Montana labor news., 1944-06-08
PEOPLE DEMANDING
FREEDOM FROM WANT

DETROIT, Mich-(CLNS)-"If CO.
operatives had never saved anyone a
dollar, we should have them because
they build men and women" Professor
A. B. Macdonald told an audience of
800 cooperators, credit union members,
Catholics and auto workers at Northern
high school, Detroit, March 14th. Pro-
fessor Macdonald is treasurer Of Credit
Union National association and assistant
director of the extension department of
Francis Xavier University, Antagonist,
Nova Scotia. He has been a leader of
the group of priests and teachers from
this University who have helped the i'm
poverished miners, farmers and fisher
men of his province to lift themselves
out of debt md own their own homes,
farms, stores and canneries through CO.
operatives and credit unions.
Professor Macdonald stated that the
people of the world demand a democratic
and workable plan for achieving freedom
from want, rather than a return to rug
ged individualism, war and mas unem-
ployment. This plan cannot come from
the state alone, which would mean die
tatorship. He gave six reason why CO.
p we're "a plan for tomorrow that works
today:
First-Through cooperatives the COM
mon man acquires ownership of the vital
productive resources, and thus a stake
in the nation. The farmers are losing
their land. the workers own gadgets in
stead of factories, and we are attempting
to build democracy with a propertyless
people while the owner Of property run
the country.
Second-Cooperative competition is
more effective than legislation in break
ing the monopolies which have a
strangle-hold on such vital industries as
food processing and farm machinery.
Third-The working class can fight for
real wages, rather than money wages,
through cooperatives. It can prevent the
gains won by unions from being lost in
higher prices.
Fourth-Cooperatives control quality.
through scientific testing, announce it
through grade labelling.
Fifth - Cooperatives will distribute
wealth to the common people. In n
Nova Scotia community 1000 miners get
patronage returns of $1,000, a year from
their coop stores. In another, 1875 fish
ing families get SOS 900 a year patronage
return from a credit union, coop store,
coop lobster cannery and fish processing
plant.
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sixth-Cooperatives are character
building agencies, developing participa-
ton in significant and constructive ac-
tivity for men who's jobs are increasing
ly automatic and routine. They provide
the economic environment in which the
best in human nature can flourish.
Professor Macdonald stated that De-
troit could have a cooperative develop
ment second to none if her churches
and unions would sponsor a vigorcF
adult education program. Freedom from
want" he said, depends OF freedom
ignorance"
Representatives of the various organi-
cations sponsoring the meeting were in
troduced from the platform by Chairman
John Porter of Easetrn Michigan Co.
operatives. They were Monsignor Hickey,
chancellor of the archdiocese of Detroit;
Clayton Fountain of the consumer divi-
sion, United Auto Workers, CLIO; John
Colby, managing director of Michigan
Credit Union League and the Rev. Ellis
worth Smith, Detroit Council of
Churches.