Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-01-02

substituting philosophy of plenty for
that of scarcity. While labor, like
commerce, has wanted scarcity in
order to keep up wages and profits,
this consumers cooperative philoso-
ply sees in science blessing, and
proceeds to use its discoveries to sup
ply the needs of consumers with adj
vantage to both consumer and worker.
Russia, for example, as a result of
attempting to build culture upon a
labor and profit philosophy, instead
of upon the interest of the consumers,
spent it's resources in productive
mechanisms, created ruthless au-
tocracy, and. exalted the proletariat,
while millions starved, while democ-
racy was flouted, and while the most
valuable assets of the country-its
culture and hereditary intellect
were destroyed.
Cooperation Equalizes.
The cooperation of consumers sets
people working together for their mu-
tual advantage. None attempts the
suppression of others. All move
ahead together. The Cuban poet
Heredia, who lived, for long time in
Paris, dwelt on the top floor of a very
high house. When asked why he Sc
lected so high an altitude for his
dwelling. he replied: Il live in close
intercourse with the gods, and it is
only fair that when they come to me
| should go part of the way to meet
them" There is cultural value i'm
going part of the way to meet ones
neighbOr.
Culture was never promoted by po-
litical or economic revolution with it's
concomitant cisorganization, injus-
tice, and suffering. Culture like ev-
cry useful and secure change-like
an oak tree-is the accomplishment
of evolutionary processes, patience,
and growth.
The Cooperative Movement can ex-
pand, cooperative democracy can be
attained, only as the cooperative
method of supplying human needs
demonstrates itself as superior in it's
competition with other methods. 1t
asks no privileges, but only an op-
portunity to demonstrate the ability,
or inability, of the consumers to sup
ply themselves. The cultural value
that resides in this method of fair
play, even in the contest with methods
which themselves are not fair, ex-
emplifies a quality of commerce that
helps to make people fair.
Competition Causes Decay.
First we are aware that most Of
the competitive method, each aiming
to get ahead of others in the winning
of profits: and that out of this
method grow the uncultural results
which are moving our social structure
toward decay and collapse. Secondly,
over against these crime-engendering
and war-breeding methods are to be
seen the rare expressions of altruism
the individuals who would sacrifice
themselves for society in compliance
with the tenets of Christianity. The
first of these promotes selfishness and
unfairness to others. The second
makes the individual shun his own
protection and advancement, and re-
suits in mendicancy in others. This
is contrary to natural biological ten
denotes. Neither can be the basis of
a cultural civilization. Still, there is
a third alternative. There is a way
out from both Cebasing selfshness
and fatuous altruism. Cooperation Of
fers the way. 1t embraces the useful
qualities of each of the others and
excludes their unsocial and unnatural
features. 1t makes use of the en-
lightened selfishness which is inner
ent in normal persons, and it encour-
ages none to look wholly outside of
himself for succor. 1t prompts the
individual to improve himself and
add to his possessions, but it condi-
lions this upon his helping others at
the same time. Cooperation sets the
individual at work to get better &C
cess to the things he needs; but in
doing this he must have the assist
ance of his neighbors, each of whom
has access to benefits equal to his
own. He helps himself by helping
others. =.
Cooperation Improves Culture.
The more highly cooperative the
country, the higher, in general, is its
plane Of culture. 1t is a curious fact
that first among the countries of the
world comes Iceland-a little oasis of
culture farthest from the marts of
trade. Some Is per cent of the bust
ness of this country is carried on by
its Cooperative Societies. In proper
ton to population, Iceland, produces
more eminent scientists, scholars, ar
lists, poets, explorers, and inventors
than any other country No country
has more enlightened-and less-gov-
eminent None has less crime, pow
erty, unemployment, illiteracy, and
social delinquency. Then comes Den
mark, more than one-half of whose
business is carried on by Cooperative
Societies. This is a country which
is inhabited by people who took one