Greenbelt cooperator., 1942-10-30
BeatOn Plea Is
Greater Growth
In Cooperatives

100 persons at the quarterly meet
ing of the Greenbelt Consumers
Services, Inc, Monday night, Neal
S. Beaton, president of the Scot
tish Cooperative Wholesale So
ciety, emphatically stated that
this war was not being fought to
reestablish the old economic
system of free trade and private
profit. He appealed for universal
membership in cooperatives as
one of the best guarantees
against future wars.
Mr.. Beaton stated that he had
been in % states since coming to
this country to address the
National Cooperative Congress in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sep
tember 20, and had made speeches
almost every night of his visit
here, but this was the first time
he had attended a business meet
ing of a cooperative society, all
the other occasions having been
public gatherings. He expressed
his happiness at being privileged
to observe the interest with which
the members settled the details
of the operation of their organi-
cation.
Likes Cooperative Communities
Communities like Greenbelt, he
felt, ought to be more widespread
cooperative communities which
should learn to do things for
themselves, and not depend on
others to do things for them. He
cited several instances in Scotland
where communities had made
rtemselves practically economic
ally Independent by learning to
run their own business affairs.
The Scottish Cooperative Whole
sale Society, Mr.. Beaton said,
operated the largest soap factory
in Scotland, and ran factories
making almost everything it's
members needed. So successful
have these enterprises been, that
the society has been able to lower
the cost of living in Scotland by
selling to its members at lowest
possible prices, often compelling
private concerns to lower their
prices accordingly by the force of
its competition. Cooperatives in
Scotland, as elsewhere, have been
consistently fought by private
business, but the Scottish Whole
sale is looking forward to the
time when people will be as CO.
operative minded that advertising
will not be necessary.
British War Experience
Cooperatives in Britain have
gone through three terrible years
during this war, but now find
themselves in a stronger position
than ever because of the change
of the thinking of the people. The
British cooperatives, Mr.. Beaton
said, are laying plans to help CO.
operatives on the European con-
tinent to reestablish themselves
after the war. He expressed
gratitude for American and
Russian assistance to Britain, and
called on everybody to make this
the last war, because now not
only the soldiers but also the
civilians know what war is.
At the close of his talk, Mr..
Beaton answered questions from
the audience, in particular rec
oAAAAASAAAiIk ACsioLC1llS dl COIl-
sumers for rationing which is
bound to be widened in scope in
this country as the best founda-
tion for a rationing system.
Dividend May Be 5.25 Per Cent
The business part of the meet
ing, which preceded Mr.. Beaton's
presentation, indicated that the
financial affairs of the Greenhelt
cooperative are in excellent con-
dition. The total volume for the
past nine months was about so
per cent ahead of the similar
period of last year, and it was in
dicated that patronage dividend
of about 5.25 per cent might be
paid the membership, if the busi-
ness for the balance of the year
continued at the present pace.
In connection with committee
reports, following Mrs. Linden
Dodson's report on the work of
the education committee, a reso-
luton recommended by the COM
mittee was passed by the member
ship endorsing Senator Norris
resolution calling for an investi-
CATION of the national broadcast
ing companies refusal to accept
business from cooperatives.
A discussion was held in regard
to bonus for employees of the
cooperative, and President Francis
Lastner stated that the matter
had not been overlooked, but a
question had arisen as to the