Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-10-03


Congress. held under the auspices Of
the cooperative League Of the
United States. will open in Mime
apolis on November and continue
for four DAYS. Credentials already
received at the Office Of the league
indicate that more than twice as
many delegates az have ever attend
ed a co-operative congress in this
country will he present.
Mos, Of these co-opera tors will he
from Minnesota. Michigan and Wis
consin. but ii is stated that good
sized DELEGATIONS will he in attend
ance from New England, New York.
Ohio. Illinois. Iowa and a few Of the
Western States.
The cooperative League was or
ganiZed in 1918 and incorporated un-
der the laws Of the State of New
York in 1929. 1t is claimed for 1t
that each year it is acquiring an IN
creasing influence within the con
xumere' co-opera tive movement. At
its last report it had membership
of some $50 societies and $50 indlVld-
uals One Of its more recent actlNl-
ties has been the organization OF an
accounting bureau which inStalls
proper bookkeeping systems for CO.
ance and audits the books of many
Of the member societies periodically.
The oldest and hest established Of
the District organizations Is that Of
the Northern states, which has with
in it's membership the Co operative
Central ExChanee with Its So mem
Der societies and an individual mem
bership OF approximately 10000 con-
sumers, and also the Franklin CO.
operative Creamery Association Of
MinneA polls.
The latter. formed in 1920. Is the
largest consumers co-opera tive IN
the United States and Is the out
standing example of CO operative dis
tribution Of milk and other dairy
products. 1t has more than 5000
members and is doing an annual
business Of 81, 000. 900. 1t has two fine
plants that dominate the business of
milk distribution in Minneapolis and
st, Paul.
High Wages and Low Prices.
The Fra nk]in Cooperative pays the
highest wages Of any concern In its
line in it's territory. It is said. and
At the same time II supplies the
highest grade OF dairy products Al
prices lower than those prevailing in
almost every other large city in the
United states, and much lower than
the average. IT maintains an edura
tional department and last year or
ganized health clinic. which pro
yides free medical examination and
advice for ALI children OF school age.
provided they belong to families of
members or customers Of the coop
erative. All it's raw materials are
purchased from the Twin Cities Milk
Producers Association. an organiza
ton OF farmers, and top prices are
paid for them.
In fact. the delegates To the COM
ing congress will he assured that
Franklin Creamery affords them
Americas 1,nSI significant instance
~ absolutely harmonious relations
among three highly organized groups
Of interests that are frequently
found at observation-disclosures
producers and labor. The Franklin
is an organization Of consumers. II
deals exclusively with producers
through the farmers association. It's
employees are all unionized. The
Franklin workers claim that theirs Is
the only industrial union 100 per cent
organized In the dairy field. every en-
ploye from the general manager down
to the last stenographer being direct
~ ahaliated with the milk drivers
union.
Another cooperative Of which the
delegates to the Minneapolis gather
ing will hear much is the WaukeEan
H., Cooperative Trading Co. This
society was formed Is years ago by
small group Of Firms for the co.opers-
tive purchase OF groceries. 1t now
has 1000 members. many Of them
American. Swedish. German or Of
other nationalities. and 1t operates
two grocery and meat stores and a
large milk plant. The original mem,
bers started business with capital
Of but $3.50. Today there is invested
in the business nearly $65 900 Of share
capital and savings deposits.
During 1925 the sales Of all kinds
Of foodstuffs amounted to almost ex-
actly $500 900. on which a profit ar
surplus Of s21.6ss was made. This
means that every member got s per
cent dividend on his capital invest
ment and an additional per cent on
the amount ne spent with the CO.
operative during the year. For the
past three years the increase in sales
has averaged 100000 annually.
Education and Propas anda.
The national organization says
that the most interesting feature OF
the WAukeaan cooperative Is the at
tention 1t gives to educational and
prcpakanda work Activities in these
lines include courses Of lectures for
employees. evening classes. Summer
picnice for the members. propaganda
parades through the city and mass
visits to co-operatiVes in other cities