The source of this uncorrected OCR text may be viewed in the DjVu format at: http://fax.libs.uga.edu/HD2951xC776/co45 or http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/ugafax/HD2951xC776/co45 UNIVEßSITY ÔF GEORGIA GENERAL LÎBBA8Y ,...,_ ATHENS GA. CHIMQO 460« " IU modernize YOUR FRONTS YOUR DISPLAYS sa__^ i increase patronage and operating efficiency CO-OP STORE FRONT LETTERS Pride of ownership, increased volume, and effi cient operation result from attractuely designed service units. Approved uniform exterior sign units and nationally accepted Forest Green and l\ory colors developed by the National Cooperatives Equipment and Design Committee and a\ ailable through the regional cooperatives, provide modern attractrvenes= and coordinate your appeal to your patrons with the publicity of other cooperative^ over a wide area. This appeal as part of a national -yes international- -cooperative movement =timu- lates the feeling at the local level of being a part in this large and significant movement. Illustrated in the front above, these letters are well constructed of Tymstone with a highly durable painted surface. They are available in sizes to suit your particular need, and come with all necessary mounting accessories. CO-OP STANDARD DISPLAY SHELVING Manufactured to specifications prepared by the same committee, C< M >P Standard Display Shelv ing is the result of a thorough study made of the display needs of self-service food stores, farm sup ply stores and service =tatinns. In actual Use for some time by locals in a number oi regional co operative areas, these supports are pro\en for (I) easy shelf stocking, (2) heavier loading. C3) time sa\ing, (4) merchandise emphasis, (5) special cor ner problems. (6~) lo\\er cost, (7) adjustability, (8) convenient price marking. Skilled or unskilled carpenters can easily assem ble and erect shelving, cutting required time by 60 per cent ±rom ordinary wooden sheh es Lumber for shelf assemblies is purchased locallj, \\ hich re sults in lower shipping costs A. folder, Modernize Your Shelving." has been prepared by the \dvertising Department of National Cooperatives in collaboration with the Equipment and Design Committee which de=cribea and illus trates the variety of Shelf Support materials, and gives full instructions for assembly and use \lso available, in addition to the Shelving Equip ment and Exterior Sign Letters, are Merchandising Classification Signs for indexing commodity depart ments in store interiors. Address Inquiries to YOUR REGIONAL COOPERATIVE Wholesale for copies of this folder and for prices. Going P «c COOPERATIVE CENTENNIAL D E I T E M U L By CLAYTON W FOUN FAIN he hour is dark. The day harsh with death frum the sky falling, The year bitter with sorrow and the bluud on the land; But there is light on the face of the century Forward Irom Toad Lane, marching the arc oi the earth, The blue sweep oi the sea curving behind us, We have followed the trail of the free word. Building our brotherhood cleanly, our clasped hands reaching Over the walls erected by hate in the darkness. \ w, e have kept the taith lor a hundred years, Laying stone on stone upward true to the shape ol the vision That Rochdale raised to tower and touch the stars Yes, the light ot our brotherhood gleams on the laces ul peuple In this hundredth year oi our building; The glow of it marches across our time, Vs the sun strides over the grasses at dawn, Driving tear belore it at the shadow's edge. T, his is a strong light on the face of the century: The tuel tor it flows Irom the bottomless wells of our brotherhood: It is the light of Ireedom Freedom . words will not make you free . Nor bonds of blood . . . nor coins . . . nor a king's kindness Freedom . . . only the people can build it in brotherhood Cooperatively, by the free word and the love ot neighbor lor neighbor To shine warmly on the face of the century. in this issue: VOLUME I, NUMBER 1 JANUARY, 1945 COOP Journal of technical assistance and information for local cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members. An official organ of National Cooperatives, Inc , and The Cooperative League of the USA Editor, Gilman Calkins Associate Editors. Wallac» J. Campbell, Jnbii Caisull, Ellen Llliboii, C J McLaiiahan, J I I'locbbting Centennial, by Clayton W. Fountain The Looks o' Things Coming Events Co-ops Save on I~H1 Deliveries, by J. Warren Mathei Salute to Rochdale, by Percy Redfern Prepare for Postwar Now, b> Otto A. Nurkkala Merchandising Methods, by J. L. Proebsting Making Anniversaries Count, by C. J. McLanahan We OWN Our Stoics, by Mary K Warren Slunv Up the Goods, by Richard Leekley What Co-op Week Will Accomplish What the CO-OPS Did in 1Q44, by Wallace J. Campbell The Hottest Issue in America, by William E. Sanderson A Complete Local Publicity Program, by Geoige H Tichenor A Lung-Range Plan of Action Pertinent Books Democracy In Action, by Lacey F. Richey Lo-op Books in Every Library, by Glen n W Thompson Both Hope and Groceries, by Margedant Peters Women's Big Jobs, by Mrs. Aimer Aimstrong People Couperate Editorially .. .. ... 2 4 4 5 h 7 « 9 10 12 13 14 U) 18 19 19 20 21 22 24 24 .26 Picture Credits: Page 5, Wurts; page 6, C\\ S, Manchester, page ; page 14, Wurts; page IS, Wurts; page 18, ECW, New ._ or\ ii r_.-_. _ Picture Credits: Page 5, Wurts; page 6, C\\ S, t 10, Wurts; page 14, Wurts; page IS, Wurts; page York; page 20, Wurts. On the Cover: Forrest Walraven cleans windshield at Clinton County (Ohio) Farm Bureau Co-op service station in downtown Wilmington (Wurts photo). Regional Cooperatives Affiliated With The Cooperative League of the USA, National Cooperatives, and the National Cooperative Finance Assn. Contributing Editors : George Burcham, James Cummins,, Davis Doutlnl, Car! Eck, Ileibert k Evans, JTeibert Fledderjohn, Leonard Ilarman, Andi ew Hebb, Gai dner II eidrick, George Hough, Carl R. Hntcbinson. Erick Kendall, Madelyn Kilmoyrr, Anthony Lehner, Laurie Ï elitin, Tver Ï md, M. (j Mann, Jr, Donald S Maj, T. Warten Metzger, Merlin G Millci Robeit M. Mitcbell, Junes R. Moore, Robert Is eptune, Margedant Petei .->, Arnold Rahn, A W Ricker, George P. Sanden,on, E. F scha-f Robert i,. Smith, E A Syftestadi Glenn American Farmers Mutual Auto Insurance Co...............St. Paul, Minn. VV 1 hompson. ( leorgc J ichenoi, William A • . i /-* , • T r»ir*-ri*r-> /~*ii i /— i • r Toima rinar Ting«,, r A whitney, j F Associated Cooperatives, Inc.. ——815 Lydia St., Oakland, California Yaeger Central Cooperative Wholesale...... .——....— .......Superior, Wisconsin • Central States Cooperatives, Inc.—.......1535 S. Peoria St., Chicago 8, 111. Editorial Advisory Board. James Cummins, Consumers Cooperative Association.-318 E. 10th St., Kansas City, Mo. Davis Douthit, Caii « Hutchmsnn, Robert L. Consumers Cooperatives Associated-————Box 1150, Amarillo, Texas bmith Cuna Supply Cooperative—...—.-..............................Madison, Wisconsin ————————————————————— Eastern Cooperative League and Wholesale ...................................... Business Manager, Gilman Calkins ........................ .....................................44 W. 143l'd St., New York 30 co OP is published monthly by The Coopéra- Qhio Farm Bureau Cooperative Association................ ...——.......... tive League of the USA. Editorial and business ^ N JTJ , g rolumbus 16 OhJO offices, 343 South Dearhnrn Street, Chicago 4, ------- ........ ....^rO IN nign C5t., V^OIUITIDUS ID, V^IllO iiimois. Application made £01 entry a* second barm Bureau Mutual Auto Insurance Co................Columbus 16, Ohio class matter at the postoffice ai Chicago, Illinois, Farm Bureau Services.-——————221 N. Cedar St., Lansing, Michigan under the act of Ma.ch 3, 1879. Punted m the Farmers Cooperative Exchange.-......—.....---Raleigh, North Carolina Lite o^e^^^t.Xg^redTnTt farmers Union Central Exchange .......P. O. Box G, St. Paul, Minn. Patent Office and used by permission of Na- Indiana r1 arm Bureau Cooperative ASS n~ ——— ———————————————— tionai Cooperatives, inc. —————.——... 47 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Indianapolis 9, Indiana Subscription Rates. One year, $2.50, th.ee Midland Cooperative Wholesale ............................ ...... ye-ii-, $6 smgie copy, 25 cents Mailed any- ——- - —— -- -739 Johnson St. N. E.. Minneapolis 13, Minnesota whcic without extra charge. Pacific Coast Student Co-op League.—-——— - ——Berkeley, California change of Address. Send old address label Pacific Supply Cooperative.