The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-02-21
PLAN HUGE union
British Cooperative Associations
and Labor to Combine.
MOVEMENT TO BEGIN AT ONCE

Success of the Scheme Means That
Five Million Workers Will Be United
Into One Induetrial Force-Wealth of
the Constituent Bodies.
A serious and determined movement
is on foot in Great Britain to form one
of the greatest Industrial combinations
ever organized by the working classes
of any nation. 1t is proposed to com
bine the cooperative forces of the
country, representing 2,T50,000 of peo-
pie, and organized labor, numbering
225O,0OO, in working fusion.
Should this scheme come to fruition
millions of pounds sterling invested by
trade unions and other affiliated organ
izations would be added to the $lS5,-
100000 share capital of the co-opera-
tors and $90,000,00O loan and reserve,
backed by ever increasing profits on
the turnover If all the plans suggest
ed are successful the aims and ideals
of two great wings of the labor move
ment will be co-ordinated and united
action will be taken industrially, So
cially and In legislative matters.
The leading bodies in this vast
scheme are the Trades Union congress,
the General Federation of Trade I'm
ions, the Labor party and it's allied or
CARNATIONS, women's trade unions, the
Independent Labor party and the CO.
operative societies of the United King
dom. In many respects the work of
these bodies overlaps. Money which
is spent for educational and social OBJ
jects is often wasted.
1t is recognized that this tremendous
venture on the part of united labor
will take years to organize before any
definite, practical results can accrue.
The first step is to be taken in the
course of a few days, when the coop
erative unions will meet to consider
the question, prior to calling a joint
gathering of all other important organ
izations concerned.
The points which will come under
consideration embrace study of how
the organization of each section can be
co-ordinated for educational, industrial
and parliamentary purposes, what
practical steps should be taken to Sc
cure control of industry and commerce,
enabling the working people to solve
the problem of labor unrest for them
selves.
Cooperative association executives
are enthusiastic in their devotion to
successful issue of the movement, be-
hn1 En11 NV
cooperative enterprise will be opened
and they could enter industries which
at the present moment are solely under
private control.
When In working order the scheme
would not propose to purchase existing
undertakings, for the cooperative
movement is always founded on its
own mills and manufactures. This, 1t
is stated, would not only form a profit
able Investment for the funds of work
ing class organizations, but would at
the same time be a practical step to-
toward naturalization of industry, and
the unrest which exists today would
cease.
The cooperative movement has been
practically untouched by any outside
labor agitation. 1t employs 10000
persons. One cooperative leader, dis
cussing the proposition, said it would
be selfish if this was merely an idea
to seek an accession Of strength for the
cooperative movement The success
of one would support the other, and
the strength of the whole would make
the movement one of self defense for
those in it.
I'VE want moral and economic unity
first" he said. "Other ideals will then
be on the way to be realized" He
said that in this month the executives
of the parties concerned would meet
to decide on some course of action, the
substance of which would be referred
to the sectional local conferences for
discussion. On their acceptance and
when the proposals are agreed to at
annual meetings the joint executive
wheels would begin to work.