Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-04-13
RE: THE NEW COOP LAW
PROPOSED

PROPOSED
Editor Askov American:
When the plan of the new coop
bill was first printed desired to
write few lines of comment on Sec
tion XVI, paragraph 3D." but was too
busy at the time, and since then Lud-
Wig MoSbRk of Askov, has voiced my
opinion.
| agree with him that If our organi-
cations function along the lines of our
constitution and bylaws, criticism OF
any kind, adverse or otherwise, will
not harm us. 1t may help us. 1t GER
tainly is a backward step to attempt
to control free speech. and to those
who oppose this movement will APP
pear to be a cOverup for something
that will not bear the light of day.
Let people criticise, let them talk.
If any man breaks his contract with
the organization, Section XVII will
take care of him, and if he has been
so foolish as to listen to some knOcker
and has taken his word without in
vestigating the truth of his report, he
will be the loser. Sometimes there is
truth in criticism and members hear
ing it may be moved to investigate the
workings of their organization and
find things which it will pay them to
correct.
Open speech and faultfinding is bet
ter than whispered propaganda. |
would say let us make it part of our
bylaws that every member be COM
PEELED to voice his opinion and his OBJ
jections at each annual meeting, and
to ask questions of the officers re-
garding any part of the business
routine of which he is in doubt. And
that no member be penalized for thus
speaking in open meeting, no matter
how severe his criticism may be. This
will free their completes and give IA
chance for other members to set them
right, if wrong.
have known cooperative enter
priSes that died on their feet because
no member dared speak out openly of
what every member was thinking. No
one acted to correct the condition, and
confidence was destroyed. Let us have
free speech
| particularly like para graph ID OF
: Section XIV. 1t might also be wise
to add: mo director of any organiZa-
ton shall be eligible to the position
of manager until period of three
/ months has elapsed after the eXpira-
tiOn of his term as director" This
: would overcome the tendency of direc
tors to resign as such and offer tt
: take on the position of manager
t which is not generally approved by
1 the members, and is sometimes EN-
!, barrassing to other men on the board
\ Also nepotism should be eliminated
2 by limiting the number of relative:
: that could be employed in each or
Y ganization; say two These are 'th'
= little foxes that spoil the vines" il
1 many of our big corporations. Wit
Y ness the Illinois Life Insurance Co
0 disclosures. A whole board was com
Y posed of relatives and friends, WHIT
: worked so tremendously that the or
: ganization went into the hands of
receiver, leaving thousands of stock
e holders and policy holders holding thu
o sack.
: The first coop in Hinckley was or
: ganized about fOrty-five years ago b.
e the knights of labor 1t flOurished
s brief time and faded quietly. Sine
d then many attempts at cooperative
q businesses have had greater or Jesse
= success. the cooperative creamery be
:, ing the only one to endure. This or
$ ganization has been the savior of on
e town and community, having encour
/, aged the development of the dairy in
r dustry which is the best agriculture
l. activity for this section; and as othe
e sources of revenue for the village de
e creased the dairy industry kept tn
y mills of business grinding and tn
y money circulating We know it ha
it kept the price of butterfat up. and W
It also know that since the decease c
t. our coop egg association, eggs hav
barely paid for their production, whil
It during the association activity we ha
IS nice profit.
y w. r. NEWMAN.
" Hinckley, Mimi.