The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-18
COOPERATION AT
HIGH STAGE IN
SIBERIAN STATE
Even Have a Union of Siber-
ian Cooperative Unions
is Dominate Factor.
tBy Associated Fress)


NEW YORK, Dec 1S-Co-operative
consumers have reached high state
of development in Siberia There are
cooperative consumers societies. bank
ing organizations, and farming and
producing combinations, and even a
Union Of Siberian Cooperative Unions.
This advance in the cooperative
movement in both Russia and Siberia
is 20 significant as to indicate that it
may become a dominant factor during
the period of Russian reconstruction,
according to information received here
by the American-Russian Chamber OF
Commerce from its representative In
Vladivostok
The Union of Siberian Cooperative
Unions represents 1882 cooperative
consumers stores with total capital
OF 100000 rubles. 1t has agencies in
Petrograd. Moscow, Samarkand, Har-
bin and Vladivostok. Besides sup
plying it's own members with merchan-
disc which 1t purchases on their ac-
count, this union is developing indus
trial enterprises for it's members and
includes factories for the manufacture
OF wool, leather, soap, -four and candy
II Is developing its own fisheries on
the Amur and OBJ rivers, and operating
steamers and barges.
Aid in Development.
The extent to which this union has
developed Is indicated by the fact that
in 1916 1t handled merchandise worth
100000 rubles. In 1917 the turnover
OF merchandise was worth $4,000, 900
rubles. During the first four months
OF 1918 its turnover of business was
100000 rubles. These figures in
clude only the operation Of the GEN.
tIal union and do not comprise the
turnover of the various local co-opera-
tive societies composing the union.
Another important combination is
the Union Of Siberian Creamery Asso-
cations. This is both producers and
n consumers organization. 1t con-
trolls 1.410 creamery associations, and
operates 1,167 cooperative stores.
This association, according to the in
formation received here, has played
an important part in the development
CT the dairy and providing business in
western Siberia. 1t Is estimated that
its members produced 60 per cent OF
the 100000 tons of butter which an
nually were produced in Siberia before
the war It's business has grown from
100000 rubles in 1917 to 160,000,00O
rubles in 1917. This organization con-
trolls in addition to creameries, several
steam -four mills, two printing estab-
lishments, ard rope and soap factor
les. and establishments for repairing
agricultural machinery, dairy machin-
cry, and similar equipment.
The Union Of Siberian Banking AS
Sociations consists of % banking UNI
ions made up Of 4,00G loan and saving
associations. 1t plans to act as pur
chasing agent for local cooperative
societies IN obtaining farming nipple
ments for the peasants. This banking
association Is reported to be especially
Interested in the development of bust
ness relations with the United States.
It is pointed out by the American
Russian Chamber of Commerce that
American business interests should be
Interested in the development of the
cooperative movement in Russia and
~ developing close relationships with
these important economic and COM
mercial organizations"