The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-21

1--WE BJOTb movement from l644-Ol,
This, with the difficulties created by
private wholesalers and the desire for
unadulterated foods, led to the need
for a wholesale agency First at
tempts-including that by the Roch-
dale Society-met with failure. The
federal form, which alone could be
successful, had to await the sanction
Of the law This was obtained by the
act of 1862, which allowed one society
to hold shares in another.
Early Attempts at Federation.
Amongst the early attempts was
that Of the Owenite societies which
started a wholesale society in 1881; it
went out of existence in 1888. A CEN
trail cooperative agency was com
menced by the Christian Socialists, in
1850 in London. It's decease occurred
in 1856. The Rochdale Society ex-
pertinent was the commencement of
wholesale departure in 1855. The
main cause of its failure was the
Jealousy Of neighboring societies, who
could not see why the Rochdale So
ciety should have the monopoly of
such department.
After several preliminary informal
meetings and conferences, including
also a considerable amount Of pub
licity, such as the article in the Co
operator by it's editor, Henry Pitman,
stating, Sooner or later we shall be
compelled to import articles for con-
sumption, as well as for manufacture,
and a union of the various societies in
existence will best enable it to be
DONE" a conference held at Oldham
at Christmas, 1862, decided to estab-
lish wholesale agency on the follow
ing PLAN "An office to be opened at
Liverpool or Manchester; none but CO.
operative societies to be allowed to be-
come shareholders or purchasers; the
business to be conducted for ready
money; goods to be bought only to or
der and to be inyoiced at cost price,
a small commission to be charged to
defray the working expenses; socie-
ties to pay their own carriage; the
capital to be raised by every society
taking up shares in proportion to the
number Of its members"
The name of the new organization
enrolled in August, 1868. was the
North of England Cooperative Whole.
sale Industrial and Provident Society
name changed to the Cooperative
Wholesale Society in 1879, and bust.
ness was commenced in 1864. in Man
chester.
Constitution Of C. w. S.
1t will thus be seen that the c. w
S. is constituted like other societies
but its members are not individuals
but societies. Twelve Original mem.
bers" were, however enrolled, who
each took up one fve-shilling share
When the amending act Of 1867 an.
nulled the Limitation of investment BY
societies-the act Of 1852 imposed the
same limit Of investment on societies
e200) as the act of 1852 had i'm
posed on individual co-operators-nc
further individuals were admitted
The new rule of 1868 definitely re
stricted membership to registered so
cieties and similar corporate bodies.
The original intention of selling
only at cost price, merely charging a
small commission. was abandoned af
ter six months working. The ordin
airy system Of buying at one price and
selling at another was then adopted
the net profits being divided among
shareholding societies in proportion 10
the amount of their purchases.
The Rochdale group bore the brunt
OF the arduous initial work of estab.
fishing the Wholesale Society. VII
liam Cooper, regarded by Holyoake
as the drudge Of corporations" re.
ceived aS in 1867 for four years
strenuous work. He died in harness
in 1868. Conferences were held in
Glasgow, between 1S64-6S, TO discuss
the ACCESSIBILITY Of starting either a
separate Wholesale Society for Scot
land or branch Of the English Whole.
sale. The suggestion to establish a
branch was negatived by the English
society. with the result that the S. C.
W. S. was founded in 1868, on similar
lines to the C. w. s.
c. w. S. Production.
AS capital and members increased
inevitably the Wholesale Societies
were driven into production. The flrst
venture was biscuit and confection
cry works at Crumpsall. Manchester
purchased in 1873. This was followed
by boot manufacture at Leicester, IN
1878, soap-making at Durham IN
1874, and since then an extension &c
a great diversity Of goods.
Losses have been sustained by
both Wholesale Societies by invest
ment in shares or loans with coop
erative productive associations OF
with working-elass Joint stock compan
les. In 1874, an investment was made
In cooperative iron works at elias.
gov. II collapsed with a loss to the
s. O. w. s. OF 100000 The losses OF
| the c. w g. In varIoua vanturas