The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-02-01
Waiter Harju, Secretary of
Farmers and Workers
cooperative Alliance.
Outlines Tasks for Hoge-
land CO-Operators.
By WALTER A. HARJJF

G. 90 OI the Hogeland
farmers and to give his views in
connection with their effort 70 oot
an organization started on the
basis Of real cooperation.
From the observation of the s;+
uation in the brief time with the
good and hospitable people with
whom we came in contact ono
thing is very clear and that is that
there is a necessity for a consum-
ers' cooperative in the community
of Hogeland, Mont. A real work
ers' and farmers cooperative would
and could develop into a real cul-
tural and community center for
the farm population. There is also
an economic necessity for such an
institution. The problem, therefore.
confronting the farmers and work
ers Of HOgeland is, what kind of
a cooperative it will be and how
it will be started in order that it
will always serve the best inter
eot5 of the farmers.
AS it was explained at the meet
ings, the beginning is the most i'm
portant and next comes the policy
that the organization will follow
in the future. These things are
dependent upon the general econ
omic situation prevailing. It must
he said at this time that owing to
the fair crop the Hogeland farm
ers are q little better off than
farmers of other communities be-
cause of the tragic situation of the
farm population in general. Ow-
ing to the drought in the whea,
growing areas generally, the Hoge-
land farmers have been able mo.
roentarilv to get a little more fol-
their wheat. This situation under
the pressure of the capitalist crisis
can not, however, continue for any
appreciable length of time. There
fore, the organization of the CO
operative in Hogeland must b.
done with the full knowledge thai
the capitalist economic crisis il
lust as far as ever from final so
luton.
Exclude Bankers, etc.
From the very beginning of tn
organization of a cooperative, i
must be clear that its purpos
shall be to serve only one class o
people and that is the workers an
farmers of the community, exclud
ing the bankers and other ele
ments who are the enemies of tn
workers and farmers interests
For this reason the Hogeland fan
mers must not be too hasty bU
must study every step that the
take. This must not, however, be
cone an excuse for inaction so ths
nothing is done. The problel
should be approached from tn
IOllOWlHR pOlIlC VI View
Educational Work
The committee that was electe
should hold meetings in the var
Gus communities surroundir
Hogeland with the farmers or
through discussions come to ge'
eral understanding of what the
want and need. There should
sufficient time allotted for this e
ucational work so that every Of
will know just exactly what he
joining.
In this educational work t
following principles should be Ike
in mind: First, that the cooper
tive when it is organized will
Of such character that into
membership especially the poore
sections from among the farm a
working class population can
drawn. This implies that the pr
of the share of stock be made
small as will be permitted by
laws of the state. This will gu;
antee that it will always be a ms
organization where not only
head of the family can become
member, but that the whole fam
| can icin into membership.
7 What must be guarded agail
{ here is that the organization sh
) be so founded that it will res
in the same as so mary coOpe
tives in the past which have b.
organized by misleaders, and hi
in the end gone out of the hal
T of thir original builders ard the
nv become instruments against
farmers instead of for the fal
ers. It must be established fl
the very start that the cooperat
that will be organized will =
membership meetings at least t
e times a year or even oftener
4 that all of the various profile
Y which will always arise can
e taken up before the menbersh
No Big Profit Policy
= From the very beginning it n
j also be established that real
:. operation does not and cannot
= tend to enrich the membership
L paying out big dividends. Inst
III the policy of a real coopera
) must be that it invests what
4, fits it makes into the streng
of ino of he movement ard buil'
ne of such other workers. and Il
10 ers' organizations in the CONN
ity that will in turn genel
strengthen the struggle of
worker and farmer population
better conditions. The cooper;
to he organized instead of S
ing to make profits with whic
nav dividends should sell at
Oi- prices that dividends do not
IS cumulate. This will really hell