———P. O. Box 1004, Walla Walla, Wash. with new address to circulation Manager, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass n......—————....„ .. COOP, 343 s. Dearborn st, Chicago 4, in., —————...———.......————3607 S. Derry St., Harrisburg, Penna and allow 30 days for correction of listing Ad Saskatchewan Cooperative Wholesale Society...——.... — address3" ^*™*'™ -r, espondence to same .„_...._..„_„„.._...„._„.._..___„....__.„ .......... Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Manuscripts should be addressed to the Edi- United Farmers Cooperative Company.. ——....————... ~ ——........ tor, and must be submitted at the author'« risk ......., ............———.„ .. ...__.Duke and George StS., Toronto 2, Ontario and a™-ompanip^ hj retutn poctage c^^^te» 215 ___________»____________..^_____________________.___———______^,____ CO-OP—January, 1945 Rochdale Institute and U. S. Regional Cooperatives Offer 3 COURSES for MANAGERS Course for Farm Supply Managers Neil House, Columbus, Ohio January 15 to 26 Course for Petroleum Managers Kansas City, Missouri January 15 to 26 Course for Food Store Managers George Williams College, Chicago January 22 to February 2 Today trained men and women are needed as never before. Co operatives are expanding at an unprecedented pace. The extent to which they will be able to serve their members depends on the speed with which they can turn up trained personnel. This training can no longer be left to chance. ENROLL NOW! In the Course of If our Choice — Write Your Regional or ROCHDALE INSTITUTE 343 South Dearborn Street Chicago 4, Illinois Cooperation—or Else : Unless men decide to give up unjust profiteering and establish decent forms of co operation recognizing "love thj neighbor," the bureaucrats, unwill ingly, will have to dictate business —Paraphrased from Amen, Amen In S. A. Constantino. Ji. ("Harpers.") Democracy Failing?: In the last half-centurv. disillusionment ha,s set in among some sincere lovers ol de mocracy; demociacy is still on trial.— The Catholic World Federal Debt: Our mammoth fed eral debt will dominate oui business, our finance, our everyday live? in the years to come Those who expect to float to postwar prosperity on a billow ing sea of saving« mav become sadly disillusioned. — Roy B Simpson m Advertising & Selling. Culture. this \\ar has pro duced a dearth of music . "—Adver tising Age. Coming Events Dec. 19 Meeting, Board of Directors, Na tional Cooperative Finance Association, \lorn- •.011 Hotel, Chicago. Dec 20- Meeting, -Board of Directors. Na tional Cooperatives, Mornsorj Hotel, Chicago Dec 21—100th Anniversary, opening of Toad 1 ane Co-op store, Rochdale (England) Society of Equitable Pioneers Local Rochdale Birth daj Pal ties across the nation Dec 21—Special Broadcast, "The Challenge of the Second Centui} of Cooperatives," Colum bia Netwoik. Senator George D. Aiken, speaker. Dec 21 22—Meeting, Board of Directors, The Cooperative League, Mornson TTotel, Cln cago Jan S 13—Annual meeting, National Council of Farmer Coopeiatives, Kdgewatei Jîeach Hotel, Chicago Jan. 10-12—Winter Conferences, Iv ational Co operative Educators and Fditorb Committees, at Baker Hotel, St. Charles, 111. Jan. 12— Meeting, Board of Directors, ^\a tional Association of Cooperatives, at Chicago Jan. 15—Canadian Federation of Agriculture annual meeting at Regina, Saskatchewan. Jan. 15-27—Advanced Training Course for Farm Supply Managel», Rochdale Institute, at Columbus, Ohio. Jan. 15-27—Advanced Training Course foi Petroleum Managers, Rochdale Institute, at Kansas City and Cofïeyville, Kansas. Jan. 16-19—Second Delawaie Study Confet ence, by Depaitmeiit of International Justice and Goodwill of Federal Council of Chllrche-., at Cleveland, Ohio. Jan. 22-Feb 3—Advanced Training Course for Co op Food Store Managers Rochdale In stitllte, at Chicago. Free Press. Conservative Chicago Daily Nnvs, original sponsor of West- brook Pegler, has dropped him from its pages because "lie has allowed his feelings to overcome his reasoning powers." —o—n— World Community. \ou'\e heard of Barney Baruch He's a hard- headed businessman — an advisor tn many presidents Here is what he says : "The objective of a world com munity is not ,so academic a-, it -,eems. In fact, supplying anyone who needs it and who is willing to work (even including the Hottentots) with a quart of milk a day might prove an economic as well as a .social advantage. It might even be profitable. "I say this as an aside to those hard- headed men of business who seemingly scorn any touch of idealism, part of which may be only enlightened self- interest. Besides idealism ia the very core of the American spirit. Let the cvnics re-read the Declaration of Inde pendence. "Well fed, well clothed, well housed and well educated, then man is less in clined toward spoilation and bloodshed than is his ill-used brother "—Gordon Roth FUGT A. Soup to Nuts Many good cooks have traded their old jobs for new ones in ma chine shops of defense plants. —Exchange Letters Sirs : 1 want to congratulate the American Movement on its educational work and the excellent way in which you aie putting uver the Co-operative message ; in fact from American Co-operative papers I am getting the impression that you are even more interested in emphasizing the fundamentals of Co operation than our own people here at home. Would you be good enough to give my kindest regards and best wishes to all friends in the Co-operative League. With kindest regards and best wishes Yours truly, NEIL S. B EATON President, Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Societv CO-OP—January, 1945 How Some North Central Co-ops SAVE DIV OIL DELIVERIES CAREFUL and efficient operation of tank trucks not only con serves manpowei. gasoline, and rub ber, but it means lovvei delivei\ expense per unit and, therefoie, lower cost fuels to members of asso ciations that o\\ n their tank trucks To assist in making available in formation on efficient practices, the Division studied the experiences of 21 local cooperative oil associations affiliated with the Farmers, Union Central Exchange, St. Paul, Minne sota (during the summer of 1943). These were located in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Da kota, and Montana The following paiagraphs represent the summary of data and conclusions afforded by the stuclv 25% Improvement Records on a limited number of tank trucks indicated that delivery efficiency had been improved at least 25 percent in terms of "gallons de- liveied per mile driven" since the beginning of the war. One in 1943 showed an increase of 37 percent and two showed 50 percent increases o\er 1942. Some of the oil associa lions had always stiessed economical delivery practices and conservation of trucks, but all were eager to find new \vav-- of cutting mileage and stretching sei vice and manpower. Delivers record-, on 31 tank trucks for 8 months or more in 1*543 showed a range 111 ''gallons delivered per ./- By J. WARREN MATH ER Agricultural Economist, Cooperative Research and Service Division Farm Credit Administration mile driven" fiom 5.9 to 2U.6. Une- lourth delivered less than 11.0; one lourth exceeded 16.5; and the aver age was 13.5 gallon1- delivered per mile Opeiating costs of 6 tiucks averaged approximately 0.5 cents per gallon and 5 cents per mile Total delivery costs \aried from 1.0 to 1.5 cents pei gallon and from 12 to 15 cents per mile depending upon salaiies paid to truck operators Different Factors Help Because of the small sample, com parisons in efficiency could not be made between the 16 cooperatives delivering only in response to "or ders" and the 3 opeiating on regu lar, scheduled routes, but wide vaii- ations in truck performances under each system indicated that delivery practices, equipment, farm storage, and other factors were more impor tant than the system used. Managers generally believed that tegular routes should be limited to areas with a high density of mechanized farms and with little seasonal varia tion in consumption of petroleum products Tank tiuck operatois took much better care of their trucks after the war began. Operators of the 52 regular tank trucks employed bv the associations drove slower and moie carefully, checked tires and mechan ical parts more frequently, and made repairs earlier to a^ oid seriou1- trouble. Two associations main- tained theii own repair shops and one kept two extia motors recondi tioned for emergency use. Larger Tanks Important Trucks equipped with tanks ovei 600 gallons in capacitv delivered about 12J/2 percent more fuel per mile of travel in 1943 than those with tanks under 600 gallons in ca pacity. Managers and truck oper ators in the rougher sections of Wisconsin usually recommended 600-gallon tanks while thuse in the Dakotas recommended 8UU-gallon tanks. A few in level areas of heavy tractor farming believed that 900- to 1,000-gallon tanks could be used if farm storage and other factors were adjusted toward improvement of efficiency. Managers and truck operators be lieved that efficiency could be im- (Contmited on Page 23) Pictured below are part of the service facilities of the Ellsworth County (Wis.) Farmers Union Co operative, one of the associations studied as a basis for the report on these pages. All Ellsworth trucks were equipped with either 500- or 600-gallon tanks and hand-pumps. Deliveries were made on "order." Manager attributes improvement (volume up 2.3%, delivery mileage down 21.5%) to better grouping of orders, "filling in" with new patrons, and fact that Co-op handles 60% of farm business in its area. .