The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-05
CO-OPERATVE
 PRINCIPLE MAKES
 GAINS IN HOLLAND
Dutch Farmers and Merchants United to Meet War Times Conditions.

The Hague, Netherlands, Jan. 5-
 War time conditions such prevail at present prove more clearly than yards of academic discussion the prac- tical value and usefulness of the CO., operative principle to the community '' dent of one of the greatest co-opera- tive societies in Holland. Originally styled "Efgen Hulp'' (Se1f Help) this organization, which was founded here in 1878 with a membership of 315 and the modest capital og $2,1OO, has now close upon 10000 members and an an nua1 turnover of about $1,O00,000. The basic principle of the Self Help Organization was to enable the some-l what scanti1y paid middle and lower class officials of the Dutch civil and military services to procure household necessaries at minimum prices; all net proofits realized being returned to the members in the shape of dividends. which have grown from $500 in the aggregate in 1878 to nearly $100,O00 for last year. Membership is insur-- ed by a first payment of 12 cents, which is the tenth part of g. share and no member is allowed to hold more than 10 shares. On this deposit money a fixed interest rate of 4 per cent. is paid.
 Of late years the cooperative prin- ciple has made enormous strides in Holland. All over the country, coop erative organizations hayes prung up. The idea, originally intended for the benefit of government officials only, has been extended and made to apply to widely diversified objects; to agri- cultural, dairy farming, building and credit societies. until the formation of a central Netherlands Co-operative Union" became a necessity. This body has an advisory board of ex- perts in all matters concerning CO., operation.
 Hollands chief wealth lies in her agricultural and dairying industries, and it is in these branches of pro- ductivity that cooperation has proved Of the greaest benefit, especially to the small farmer. The agricultural in stitution known as the Raffeisen Bank at Utrecht has accumulated savings amounting to $2,4O0,000, and has ad- vanced loans mortgages to mem bers of it's 25O, branches aggregating $14O0,OO0. The Central Farmers Loan Bank at Eindhoven, in, North Brabant, has 378 branches, savings bank total Of $2,2OO,o00 and a mort gage loan account of $1,280,OOO. These are big figures for small country like Holland.
 The difficulties encountered by the cooperative societies during the pres ent war have been many and varied; but the public spirit displayed by the organizers of the various institutions has succeeded in overcoming most, if not all, of the trouble. The Putter- shock Beet Sugar Cooperative So- ciety, for instance, which deals with over 100000 tons of beets annually, fared badly last year owing to the embargo laid on exportation by the Dutch government. On the other hand, undertakings of a purely social character have done better. Only the other day, the mayor of The Hague, pr. H. A. van Karnebeek, made an inaugural inspection of a, whole new street of little dwelling houses, erected by a cooperative building society with the object of providing cheap homes for members of the police force and municipal employees.