The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-09-01
!: REAL ECESSITY +. :, y: ". =.
FOR CO. OPERATION
BY Job Hartman.

Corporation, the theory, = has ex-.
listed for many years! cooperation in
action, In whole sor in. part: has been
tried many times in many places by
many peoples. -, IT has succeeded in
no smaller degree than other Ven
ture e. succeed, "a probably to- a far
greater extent.
Were we to apply to other bust
ness enterprises the tests we apply
to cooperative business ventures,
there would be no business today. or
at least but little.
Approach the average man and he
will say, "Co-operative stores cannot
succeed. Cooperative colonies have
always failed. Cooperation r. is all
right in theory but as a practice it
won't work." -.
He is judging by what history seems
to reveal to him.: He is not taking
into consideration any Of the contri-
'buting reasons, but is judging solely
by results.
It is the way of the world and will
always be.
+: And that is the more reason why
co-operatives must succeed, for only
by demonstrated success will they
achieve their way.
But suppose we were to apply this
test to other things.
Do you know of any grocery bust
ness established generation that did
not ultimately fail? OF any merchant
who did not eventually close his
doors? OF coure there are some. So
are there' some co-operatives which
have not failed.
Thousands of business enterprises
fail; statistics are said to show that
about IS per cent do not succeed.
Does that deter people from embark
ing in them? It does not. They do
not profit by this lesson
Yet because co-operatives have
failed they say co-operatives cannot
succeed. This is the worlds logic.
There is but one answer to it. There
will always be just one answer. That
is to succeed.
Cooperation, though, in spite of it's
handicaps. has grown amazingly in
the last few years. 1t is capturing
even this land of individual prosperity.
Cooperative organizations of nearly
all descriptions are growing rapidly.
SOAA0AAAOAo cL4Au ~ OuANC1S OIL CASI 1AO11
their positions. Cooperation from
being theory has developed into a
practice and from practice has
grown into a necessity. Faster than
individuals can trace it, outstripping
the most fantastic dreams Of the most
hopeful dreamer, it has enveloped the
allied world into one huge co-operat-
ing machine to prosecute a war.
Food, the prime necessity, has been
the key. A giant organization for
purchasing, distributing, and conserv-
ing food is about to be formed. Ne
cessity has driven the world to: CO.
operation. There is no conviction
back of it, no sentiment to it. Grim
necessity has pointed with CON-
polling finger. The nations of the
world take the path to cooperation.
This is wartime necessity. When
war il past, the attempt will be made
to turn backward. Efforts will be
made to return to the old anarchy
of individualism in production, dis
tribution, marketing. But the lesson
should be learned by that time.
Within the different countries private
co-operatives have developed as never
before. Their lesson, their place in
the development of modern business,
will last.
Producers of raisins, prunes,
peaches, grain, cotton, onions, and
other products have banded them
selves into associations to secure bet-
ter prices, control markets, and
standardize products. Just as associa-
tions of capital forced associations of
labor, so must associations of produce
.ers force associations Of consumers.
Cooperation, the sentiment, has
passed into corporation, the convic-
ton, strongly tinged with cooperation,
the necessity. Just as it forced ma
.tions to work together for their
mutual advantage in a world war, so
is it working no less inexorably to
force within these nations huge pro-
tective associations to safeguard the
interests Of those involved.
You come within some class that
is beginning to cooperate, perhaps
within several. Will you join now,
or will you wait to be sure it is 60
ing to succeed?