-r- **. J CO-OP—January, 1945 SÄLUTE TD ROCHDALE By PERCY REDFERN Cooperative Wholesale Society, Manchester, England TXT" H Y is it that the whole cooperative world has been honoring the year 1844, and the English town of Rochdale, set where its mills and houses rise from the narrow valley to the brown heights of the encircling moors ? Long befoie 1844, English toilers had felt that the poor were being plundered through unjust trade. Those simple, medieval folks knew nothing of lands beyond the Atlantic; but this they knew; and in the much- recited poem of Piers Plowman they said it. Centuries later, in 1760, British shipwrights at Woolwich and Chatham started their own mills, to be free of millers and bakers But even after Robert Owen's great co operative propaganda, almost every effort failed. Challenge and Reply Rochdale began again, and better. The town was just one of those out-of-the-way places to which the new factories had gone for water power, and for captitalistic freedom But freedom had been the reward of the hand workers and crofters for living in these bleak, wet valleys. By the ruthlessness of the new money-making, and the rise of individual money-makers, they felt them selves challenged. On both sides of these hills, and in industrial Scotland, men groped after a new system. Howarth, Cooper, Smithies, Ashworth—in Rochdale there lived a whole group of such forward spirits. And the stimulus of a group, adding to the tough, practical qualities of the hard, independent, yet hospitable hill side life, led to the new success. After 1844 progress had still to be labouied for, but was never in doubt. Do not think that all Rochdale was eager to trans form the new industry filling the Lancashire valley- with big and bigger power-driven mills ! The Lan cashire mind was muddled between things good and bad. The individual, upward enterprise was honourable, and sometimes magnificent. But dismally it was con fused with piofiting from the helplessness of poor work- Thoughts on the opportunities and challenge of the new Cooperative Century, written especially for CO-OP by the English cooperative education leader. ers coming in from agricultural England and Ireland The Rochdale group instinctively discriminated. So, to day, we celebrate two successes in one. We acclaim an advance from poverty now of material benefit to millions of individual members throughout the world. Still more we honour the business for its equity. Of and by and for the people, this enterprise is social. Larger Than Was Dreamed Two centuries ago, when John Woolman in New Jersey refused on principle to draft a conveyance of a negro, who sa\\ in the action its prophetic significance? Percy Redfern The Rochdale and the Manchester press in 1844 looked no deeper, for they gave not a single line to the mo mentous cooperative opening. There was, indeed, onlv a tiny, back-street shop, shut until evening, when a young, untrained salesman served by candlelight, for threepence an hour. Had any one foretold a coopera tive movement of sixty million people, in forty coun tries, doing business of a gold value of over three thou sand millions yearly, how ridiculous he would have seemed ! Principles Our Great Strength But other businesses have grown big More impres sive is the social contribution. In Britain I have seen the outward and visible difference between an area of un employment where cooperation is strong, and one where the movement is weak. Deeper in value is the proof of principles from which, if all else were destroyed to morrow, everything could be established again. The theory of labour being the source of all wealth is enormously powerful. But cooperation has shown that labour is not enough. It must be labour directed to the satisfaction of consumers' wants. Again, econ omists have taken it for granted that consumers must compete, and the rich, during scarcity, outbid the poor. In Britain, from 1914, the cooperative societies pio neered the rationing which is established to-day. Against the Parliamentary wisdom of the time, they showed that equitable supplies at limited prices were practicable, as well as just. Let the idea get abroad of a permanent alternative to consumers competing for others' profit, and much in our economic textbooks will have to be rewritten. Into the Future Like Columbus, the Rochdale Pioneers haidly knew what they had discovered. Coming later, the Rochdale genius, John Mitchell, was the first to see an open door to a world-wide republic of consumers. In Den- CO-OP—January. 1945 Local Cooperatives Should PREPARE FDH POSTWAR OST people believe in the adage, "be prepared," and it seems fitting to ask : How well have farm supply associations and urban cooperative stores in the United States and Canada laid their plans for the immediate and long range post-war periods. I refer particu larly to the services to be ren dered to members and patrons in electrical and mechanical products which industry is expected to pro duce in huge numbers in the ap proaching age of '"electronics" and mechanical wonders. Already some exciting things are in the blueprints and plans of pro duction engineers. In some cases products are now being field tested. Among the items for which your national and regional cooperatives are participating in testing and pro curement planning are : Home food freezers that will in time change the eating habits and nutritional standards of the na tion. Radios that will bring vision as well as sound. A little costly at the moment, perhaps, but mass production will make them rea sonable. New water systems for the farm home—quieter, more efficient, re liable. Automatic electric and gas wa ter heaters, to bring full city convenience to the remotest homestead. New home refrigerators, with more efficient, better arranged, protection for food. Milking machines that increase dairy herd production and elim inate a large share of tedious and back breaking work. Electiical dairv and milk-house Services Now equipment to maintain high pur ity standaids in milk production for increased return. By OTTO A. NURKKALA Coordinator Electrical and Appliance Division National Cooperatives, Inc. Innumerable other electrical and mechanical home gadgets that will relieve the burden of housekeeping. Scores of electrical and me chanical "hired hands'" for the farmer that work at ridiculously low costs. Regional cooperative (whole sales), coordinating their work through their national buying agen cy, National Cooperatives, are al ready manufacturing or preparing to manufacture some of these items. Others are being contracted for irnm independent fabricators as de mand develops. On November 28. 