The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-05

to n~on-members, and in others the
prohibition is made by the societies
themselves. Cash trading is enforced
in Germany, and many of the local
societies have numerous activities be-
sides those of p~urveying merchandise
upon a cooperative basis. Some OF
them insure the lives and property of
their members out of the net earnings
of the society. Some of them conduct
savings departments, while others
operate building associations. In Ham
burg the cooperative societies W
612 dwelling apartments and AZ bust
ness houses, and members, by paying
tial right to the apartments owned by
the association
In some of the societies all profits
over and above a certain amount are
placed in the political funds of the
party with which the society happens
to be affiliated. 1t generally is agreed
in Germany that n of the results of
the cooperative retail society has
been to bring about a higher standard
OF merchandise. While some claim
that the prices of food and clothing
have not been lowered materially by
the consumvereine, there is practically
a unanimous acknowledgment that
merchandise standards have been
raised. In some cities. such as Ham
burg, Erfurt and Frankfurt, it is ad-
mitted that the cooperative prices are
lower than non-co-operative quota
lions
Germany is the parent country of
cooperative banking, and more thar
one-half of the cooperative business
of the empire has to do with, one form
or another of banking. one form of
bank lendS only to it's members. Each
embe must own a share of stock
and assume unlimited liability in con
nection with it's operations. A mem
Der may buy a share on the INSTALL
ment plan, and all profits are his pend
ing his completion of payments. The
bank lends money to it's members on
good security, and charges a reason
able interest.
france has nearly 5000 cooperative
societies, the major portion Of them
being retail societies. There are more
cooperative stores in France than in
any other country of Europe, although
there are members of these So
cletleS per capita and fewer per store.
Cooperative endeavor has not the ma
tlona aspect in France that it has in
Germany and England. Each store is
largely a thing unto itself, and is con-
cerned only about it's own welfare.
Consequently. the large cooperative
factory and the large wholesale CO.
nYlaT l tive oct h1;pL - - , $40 sd r 49,
question. There are several central
organizations that have been trying to
guide French cooperation along the
lines that a W proved so successful in
England, but their efforts have not
been rewarded with any high degree
of success. One OF these organizations
is the Union Cooperative, which
labors for neutrality in politics and
for a federated store movement after
the example of Great Britain. The
other is frankly a socialist organiza-
ton.
Denmark has a cooperative system,
but 1t, like the French, is largely local.
II the Dane has anything to sell he
SIMPLY organizes to sell it. There is
one big supply organization which
conducts a large wholesale business
and retail stores in all the country
owns. The farmers are organized to
buy their seeds, Fertilizers, feeding
stuffs, and the like, and they sell their
products through a single depot in
Copenhagen. There are cooperative
d%airies, bacOn-curing societies, and
which prepare the products of the
dairy. the farm, and the hennery for
the market.
The cooperation that exists in these
countries is typical of that to be found
IN the other countries of Europe.
Wherever one goes he finds agricul-
tural organizations which protect the
farmer both as a seller and as a buyer,
The laboring man all over Europe has
been the leader in the cooperative
movement and it's success is largely
a monument to his determination to
better his condition and thai Of those
entrusted to his care.
The movement has become so wide
spread that an International CO-opera-
tive alliance has beer formed, and