South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-13
The Following is an Extract from, the
Kokomo, Indiana, Daily Dispatch,
Tuesday Morning, March I, 1921
SUBMIT REPORT ON COOPER
ALIVE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
E. E. MUSSELMAN AND SIDNEY BANNER SAY
THAT AFFAIRS ARE O. K

=. z. MusselTnan and Sidney Ban
ner comprising a committee appoint
ed by the Kokomo Trades and Labor
Council to make personal investi-
cation OF the personnel, equipment
and financial standing of the Coop
erative Society OF America, with
headquarters in Chicago, have sub
mitted a report in which they de-
clare that to all appearances the
society is operated on a sound basis.
The report follows:
I'VE your committee. selected by
you 10 go to Chicago to investigate
the business of the Cooperative So
ciety OF America, Wish to submit to
you the following report:
We left Kokomo at 2:35 a m,
Thursday. Feb. 10, arriving at our
destination at 700 a. m, same date.
Being accompanied by Mr.. Paul, the
local representative OF the Society,
we first went TO one of the head
quarters Of the Society on Michigan
boulevard. The offices we found
here were well equipped. and were
used as the offices of the district
managers. We met two or three OF
the district managers here who
spared no pains in going over the
affairs Of the Society with US.
'.Mr. Tobsy, who Is the county
manager, directing the work OF all
statesmen outside Of Chicago. explain
ed to us all the workings OF the So
ciety and gave US a brief history Of
the trustees In whose hands is left
the direction OF the business Of the
Society.
Has Three Trustees.
mfr. John Coe, one OF the trus-
tees is the former superintendent OF
the Southside Street Railway OF
Chicago.
Mr.. N. A. Hawldnson, another Of
the trustees, is the superintendent of
the Hikes Boiler Works Of Chicago.
'Mr. Harrison Parker, the third
trustee, who has been criticized by
Mr.. .. 9. Phillips as a man whose
business operations have always been
failures, is the former business man
ager Of the Hearst papers OF Chica-
go. This man was also the business
manager Of the Chicago Tribune, and
is known as one OF the greatest bust
ness men in America Investigation
in Chicago will convince any one OF
the ability Of Harrison Parker.
These are the three trustees. None
OF them in the opinion of your COM
mittee, could be called failures. They
all appeal 10 US as being business
men of wide experience.
Leaving the Offices OF the mana
gers we went out in the city TO look
over the property OF the Society and
visited some Of the stores in opera
ton there The first place visited by
US was the newly acquired History
building at 100 North Wells street
This building is at present used as
an office building, and is the home
Of the Peoples Life Insurance Co.
cit was shown us that this build
ing cost 81 100000, and was all paid
with the exception OF $500. 900 which
amount is held against the building
in a mortgage held by s. w. Strauss
and others OF Chicago. This mort
gage cannot be purchased at this
time. as the holders refuse to sell.
Groceries in Warehouse.
eve found the warehouse OF the
Society to DO q five story building,
located in the wholesale district, and
owned by the society. we found this
warehouse stacked from basement to
roof with a standard line OF grocer
les. We were informed that the
stock in his warehouse was turned
over every 10 days A present It is
too small 20 take care OF the ever
increasing mum Der OF Stores, 20 u
larger building has been leased at
439 South Clinton street. which we
also visited. This building has six
stories, counting the basement, and
has several hundred THOUSAND feet
OF floor space. They were unloading
several car loads OF groceries in this
building when we were there.
The main office Of the Society
are located at Grand and Ada sreets.
The Offices are on the third floor Of
five stor7' building. Here IS the
telephone department also. We were
informed that this department does
n great business, which your com
mittee can verify b. the activity ve
witnessed there. The fixture factory
is located at 341 South St Louis
street Here all the fixtures need ed
TO equip their stores are manufactur-
ed. Every man employed here is a
union man, and the union label IS
placed on all fixtures sent out. At
the corner % Congress and Keeler
SITS Is the sign and awning de-
partment in an old church building
that was the first warehouse OF the
Society. There they make ali their
signs and awnings. and also all met
al bins and boxes such as are useI
to contain coffee, etc. we FOUND all
the men In this department were
union men also. We talked 10 some
OF these men and secured their ad-
dress for future reference.
stores Painted Alike.
After visiting these departr1 ents
we started on a round OF the stores