1944. the Elec trical Appliance Committee of Na tional Cooperatives, consisting of the regional electrical department heads and buyers, authorized the purchase of thousands of CO-OP home refrigerators and home freezer units. Specifications for these have been under development for months Operation of sample field units un der close scrutiny of a Technical Refrigerator Committee, composed of the service managers of four major co-op wholesales, is part of the basis for determining good and bad features, and the best models. Data from state university labora tories and independent research in stitutions is being used to arrive at the ultimate design. Work is well enough advanced and manufactur ing facilities assured so that deliv eries can be started soon after re conversion is permitted. In general, arrangements are com pleted for supply or an intensive search is being made of the field for reliable manufacturers. This pertains to radios, washing ma chines, vacuum cleaners, feed grind ers, poultry equipment, pumps, mo tors, irons, toasters, stoves, heaters, furnaces, stokers, oil burners, bot tled gas equipment, and other items, fn the majority of cases, regionals will be in a position to serve the local retail cooperatives with at least a portion of their requirements right at the start, and up to com plete satisfaction as soon as indus try gears itself to full en ilian out put. A total of 2,550,000 tarm^ were electrified as of December 31, 1943. Extent of rural electrification prom ises to double within the first few years of post-war construction Urban homes, almost without ex ception, receive central electric serv ice This means a remarkable op portunity for cooperators to make a service and savings record by pro curing electrical and mechanical supplies through their o\vn business enterprises. Every type of busines^, of couise, (Continued on Page 25) mark and elsewhere others have demonstrated an added value, for the Rochdale system has proved just as ap plicable to production by masses of farmers and grow ers the world over A complete cooperative common wealth thus has become an aim both possible and necs- sary. The most apparent obstacle is, paradoxically, mate rial success. As societies prosper, the voluntary spirit can decline, and routine replace enterprise. Coopera tion then becomes little more than a supplementary kind of economic machinery. It may continue as a political tool or end as a state property. Against such a death, two living force= pre«pi^ e the inherent greatness. These are the spirit of free associa tion amongst mutually-stimulating members, and re sponsible, understanding devotion on the part of officials and staffs. Given this inner strength—and why should it fail?—and there is that which can drav, men and women of goodwill to richer prospects in every continent than any yet attain-ed. CO-OP—January, 1945 Cooperatives Should Have Unique MERCHANDISING METHODS By J. L. PROEBSTING Advertising Manager, National Cooperatives TPHERE are man} diffcient meth od' of distribution and many dif ferent meichandising plans for pro moting them. Cooperation itself is a method of distribution. Coopera- tnts should understand the meiits, disadvantages and costs of each so that thev can better plan theii own distribution and merchandising pro gram which should exploit to the full the advantages in the coopei - ativc iethod Methods Differ All «round us we see competing schemes for gaining distiibutive ad vantage One company uses exclu sively door-to-door canvassers to sell its goods The neighborhood pro duce peddler is a movable store that doec house-to-house canvassing. One of our large grocery chain5 original!) used such a plan on a systematic route basis to develop its business Anothei of the nation's most suc cessful merchandisers was started on his career seemingly by accident A young clerk in a New England store, desiring to clean up some antiquated merchandise heaped it all together in a barrel, attached a card reading "Your choice 10 cents," put it by the door and was amazed to find the entire contents sold the first day Subsequent trial«: encoun tered similar results, and later he brought his idea to the city and marie of it a tiemendous merchan dising -uccess. His name was Wool- worth This was a tremendous merchan dising success because the operations depended upon a merchandising idea. A fairly orthodox store layout, the usual windov, display, clerks to wait mi trade . but a different merchan- approach — aoods seyieyatcd as to price and all qoods adequately displayed Th.it was the dift'eience The difference is still enough to give real competition in some localities. The Mail Order Way Mail order merchandising calls Eor no stores, no clerks, no personal ser\ice but exquisite catalog«, and sometimes distres-anglv lo\v prices Irom the standpoint of its com petitors It is an efficient and ef fective merchandising plan. One advantage mail order merchandising enioys is that the publicized prices .ire without all distribution costs in cluded, the shipping charges aie added to the publicized price. Self-Service Perhaps the biggest recent change in merchandising- methods was the change Erom "service-neighborhood" t nod stores to self-service commu nity food-stores. Here the customer was asked to do more of the work of selection herself, an obligation that many pati ons seemingly prefei Of interest to cooperators, the self- service plan lowers distribution costs It is readily seen that this plan alters certain merchandising consid erations. With less store employees, obviously the label must furnish more infonnation—in fact all the infoi ma- lion the consumer is to receive. And the art of display must of necessity take the place of the sales person's spoken message Centrally prepared merchandis ing materials are integrated with the local progiam. We can expect this trend to continue when even larger va rieties of fond and household items ar< available at a single outlet. Farm Supplies In the farm supply field, mer chandising has been controlled in greater degree by local outlets These independent outlets usually do not have fast-acting, hard-hitting merchandising campaigns centially planned and prepared Because of this, the farm supply co-ops have had less aggressive competition, comparatively speaking. But tins is goinc/ to change.- If we cooperator« think that the big feed millers are going to stand idly by and watch the co-ops take their business away, because they have inefficient local outlets, we had bet ter think again—and think harder. Some parts of the United States are already 5piinkled with manufac turer-operated feed stores. And the large farm machinery manufactuiers are giving more and more help to their local dealers with the intent of making them more efficient and more aggressive These helps in clude — or usuallv emphasize — ef fective merchandising methods We are not realistic if we fail to pré paie for this- increasing aggressive competition, and this preparation must include and emphasize mer chandising plan? Urban Co-ops Face It Among retail cooperative man ager-, where conditions are most competitive, the need for merchan dising techniques i« most readih appreciated. At present this applies particularly to urban food stores. Liban petioleum station«- also face well-planned and aggressive mer chandising opposition Most rural food stores, gasoline outlets and farm supplv depot- do not seem to CO-OP—January, 1945 realize as >et just what s heading their way—but thev will ' Well along are the profit mer chants' plan toi one stop, small community shopping centers Here will be. available everything from feed seed and fertilizers to gas, garage, locker plants and home sup plies—with eating tacilities, and a place tc lea\e Junior for added con venience The implications of such aggre sive merchandising plans are great Will cooperatives anticipate this threat and offer comparable or bet ter plans? We aie uniquely in a position to do so. Add to the streamlined service center a co-op meeting hall and a clubroom for co-op youth groups, and the neigh bor!