
transmitted TO congress the sec
ond installment of the reports of con
sular officers on cooperation and the
cost of living which are the result of
the investigation he some time ago
directed should be made. The coun-
tries included in this installment are
France, Belgium, the Netherlands and
Denmark The reports are accom-
panied by letter from Huntington
Wilson, acting secretary of state.
It appears from the information col
lected the acting secretary says, that
the rising cost of living has directed
attention to and augmented the men,
bership of the cooperative societies,
more especially in France and Bel
GUM. The French cooperative asso-
Citations are in the main arranged
upon the same system as those in the
United Kingdom. The tendency is to-
ward small societies and the great
majority of the associations represent
groceries and bakeries. The most sue
aessful distributive societies are in the
manufacturing cities of northeastern
and central France Among these So
eieties relief funds are administered
and insurance against Illness and
forced unemployment is supplied
Arrangements are made with dentists
doctors and artisans for their services
by members on commission basis.
The operation of the agricultural So
cieties has been especially successful
In southern France. The French gov
eminent has given encouragement to
these societies by furnishing expert
advice, granting subyentions and per
hitting long term loans by agricul-
tural credit associations. The general
buying is done principally through dis
trict unions Highs grade farm machin-
cry such as is beyond the reach of
many individual members is pur-
chased from the SURPRISES or is loaned
gratutously 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 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.
The consular reports state that the
r.
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
.hey 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 capa-
bihty and the altruism of the manage
ment of the respective districts.
In Belgium, the consular reports
state, a large proportion of the CO.
operative societies sell at prices lower
than those o. the regular markets, al
lowing only members to purchase. and
have only nominal profits to dis
tribute. Many societies guarantee
per cent dividend on all purchases
and distribute all remaining profits to
various funds for insurance. pensions,
ttrike relief indemnities for injuries
and the like.
In the Netherlands the cooperative
associations include domestic supplies.
agricultural supplies. ereameries,
farmers loan banks and savings
banks. A cash basis is strictly main
tanned. In Denmark sales are confined
10 members of the cooperative socie-
ties unless the latter wish to subject
themselves to taxation. The joint as
ISOLATION Of Danish cooperative soci-
cites operates numerous factories and
warehouses throughout Denmark.