The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-10-31
COOPERATIVE STORE
SOLVES THE PROBLEM

Washinton, D. c., Oct. 29.-One little
store herehas come nearer a true so
luton of the marketing question than
many theorists. This community for
the last four months has had in sue
cessful operation genuine co-opera-
tive store. 1t deals directly as posi-
BILE with the producer on the one hand
and the consumer on the other, elimi-
mating many of the middlemen as is
feasible.
Cooperation is a fine theory, but
difficult in practice The manager in
the Washington community store has
overcome practical difficulties Here's
the war he started
He demonstrated to his neighbors
by actual figures thatthey were paying
anywhere from So to S. week more
for their groceries and supplies than
they needed to. This represented the
middleman's profits.
He then proposed if a hundred fam
lies would pay him regularly so cents
a week; he would undertake 20 sup
ply them with garden truck, PROVE
ions, and meats at wholesale prices.
To clich the demonstration, he showed
that an average family would save this
80 cents weekly fee in a couple of
days purchases.
This man had energy, persistence
and intelligence. The store has every
prospect Of increasing success.
There is no difference in appearance
between a community store and any
other provision store. There is no
other difference in buying your food
The only difference is that you pay so
cents week on contain day of each
week and buy food for anywhere from
/ to 40 per cent. less than at the com
mercial homeopathic retail price.
Any one who fails to pay his dues
may still buy, but at retail prices.
Anyone not a member of the store may
buy but at retail prices, the store MAX
ing a profit.
At the end of certain stated periods
any profit is divided among the dues
paying members.
Washington is particularly fortunate
in being one the few municipalities of
1.-THE country which has a public city
loWned market, where the farmers can
come with their produce and sell it ,di-
rect to- the consumer IL III E1Gg +
But the majority of the housewives
OF Washington, like the housewives
throughout the United States, cannot
buy directly from the producer There
is simply no. machinery in existence
/ fol. buying directly 70 a small ex-
tent the parcel post solves this, but in
the opinion of Carl Vrooman, not a
successful as the cooperative store.
The other day a department of agri-
SNAIuA y AANO0llSdIOA W0lI W IilS CO.
operative store here to make an ex-
pertinent. He paid his so cents week.
lily membership and made some rur-
chases. He bought a 10-cent carton
Of oatmeal for cents, an 10-csnt loaf
t of bread for cents, one half peck of
string beans for 20 cents, as against
30 cents in the non-co operative es-
tablisments; three pounds of veal for
So ceents, instead of 80 cents; a half
dozen oranges for 10 cents, instead Of
the usual price of 20 to 25 cents, ard
so on. His total purchases amounted
to $1.S2, while the estimated saving
was 40 cents-within one cent OF the
entire weekly fee.
There is awonderfulbtx4,x xrarahrdl
There is movement now on foot
! in Washington to establish an associa-
ton OF cooperative stores on the mod
ell described.
--------