The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-14

up an additional inducement for trading at the societies stores. A reserve fund IS maintained by nearly all the societies. This fund is provided for by the segreg1- ton of q low percentage of the surplus profits which may be drawn upon in emer- gencies at the discretion of the directors Most societies provide instruction in ac- countancy, the principles of cooperation, economies with reference to betterment problems, industrial history, administra- tive science and cognate subjects. Lee lures and other .A tertainments are re quentlY provided d circulating libraries and reading rooms are maintained Many of the associations provide an annual out ing for their numbers These outings are paid for out of the reserve funds.
 Various cooperative societies have ar engagements with doctors. dentists and arr tisans by which members secure dividend checks when patronizing them. Tn other words. commission is allowed to the societies by the parties with whom the arrangements are made in consideration of the patronage afforded.
 Relation to Unions
 Many co-operators are members of labor unions and there has been a possibility that the two movements would to some extent coalesce. Up to the present time, however although the Cooperative union has a committee on labor unionism and the two movements send representa- to each others conventions, there has been no active aid or official cooperation between them.
 A Women's Cooperative guild organizes the women members of cooperative socle- ties for social and similar purposes. It has representative on the educational committee of the Cooperative union.
 Various weekly and monthly publica- tions are supported by the cooperative societies and there are also local society records published with circulations rang ing from 1000 upward. The circulation of most of the general publications varlcs from 12,O00 to 25,000, but there is one with 75,000 subscribers. The publication of larg- est circulation, however, has nearly 400,GN0 subscribers and is the organ of 800 socie- ties. It is issued by most of them as their own record, with from one to 16 pages printed especially for themselves.
 A number of the consular reports de- scribe the semi-private cooperation con cerns which are patterned to a greater ol less degree after the Rochdale and allied ! systems. The most important of these is the Civil Service Supply association
 which originated among employees of the | postoffice department who clubbed togeth-
 CT to secure wholesale rates on the more common household supplies The expert | ment was an immediate success and other | governmental employees joined the move
 nent. The Civil Service Supply, associa
 tion esta blished the first department storsi 1 in London, which after many years wer, opened to the general public. It's sales ap proXimate> Sle.ooa0a0 annually. No divi | dends are paid. The army and navy store' are operated on the same general line! as the Civil Service Supply association. Coal Association
 l Consumers coal associations have re gently succeeded in number of Britisl cities A representative organization O llthis type in London operates by securing competitive tenders from leading colnerhil each summer and when prices have thu been ascertained furnishing order blank, l to members upon which the latter con lttract for the next winters supply. Tn, amounts of these orders are totaled ant arrangements are concluded with the sue cessful bidders The coal is delivered anc paid for from time to time during the f1l lowing winter upon orders from the pur chasing member. Each, member is liabl, ionly for the amountsof his contract order Membership is secured by purchasing share of the concerns stock at S5, or hN taking life ticket at $2.55. The saving of coal has varied recently from So cent, to $l.sO per ton, according to the grad, and other circumstances