} persona! touch which helps Count build loyalty and undei standing and vou make of the project a real com munity affair and a natuial coopera tive development The real reason, of course, for studying the different distribution and merchandising plans is to en able us to expand our services and to lower distribution costs Per haps the auditors could pitch in here and help out by segregating more completely distribution and promo tional costs. The surprising thing about the cooperatives is that over a wide geographical area, they are attempt ing to do so nearly the same thing. The amazing thing is how different ly they are doing it. These different methods must vary considerably in cost. Our collective job i,s tu find out which ones are most efficient and employ those methods more ex tensively Part of Series The above article on Co-op Merchandising Methods is one of a series to be provided by Mr. Proebsting on the dis tribution challenge and oppor tunities facing cooperatives to day Watch foi subsequent subjects. By C. J. McLANAHAN Educational Director The Cooperative League T N Fond du Lac Countv it hap pened that the tenth anniversary of the oil co-op and the 100th anni- versarv of cooperation came to gether. The alert educational com mittee reasoned this way • Whv not a celebration, hue the ballroom at the hotel, put on a banquet, gel out a pamphlet telling what the cooperative has accomplished? A= they went to work on the pamphlet their ideas expanded Why not tell the stoly of all t lu co-ops in the county, why not have a meeting 01 representatives from these cooperatives — in addition to the banquet — and plan together to make the efforts of all more eft'ec tive. The anniversary plans grew thus into a sizable project The commit tee worked hard. On Wednesday night the doors of the ballroom were thrown open. The room wa= decorated with postei = and banners the tables covered with roses sent by congratulating organizations. Four hundred and fifty ptople bought tickets before capacity level was reached. Felix Rondeau, managet of co operative insurance services in Wis consin toastmastered, leaders from several cooperatives spoke brieflv , and C. J. McLanahan, Educational Director, The Cooperative League addressed the banquet crowd. The Swiss Family Frauenfelder provided music for the dinner and a concert afterward. At eleven fifteen the tables were pushed back and the rest of the evening — till one-fifteen -was devoted to dancing. Next day representatives from many of the 50 cooperatives in the trade area met to discuss ways in which they might unite to huild still stronger cooperative action. At the end of the afternoon unanimous and enthusiastic support was voted for a committee with a representa tive from each cooperative — both consumer and producer groups — to formulate plans for an area-wide co operative council. Those were two red-letter days in Fond du Lac, planned and carried out by a zealous educational com mittee They published a pamphlet, organized a banquet and confeience progiam. sold tickets and celebrated theii tenth anniversary in grand style. Ï our educational committee, too, could v\ ell plan such a program ; a banquet a lively, inviting, well-bal anced program and some specific problem or project to be considered and launched that \\ ill take vour co-op farther up the ladder. Sergeant Burnham TTERE is Mastei Sergeant El- -*- •*• bridge Burnham, formerly of Los Angeles, first subscriber for CO-OP. Sgt Burnham is now in structor in meteorology at the AAF Convalescent Hospital at Fort Lo- gan. Colorado Organizer of a number of co operative groups, some urban, some agricultural, he has served as his torian with the California Coopera tive Council, was Eoi two years a cooperative specialist for FSA for one year a cooperative and re- employment adviser to the Cali fornia State Relief Administration. He toured parts of the country, studying and lecturing, in 1940 Lobbying in Sacramento during the 1941 legislature Sgt Buinham was instrumental in obtaining the California Cooperative law. Just prior to his entrance into the Army Air Corps, he was a member of the Cooperative Housing Committee of the California Housing and Plan ning Association. Sgt. Burnham includes among his writings chapters in "Consumers' Cooperative Adventure'" (1936) and studies for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1937) CO-OP—January, 1945 We OWN Dur Stores How Cooperative Consumers of New Haven (Conn.) Capitalize Their Business Beyond Par By MARY K. WARREN Fasfern Cooperative Wholesale CINCE September, 1936, Coopeia- tive Consumers of New Haven has had the policy of quotas for capital stock at the rate of $5.00 for each year, until $50.00 shall have been reached. Five dollars, or one share makes a family a member, and the maximum investment allowed is $200.00. Have Tested Formula The minimum investment figure was arrived at in this way: We in quired and learned that A & P plans on investing- $30.00 for each family they expect to serve Good, said we; we will make a quota of $30.00. But, said the far-sighted, do we wish to restrict ourselves to be ing rivals of A & P ? No was the answer; on the contrary, we are sure there will be other projects that we will wish to finance our selves. Therefore, we agreed, let us make it $50.00 as a minimum before one is entitled to "rest on his laurels.' Let us urge those who car to put more than this into owner ship of the means of distribution, but let us also put on a restriction, lest our society go the way of others where one member has "bought out'' the others Certain realists felt that it would be difficult to collect such funds from people who need a cooperative most. The answer was that, of course, there would be people who could not come up to quota, but every year there have also been many members who have been able to apply their purchase refunds to their capital stock accounts until these are up to quota. Said someone with clerical experi ence, won't we need a terrific amount of bookkeeping? Just think of all the stock certificates we will use! Luckily, there was a lawyer among us, and he suggested that we use passbooks, such as are used in credit unions, and reserve stock certificates to issue on demand. There has been no such demand, since our best legal advice indicates no advantage to the holder of a certificate. Statements Mailed Yearly, when we have computed net savings, we mail to each mem ber by first class mail a statement of the amount of his purchase re funds, broken down for each type of purchase, whether store, dairy, or contract purchases, and the amount -CREDl UNION ,*-.» r » :. é that is available for credit to capital, with the quota balance due from the member. A time limit is set for the receipt of complaints on the amounts of the purchase refunds, and for the with drawal by the member of any pur chase savings remaining over his quota if it has been met. If it ha<= not been met, the office is not au thorized to make payment, but cred its the refund to capital. If, on the other hand, the member has the maximum ($200 00) in capital, a check is drawn paying the purchase savings to him. Many Complete Quotas How does it work? Normally, we try to get at least the initial $5 00 from each new member. Then, the following March, he receives pur chase refunds of, say $3.10. In a surprising number of instances, the member will come in "with the $1.<30" to make up his capital quota Mary K. Warren, who tells about the New Haven co-op's capitaliza tion methods on this page, is shown at the desk in this picture of her co-op's office. She became a member of the New Haven Cooperative Club in 1935, its secretary soon after, a credit union member in 1936, an incorporates of the Co operative Consumers of New Haven in 1937, assistant bookkeeper in 1940—after six years of volunteer work. She served for four years as a director of the Eastern Coopera tive League, has visited and studied many cooperatives, recently joined the staff of Eastern Cooperative League and Wholesale, at New York City. 10 CO-OP—January, 1945 GENERAL INFORMATION CAPITAL PASSBOOK This passbook is issued as a receipt for the amount of your investment in the association and shows how it has accu mulated Your passbook will be kept up to date if \ou present it for posting periodicall). Issuance ot this payback indicates acceptance of your membership applica tion. Only applicants with one or more shares of stock arc entitled to full mem- beiship privileges For details on tiansfer or sale of shares, interest on shares, joint membership, etc., please refer to the b> -laws. Federal siamp taxes on stock issuance, sale, or transfer are payable by the member. Please report loss of passbook in writing Kindly notifv us of any change in address promptly Date Joined- Non Assessable Common Stock Par Value $5 00 Registered, Transfer Res t nc ted COOPERATIVE CONSUMERS OF NEW HAVEN INCORPORATED Under the Consumer Cooperative Laws of the State of Connecticut i Shown above are outside and inside of New Haven Co-op's passbook. for the year Others, because the need tor capital is kept constantly before them, come in at different times during the year to make de posits to their capital accounts In the last seven years we have expanded seven times. Each expan sion involved the use of consider able new capital. We have had to borrow to meet these expansions, and we have done this usually from individuals, though we have had one credit union loan and one bank