Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-05-31

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of the butter export business and
have an annual turnover of $780,
100000.
The pocket money of the Danish
farm wife is protected by the Co
operative Egg Society. There are
locals which collect, pack. ship ana
sell eggs, not only in Denmark put
also to the outside world. Danish
eggs are also recognized for the fresh
ness and evenness Of their quality.
The egg co-operatives have 700 local
collection agencies and total mem
bership of more than 145.OOO. They
do Is per cent of the business and
have an annual money turnover OF
$6.00O.000.
BY these means the farmer has al
most completely exiled the middle
man. To a large degree he has be-
come his own marketing agency. He
sells his own products. He adds to
his income in this way.
Grading and Standardization.
There is another contribution which
the Danish farmer has made to agri-
culture and to the recovery OF that
little nation. The Dane insists that
his product shall come, up to high
standard of quality. Much as hall
mark is impressed on silver, so a
certificate is impressed on Danish
butter, eggs, and bacon. In conse-
quence, these products are recognized
the world over for their quality.
They bring a higher price than SIM
liar products from other countries.
The farmer had to do this for him
self. The private distributors refused
to grade and standardize their pro-
ducts, and it was only through the
recognition by the farmers OF the
value of such standardization that
they are able to enforce it. And they
enforce it upon one another rigorous
ly. The farmer who refuses to abide
by the established grades is subject
to fines and other penalties.
Political Implications.
Issuing out of this cooperative
movement there is something intang-
ible, which cannot be described but
which has created a new agricultural
life. The identification Of the farmer
with his cooperative societies has
trained him in accounting. In mar
keting. in politics, and in concern
for every activity that affects his
economic life. 1t has created new
morality in which the spirit approx
mates the ideal of "all for each and
each for ALL" While in Germany
state socialism has been relied upon
for such services as these, in Den
mark the end has been achieved by
the voluntary cooperative associa-
tion of the people themselves.
There is a close correlation be-
tween all these things and the rela-
ton of the Dane to the political
state. The farmer has been educated
through his cooperative societies,
through the press, and through other
economic contacts into a political
philosophy of his own. He is con-
WINGED free trader. He recognizes the
value of free and open access to
the outside world. He realizes that
if he would sell he must also buy;
that trade cannot be onesided. One
explanation Of the high standard OF
living of the people is this free access
to the best that can be bought, where
ever it can be found.
The Danish farmer is his own
statesman. He has gone into politics
He has elected his own representa-.
tive to Parliament he has taken Ovel
the ministry, and year by year has
nodded and shaped the state to be
reflective of his peculiar interests
This farmer control has resulted in a
more or less completely planned so
ciety. In recent years the political
drift has been away from farmer con
troll to worker-farmer control. The
railroads, the telephones, and the
telegraphs are owned and operated by
the state. Transportation is used tt
aid the farmer in the marketing o.
his goods. Passenger fares encour
age travel. They are about one thirt
Vi tLO <AI1Cl lSdl idi CD, oho NiiS oIoI>
railways are now introducing stream
lined trains, travelling at high speed
The railways of Denmark are treated
as highways in the fullest sense o
the term. They are instruments Il
serve social purpose, rather thar
for private profits by a separate class
Education.
There is a final factor that shoul(
be noted, and that is education. TIL,
Danish Folk school is a school fo
adults. 1t is one of the most vita
educational agencies in the world. l
integrates culture and work, will
daily life. Plant growing and conser
walton of the soil is an object of af
fectionate interest based upon
trained understanding of Nature
processes. The culture of the coun
try has literally issued from the soil
There are more newspapers read pc
capita in Denmark, and a higher de
gree of intellectual curiosity abou
all kinds of subjects, including polit
ical and cultural ones, than in an
other country with which am famil
lar, as there is a type of statesman
ship which is more nearly reflectiv
Of the interests Of tha usua11v moo