Montana labor news., 1937-09-30
SIX AMERICANS TOUR
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
STUDYING The (0-0PS
Continued from Page 81

edueatlon through CLUBS ana classes
in economics, business management,
and the household arts. The long
arm of education has reached out to
the general public, coop members,
and employees.
Briefly, the inquirers conclude, CO.
op accomplishments read something
like this-reduction in costs of retail
ing with consequent benefit to the
consumer, promotion of thrift, edu-
cation, control of monopoly, institu-
ton of comparatively high labor
standards, better citizenship as the
outcome of ownership in the hands
of many.
Debit side of the cooperative
ledger shows entries too. The report
names problems still to be solved
such as the necessity of attracting
h%igh-caliber executives, of improv-
ing relationships with farmers, of
meeting heavy ~chain-store COMPETE
ton while maintaining trade-union
standards, of finding new ways of
increasing democratic control, since
co-ops have outgrown the old town
meeting method of voting.
European governments have taken
a kindly view toward cooperatives.
Government, the report finds, re-
CARDS the cooperative movement as
a stabilizer. A Swedish banker voices
this opinion in saying that co-ops are
an antidote to radical political move
ments, furnishing an outlet for the
workers energies. A helping, rather
than a restraining, hand has been
held out by some governments in
allowing some access to govern
ment credit, some exemption from
taxes on plowed-back SURPRISES,
some subsidy to cooperative educa-
ton"
Members of the Commission
pooled their opinions while describ-
ing cooperative technique in Europe.
Not so when it comes to predictions
as to what the cooperative movement
can mean to us in America. Then
the members spaek out as individ-
uals.
Hearing from Mr.. Baker first. He
finds no reason to think that the CO.
operative movement will not de-
velop to a considerable extent in the
United States during the next gen
Grafton, particularly since it is the
only way that either producers OF
consumers can positively control
the spread between producer re-
ceipts and consumer payments. 1t
is unlikely, he feels, that cooperation
in this country will develop along
class lines, nor will it displace Gov
eminent or private business. In
conclusion he calls attention to the
judgment of many people in Europe
that it is the social elements of the
cooperative movement that give it
greatest significance and appeal to
the rising generation.
Mr.. Odds, in summarizing the
strengths and weaknesses of co-ops,
enlarges upon the spiritual benefits
inherent in the cooperative way. He
says that the cooperative movement
would extend the cooperative sys-
tenn of living which was character
istic of the older family life to the
control of the commercial market by
groups of families" For this reason,
it is Mr.. Olds' opinion that coopera-
tive enterprise deserves III serious
consideration as a way of perpetu-
ating the American idea.
Mr.. Charles Stuart describes the
factors accounting for the remark
able growth of consumer cooperation
in Europe. To quote MI Stuart,
Consumer cooperation came into
existence in Europe chiefly to pro-
tect homogeneous, stable groups of
workers of small income from an
Anticipated, inefficient system of re-
tail distribution which was free
from Government regulation as to
prices charged or character of goods
sold and was supported by the doc
trine of 'caveat emptor' -"
Here in the United States, Mr..
Stuart observes, almost all of these
primary conditions are lacking. If
consumer cooperation does spread
here, he feels that it will be in re-
Spouse to different needs. Failure of
competition or Government regula-
ton to protect consumer interests,
unsatisfactory retail merchandising
in some areas, elimination of chain
stores by taxation, racketeering-
these are factors which MIR. Stuart
points to as possible aids to the CO.
operative movement in this country.
Mr.. Stuart believes that both our
Federal and State governments
should foster cooperation, within
proper limits" that is, they should
not artificially stimulate growth.
What development comes should be
through a natural process of evolu-
ton.
Mr.. Hood expresses the belief that
present-day America lacks the con-
ditions that would make for wide
spread growth of consumer coopera-
tives. He warns specifically against
Government h~igh-pressure promo
ton of the cooperative idea, adding,
however, that "any group of people