Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-01-10

NCOut1muC0 ETOIu rage OuC.J
in Rochdale. England back in 1874.
This far-sighted group adopted three
basic principles on which the entire
movement has been built: % one
member, one vote; CD minimum in
terest one capital; 90 refunds on
purchases.
From the humble beginning of this
Rochdale store, the co-operat:ves have
grown by leaps and bounds Today
there are 100000 members in over
40 countries. In Great Britain alone,
half the total families are members.
Employees of the co-opcrativcs re-
ccivc good wages. Membership. sales
and capital are. growing rapidly.
The latest annual report for one of
inc important English groups shols
10 to Is percent gains in three items.
Prices are as low, or lower. than i'm
private retail stores. and vet a re-
bate Of between and 1-2 percent
Is paid on all purchases. Furthermore
shareholders Of the English societies
receive IL to percent interest on
the par value of their capital stock.
Wholesalers and manufacturers
Scandinavia has also been fruit
full ground for the growth of the
movement because of the excellent
educational background of the pco-
pie. The cooperative societies there
have become very influential. have
been extremely progressive, and have
been in a large part responsible for
the high standards of living in Swcd-
en-, Norway and Denmark.
Both in Great Britain and Scan
dinavia the "co-ops" have become
strong enough to form "wholesales."
Furthermore. in cases where prices
remained at unfair levels in relation
to production. the societies have built
their own factories to successfully
break up monopolies and trusts
AS my western readers know con-
sumner co-operatives are not new in
the United States. Our own move
ment dates from 1845, but it has not
gained the strength here that it has
abroad This is probably due to the
fact that the possibilities for profit
in this new country have been great
err than in the Old World and the
necessity for close budget control
has not been SO pressing.
nevertheless, we HOW nave pIOU-
ably $4,000 cooperative societies.
both large and small. The most fer
tile field has been in the rural areas
where farmers have organized to buy
feed. seed. fertilizer, and insurance
advantageously. Recently the rumbl-
ings of consumer resentment in North
America have been growing louder
and louder.
Crusading SpiT.<~
/ firmly believe that there is dyni-
mite in this consumer situation. We
are witnessing today the prairie-fire
spread of neutrality-suspicious.
Townsendism from coast-to-coast. If
a uuack scheme of this type can gain
such a following, imagine the pow
err behind a consumer movement
backed up by elements which arc
fundamentally sound. In Japan DR..
Kagawa has based his movement on
the high religious note of cooperation
among mankind. He has accomplished
miracles.
America, always ready for some
thino new. might likewise base this
movement on a religious background
and build it into a real crusade IL
would be a potent influence upon
our standards of living and 1t wouid
become a tremendous factor in our
retailing. wholesaling, and producing
systems.
Tn MANY ways we would have Dcch
better off in this country II cohsurh-
cr pressure had been stronger since
tho turn Of the century. In the last
fiftv wears tremendous progress mas
been made in the development o.
technical machinery. Costs or prod.lc-
mo goods have tumbled. One machine
has taken the place of fifty WORK
crs. ro
vo+ thc benefits of this mass pro
duction system have not been passed
along TO consumers in terms OF low
Or nriccs. Purchasing power dcccr-
mines the volume of business ana
! there is only a certain amount o.
| huying power at all times. II prices
remain static, purcas1ng power VIII
likewise remain stationary. Ii prices
are lower. buying power increases
and business continues to grow
insurance. Against Consumer Crusade
An official of a pharmaceutical
comnanv recently told me that the
.ottlo in which his preparation was
sold cost his company more man inc
,,roduct itself. The bottle costs less
than two cents and yet the product
retails for fifty cents; Personally, |
feel that this sort of price policy was
one of the major causes of the de-
preston. :.
In forcing price reduction IN SIT
uations such as this, consumer Or
CARNATIONS perform a vital service
for the nation. But, at the same time
they would also raise havoc with
sound merchants, manufacturers,
property owners, investors and
bankers If business men wish to
prevent such unnecessary turmoil
they must Immediately take the in
itiative and set their price house in
order
AS an example of one gigantic bus
mess which has solved its price prob
lens, study the utility industry. Pow
er companies, with their huge over
head were faced with a far greater