The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-15
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HASkIN, Director.
Washington. d. c.
THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.

New York, Dec 12.-If you are
thinking of establishing co-opera-
tive store, bakery, laundry, dairy, res
taurant or any other cooperative en-
terprise, as so many people are dolrs
these days, consider the Rochelale
system.
This is the advice of the Co-opera-
tive League of America here, whose
chief object is the promotion of the
cooperative movement in this coun-
try. AS the central federation OF
American cooperative societies, e
league is in constant copmunica-l
with hundreds of cooperative enter
prises in all parts of the United STATES,
so that this advice is based not on
abstract theory, but on actual observa-
ton and experience. In its opinion,
the Rochedale system is the only form
of cooperative venture which STANDS
a chance to survive.
Every year, according to a mem per
of the league, dozens of cooperative
enterprises. rise like brilliant torches
on the path of progress, only to wavcr,
grow dim and finally to be eXtin-
guished by a chilly douche of disap-
proval. They are usually created
around a central personality, who does
all of the planning and organizing.
and they flourish just as long as that
personality manages to keep the good
will and interest of his neighbors.
Once he loses these. the whole CO.
operative business collapses with him.
Immediately this calamity occurs,
cooperation is discredited. Everybody
becomes convinced that Americans are
simply not built for cooperation, and
anyone else suggesting a cooperative
society Is regarded with plying con-
tempt. In reality the failure is not
due to the people, but to the systems
they use.
One cooperative store. for example.
ran along smoothly last year until
Christmas. when the manager bought
large supply OF turkeys at a greatly
reduced price. In some way some of
the members contrived to obtain two
or three turkeys apiece. while others
were unfortunate enough to apply for
turkeys after the supply was exhaust
ed, which created SO much hard feel
ing that the society soon disbanded
from a general lack of cordiality.
I'VE have written to several So
cieties.'' said an officer of the league
the other day, asking them to let us
help them In framing their constitu-
tions. and in installing the Rochedale
plan. but they have preferred to work
things out according to their own
ideas. In almost every case we sub
sequently learned of failure.
"Co-operation has received a tre-
mendouS stimulus as result of the
war" he continued. land we are anx-
Just before the war cooperation in
this country was at its lowest ebb; it
was practically non-existent. There
we're then probably not more than five
hundred cooperative stores thrUout
the whole continent, and they were
isolated, each knowing nothing of the
other. One cooperative store in
Washington advertised itself as the
only cooperative store in the world,
claiming to have discovered this sys-
tenn of commercial enterprise. Now
the league has more than twelve hun
dred societies on its correspondence
list, and new ones are .springing into
existence every month. For the first
time it is beginning to look as IL the
cooperative movement in this coun-
try might become as important and as
powerful as it is in Europe.
IF they stick to the Rochedale
plan" he added thoughtfully, and
stared out of the window of his office
as if he were envisioning the turbulent
city below as it would appear divided
into neat, efficient cooperative So
cietieS,