loan. We issue bonds, which are mostly held by people who have reached the maximum for member capital, and are able to help further. The borrowings are necessitated bv the expansion moves because the member capital tends to come in fairly regularly, while the need for it is spasmodic In every case, how ever, the steady influx of capital has speedily liquidated the loan, and, as this is written, with the exception of the bonds referred to, we owe nobody; our capital quota with our regional cooperative ("Eastern Co operative Wholesale) is paid in full, and we own every piece nf equip ment in our three stores. Swedish Co-ops to Expand Production Operations XT ILS THADIN, member of the staff of Kooperativa Forbundet, Sweden, reports that expansion of production and distribution of household appliances will be the first postwar objective of Sweden's consumer cooperatives. A motion picture educational campaign is al ready underway to educate Swedish housewives in the use of household appliances. Production of farm supplies and machinery will be the second point of expansion. Swedish co-ops now operate two farm machinery and implement factories, are building a large fertilizer factory, have com pleted plans for construction of a nitrate factory. Third expansion program will be in the field of build ing supplies. Every item of supply for the building of the home—lum ber, bricks, cement, glass, bathroom fixtures—is planned for coopera tive production and distribution. How New Haven Co-op Builds Capital 40,000 Patronage 8,000 Member Capital 35,000 7,000 Average Weekly Patronage (6 month periods) 30,000 5k ^* Expansion Projects 25,000 Co-operative Consumers of New Haven (Conn.), Inc ,20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3J)00 2.000 LOOO 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 CO-OP—January, 1945 II Let's SHOW UP THE GOODS /CONSUMERS — whether they ^ shop in the Co-op or anywhere else—dig for their wallets under two impulses Either they come with their minds set on a definite pur chase, or they see something which they want to buy but didn't know it. That's where display comes in. Proper display puts before the consumei a useful commodity in its best light. The display makes vivid what the commodity is, what it does, and how much it costs. It is a snappy, friendly, reminder of articles which patrons may have forgotten they wanted. The profit store (,or warehouse or station) exists to sell the largest amount of good ; at the greatest pos sible profit. All else is incidental. But the Co-op has a different reason for display and for the "salesman ship" which good display demands. The reason is service, making it as easy and as satisfying as possible for the patron to meet his or her needs. And one fact further : in the Co-op the idea we offer is on dis play likewise, so that if we can create an impiession that the Co-op, its merchandise, its personnel are at hand for the purpose of service, first and always, we may feel assured that our display will click. These suggestions are taken large ly from an excellent booklet issued recently b\ the Farm Bureau Co- With Good Displays By RICHARD LEEKLEY Executive Assistant, Council for Cooperative Development operative Association, Columbus, Ohio, entitled "Display in a Farm Bureau Co-op," and prepared by Ray Stew art and Bill Sheppard of the Ohio Co-op's promotion de- pai tment Here are some of its top-notch "how-to-do-it" suggestions : • The simplicity and directness of purpose of Co-op display require that it be kept plain and functional. No need for fancy equipment, elab orate lighting ur staging. • Everything is on display—walls, windows, floors, shelves, merchan dise, and certainly employees. The attitudes and appearance of the per sonnel are part of a good display, and can either spoil 01 increase its effect. • A sign is a must, but too many signs in and around the display will hurt, not help And for the extra cost, it pays to have signs made pro fessionally. Thev should be kept simple in style and information. • Merchandise to be taken from display should be easy to reach, and Island Displays Island shelving accommodates mass displays either at ends or in the cen ter. They may be conveniently made in two sections to achieve versatility. that means eas> foi neat little ladies to reach- not 6-footers. Out of bounds—which means higher than four or five feet, lower than three— merchandise is not able to serve as a reminder, hence is not on display at all. • Commodities on display in mass or jumble style (both effective; should always have a "starting gap" —a point which seems to say "pick here." Perfect, symmetrical display seems to cry, "don't touch me " • The less seen of the mechanics of the display the better, because not it but the merchandise is there to be seen and studied. Thus simple islands (as shown on this page), simple, clean colors, plain, informa tive signs and (if necessary) litera ture, become the rules More Tips And here are further tips to spark the presentation of the Co-op and what it has to offer : Displays should be changed fre quently. In the case of foods, once a week is effective ; automotive sup plies, hardware and dress clothing need not be changed so frequently unless demand runs heavy and we are dealing with several hundred people weekly. A skimpv display gives an effect opposite to plenty and adequate service. One still sees Co-op dis plays in which the goods are pre sented as though they were fine jewels, each resting on its velvet pad, each crying aloud, "You'll have to fight to win me." Let the patrons guide the making of better display. If many questions are asked, if there is hesitance and reluctance to pick from a display, something may be wrong. A handy notebook for display criticism and suggestions will prove its value. All employees should be encouraged to use the notebook to record fresh ideas. A word about equipment for is lands and floor and wall displays. Both the Ohio Farm Bureau Co op's promotion department and the National Co-op Equipment and De sign Committee have facilities to meet specific problems. The first named group, with offices at 246 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio, can either deal with your questions on equipment or route them to your own regional information source. The E and D Committee in colla boration with National Coopera- 12 CO-OP—January, 1945 tives' advertising department has prepared a booklet on displav equipment which you will \vant to see. Send foi youi copy today ; address the Committee at .M3 S Dearborn St., Chicago 4, [11. The new booklet deals mainly with steel-bracket type wall and is land equipment which answers the requirements of plain, Functional layouts available at reasonable cost. These new layouts also have the ad vantage of offering a standard pat tern for Co-ops everywhere. Appearance Improving The trend toward standardization of appearance of the Co-ops has been stepped up much during the Centennial Year ; is, in fact, one of its highlights. This is all to the good. Our friends who have not yet come to use the Co-ops—our own members and patrons, when they seek the Co-op in some strange cross-roads—will appreciate the value of standard appearance. The Co-op that is easy to find, because it looks like a Co-op, has the advan tage in terms of patronage. Standardization o f appearance comes through the common use of the national Co-op colors—ivory and forest green, through the com mon use of the widely recognized brand CO-OP in exterior signs and advertising, through the use of standard interior equipment. Advice Co-op Shelving Supports These sup ports come in various sizes for different purposes. Type illustrated at left is for use against wall. Illustration at right shows how supports may be backed up for island construc- tion. Unskilled persons can easily con struct shelves with this equip ment. &" ~4 j and help on these points is available through your regional Cooperative or the National E and D Commit tee. Finally, on the use of color. The Ohio booklet thoughtfully lists colors in terms of their values thus warm colors are red, orange, yellow, brown, gold; cool color? are blue, green, white, silver, and gray. For strong legibility, try these color combinations : the national colors —dark green on ivory, black on yel low , red on white, blue on white. The color of a display must he kept simple (unless you are plan ning a trick layout) with one color ( such as green i dominant Too little color is a much sounder rule than too much And in color, in design, in infor mation, in all the factors of display, the best job will be done by those who remember that it is service we are offering—service to the con sumer — service which anticipates and meets his needs. What Co-op Week Will Accomplish *TpHE following report, published in -^ the November, 1944, issue o1 the Vermont Farm Bureau News, speaks eloquently on the value of promoting Co-op Week in your state : "Cooperative Week, October 15 to 21, in observance of the centennial vear of cooperation, in Vermont pro duced the following results : "1 Three 15-minute radio broad casts including Governor Wills' state government program. "2. Six two-minute ladio coopera tive messages, one each day. '3. Cooperative speakers at North- field. Newport, Waterbury, Morris- ville, Chester, St. Johnsbury, and prob ably some other Rotary Clubs. "4. Open house inspection of seven United Farmers plants with a card from the head office to ten to fifteen thousand members calling attention to the \\eek. ''5. An intensive drive to acquaint more people with the benefits of co operative insurance "6 Open house at Plainfield Con- sumei Cooperative. "7 \Tembership meetings on a neighborhood basis in Burlington Con sumer Cooperative. "8 News items about Vermont co operatives and the celebration in many state daily, weekly, and in National cooperative newspapers and maga- /iues " Safety First The woman autoist posed for a snapshot in front of the fallen pil lars of an ancient temple in Greece. "Don't get the car in the picture," she warned, "or my husband will think I ran into the place." —Cooperation CO-OP—January. 1945 13 i s, •> W/iof f/ie CD-DPS Did In 1944 By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL W'H S° down as a year ol crisis. But, as Eastern Co operative League's Bob Smith de scribed it, each crisis has been a "crisis of îuccess " Pioblems have grown out of: (1) lack of man power to meet expanding coopera tive business, (2) lack of goods to meet the over-abundant demands ; ^3; lack of time on the part of co- operators to take advantage of the opportunities which have grown out of this year's development. Co-op Drive Into Production This was undeitaken several years ago to meet competition. It has be come intensified by necessity to as sure source of supply. Among the new production facil ities purchased or built during the year were the National Refining Company'^ $4,000,000 refinery at Coffeyville, Kansas, plus a thousand miles of pipe line and 276 oil wells; a new feed mill in Texas; a new chick hatchery in Ohio ; a quarter million dollar red cedar shingle mill in British Columbia; a new half million dollar feed mill at Scherer- ville, Indiana; soy bean processing plants in Indiana and at Coffeyville: and a half interest in a coal mine in Kentucky purchased by the Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperatives Canadian cooperatives purchased a farm implement factory, a new flour mill, a compounding plant and a lumber kiln. The coffee roaster installed bv Eastern Cooperative Wholesale a year ago was reported to have paid for itself in its first year of opera tion. The feed mill purchased by At right is an exterior view of the new soy bean extraction plant constructed at Danville, Indiana, by the Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Assn. dur ing 1944. The plant uses the chemical reduction method of processing. 14 Pennsylvania, Ohio and Southein States cooperatives at Reading, Ohio, paid for itself in 17 months. Pennsylvania and Southern States cooperatives have launched a dust production program for plant pro tection. Texas cooperatives started a capital drive to buj an oil refinery. Ohio cooperatives purchased a fer tilizer and desidulation plant. Sev eral other regionals undertook new production activities or are on the verge of developing new facilities. Buildings Midland Cooperative Wholesale, faced with a bottleneck at headquai ters, purchased a $200,000 ware house in Minneapolis CCA bought a two-story office building in Des Moines for its Iowa headquarters and a five-story office building m the heart of Kansas City to head quarter its growing activities. Sei eral regionals increased their warp houses and distribution facilities Ohio Farm Bureau Coopeiathe Association, for example, opened 18 new service points to take more adequate care of its $20,000,000 busi ness. Insurance The Farm Bureau cooperative in surance gioup extended its service to include hospitahVation, health and accident insurance and several other service policies. Coverage vol ume hit a new high in spite of the fact that the taking of many autos from the toad brought a reduction of need for auto insurance. Five co-op insurance companies in Minnesota and Wisconsin undertook "combined operations" and headed for new record business. Group Health Mutual in St. Paul, Group Health Cooperative in New York, and Group Health Association in Wash ington reported their largest opera tions. City Co-ops Expand Co-op food stoics blossomed in the face of the general trend of private profit business to close up retail outlets. New York City's finest co-op foud store was opened in Greenwich Village and was ex pected to do a $7,000-a-week busi ness by the close of '44. Two new food stores were opened in Wash ington, D. C. and three moie are planned as soon as store locations are found. Chicago area co-ops and Detroit cooperatives reported sev eral new openings. In CCA terri tory 17 self-seivice stores were opened • 23 new co-op stores were opened in ECW territory in the first 8 months of 1944 Central States Cooperatives report 11 new \ CO-OP—January. 1945 stores, and Midland and Central Co operative Wholesales reported new openings as city co-ops started to "go to town " Burkhardt Village Most spectacular co-op step in the year as far as the general public was concerned was the $29,000 pur chase of the property constituting the remainder of the village of Burkhardt in Wisconsin. Midland Cooperative \Vholesale had pui- chased the Burkhardt mill in 1943 when Burkhardt was threatened with becoming a "ghost town." With increased production, the mill needed space for its employees and as a result of negotiations with the Burkhart family purchased the re mainder of the town. Newspapers from New Guinea to Normandy made feature stories of the project. In the Public Eye The Washington Conference on International Cooperative Recon struction brought together repre sentatives of 22 nations who drafted a 14-point program for reconstruc tion including the proposed estab lishment of an International Co operative Trading and Manufactur ing Association, close cooperation with UNRRA. and endorsement of a Freedom Fund for cooperative reconstruction. The Cooperative Centennial Con gress, biggest and best in coopera tive history, brought nearly 1500 delegates and visitors to Chicago to review accomplishments and plan for the second century of coopera tion. Three Cooperative Missions from abroad were in the United States at one time this fall. The Bolivarian Cooperative Union sent Dr. Antonio J. Guzman. Dr. Francisco Luis Jiminez, Dr. J. M. Perez Machado and Prof. A. Fabra Ribas The Eng lish cooperatives sent over Mr. A. Davies, Mr. J. McFadyen and Mr. P. Robinson A Scottish deputation was made up of Messrs. Hewitt, McPhail and Lindsay. Finance Association As historj is written perhaps the most notable event of the year will be the incorporation and establish ment of the National Cooperative Finance Association, designed to pool credit and capital resources, and to serve as a keystone of a co operative finance structure Credit Unions, ahead} serving nearly four million members staged CO-OP—January. 1945 two international drives for new membership during the year. New Recognitions President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a letter to the Conference on International Reconstruction in which he pointed out that The cooperative movement, which belongs to no one nation but has its roots in the traditions of all democratic peoples, is there fore one of the appropriate instru ments to be used in this task (re lief and reconstruction). "I look forward to the success of your conference and to the contribution that the cooperative organizations throughout the world will make to the years of peace that lie ahead." T he New York Times declared in a lead editorial (January 18), that "the cooperative idea may play a vital part in reconstructing the world after the war and in prevent ing future wars." The governors of \Visconsin, Minnesota and Vermont, issued proclamations setting aside state wide Cooperative Weeks during the year. The International Labor Office renewed its endorsement of co operatives. Many labor and re ligious organizations also passed enthusiastic resolutions. The White House Conference on Rural Edu cation invited Cooperative League President Murray D. Lincoln to speak at its Conference in October. A special Catholic Cooperative Centennial Committee was estab lished and held two nation-wide rallies during the year. Benson Landis of the Federal Council of This is a view of the self-serve super market opened hi Greenwich Village, New York City, by Consumers Co operative Services last year. Volume just reached $7,000 weekly. Churches wrote a striking booklet. "Bethlehem and Rochdale," which was published during the year. Utility Battle The biggest co-op battle with the electric light and power companies to date was fought over the pur chase of the Ohio-Midland Power Company. Cooperatives won a three year battle for the right to buy it and immediately dropped connection charges from $300 to $5 Tax Fight The National Tax Equality Asso ciation intensified its battle against the cooperatives and hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised from small business to be used in the attack. Cooperatives set up sev eral state wide associations and a National Association of Coopera tives to carry the counter attack. Meanwhile cooperatives won the Midland Rate case on oil transport, thereby saving hundreds of thou sands of dollars to mid-west con sumers The United States Court of Tax Appeals decided in favor of United Cooperatives in a case at which the right to pay patronage dividends was at stake. Employees The latest survey of cooperative employees indicates that we have now 21,722 full time employees in the cooperatives in the United States affiliated with National Co- (Contimted on Page 17) 15 THE HOTTEST ISSUE Before the American People Today* By WILLIAM E. SANDERSON President, Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives D ECENTLY A gentleman called at our offices to discuss mat ters pertaining to our cooperative operations. This gentleman \va.s from the .staff of a nationally known magazine, sent out on an extended tour of the U. S., to make a com plete examination of the coopera tive movement, which was to he the basis of a feature article foi that publication. Allow me to quote a .significant statement he made to our managei and his associates. "THE HOTTEST ISSUE BE FORE THE AMERICAN PEO PLE TODAY, WITH THE EX CEPTION OF THE PRESIDEN TIAL ELECTION, IS THE NA- TIONAI ATTACK DIRECTED AGAINST THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT." Inasmuch as [ have spent much of my time the past ten years in the National Capital, and have had every opportunity to learn what is going on in a national way, [ can vouch for the accuracy of the state ment. Time to Be Calm This is no time to lose tempers. 1 know how it feels to be held up to public lidicule for working for a cause you believe right. I know how many of you must feel, to be suddenly referred to as Com munists, anarchists, Socialists, tax dodgers, destroyers of "The Ameri can way of life," opponents of "free enterprise," and what not. That's what you're being called; and if you don't know it yet you will. And that goes for any and every director, officer, employee or patron of every nonprofit business under taking, whether their association happens to be a creamery, cheese factory, elevator association, oil sta tion, feed and farm supply co-op, credit union, insurance co-op, or mutual, REA co-op, grocery store "Excerpts from an address by Mr Sander- son to the first annual meeting: of Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives, at Milwaukee, No vember 3, 1944. Mr Sanderson is also Sec retary of the Farmers Union Central Exchange, St. Paul, Minn. or what have you The attack is clear across the board. This challenge must be met in telligently Don't blame people for misjudging v ou and your movement when they know nothing about it. It has taken an attack of this na ture to sake us up According to mv cooperative philosophy, the objective oi the co operative movement isn't to put our private competitors out of business. All we are trying to do is to estab- Action at the Local Level Counts \\7E CHOSE the accompany - ing paragraphs from Mr. Sanderson's address because of the suggestions they contain for procedure on the part of local co-op leaders. It is important to answer the arguments of all who "work" for the NT E A objectives, and your legional is providing literature with w Inch to do this. It is also yerv important to spread the understanding of co op objectives and methods amongst all possible members and leaders of your community The more friends for the co operatives, the thinner the ice for the opposition. REMEMBER Co-ops are recognized as "the only way out" by thousands of economics, educational, religious, farm, labor, and industrial lead ers Man> big business oiganiza- tions are beseeching the co-ops for post-war contracts. Patronage savings returns are not taxable as income because they are not income to the co-op. Co-ops pav every other tax on the books Only opponents of co-ops are concerned about "co-ops not pay ing enough taxes." lish some decent yardsticks in the fitld of production, processing and distribution. We have lived through depiessions. periods of vasf unem ployment and the resulting hard ships that go with such conditions. Distribution Is Need The government has had t actually feed people to keep them from starving and dying from exposure Why ? Is it because we didn't have factories minerals, skill food, and cotton and wool? No. It was be cause we had too much. Starvation and want and exposure and fore closures, because we had too much ! WE JUST COULDN'T DISTRIB UTE AND PROCESS OUR OV ERWHELMING ABUNDANCE. THAT'S THE JOB THE COOP ERATIVE MOVEMENT ,.S UN DERTAKING, AND THAT'S THE JOB WE'LL DO, IF WE CAN STICK TOGETHER AND KEEP OUR SIGHTS LT I've just obtained a cop) of a most interesting documen- A na tional coopeiative organi^at'on em ployed the services of a nrm of consultants to make a aui among numerous groups in the United States and Canada. Interviewed were manufacturers, pro ce 3, dis tributors, transporters, and ^xport- ers of agricultural produc Also publishers, radio editors, 3tate and national government officia's includ ing governors and cabinet members. Church leaders of all faiths were interview ed, labor leaders college presidents, retailers, and ti st im portant of all, your member The report is as yet confidential The purpose of the surve} was ascer tain what a cross-section these groups frankly thought aHout the coopérât« e movement. Many Businessmen Approve I cannot reveal the answer ex cept to say that we have an amaz ing number of friends, that we had no right to assume would be our fiiends. Some of the criticism really hits home. The degree of ignorance on the part of our ow n members as to what the cooperative movement is all about is alarming- Less than 20 per cent of our mem bers know anything about a co-op's tax status. Among busines« and professional groups, the degree of approval of the cooperatives was equal to that of our own members. What I am trying to impress upon you is that as the fight becomes more fierce, and as a result, our 16 CO-OP—January. 1945 movement becomes more publicized, the cooperatives are going to have company. Mr and Mrs America are going to call on vou The first impressions gained bv those who (out of curiosity, if tor no other reason) look into oui opeiations. may be lasting impressions Those people will judge us b\ oui appear ance, our knowledge of our pur pose and our ability to transmit that knowledge tn others Hard Times Coming We must convince our new audi ence that cooperators are progres sive, not only in their philosophy but in their operations. The old problem of "destitution in the midst of plenty" will be back with us, too soon after the war. Are co-ops going to recognize their new responsibilities ? Now a word to the aveiage small businessman. ] wish I knew what the future held for you. Frankly, 1 don't. There are obvious signs all around you. No one can deny that the present plans of very many large national corporations call for tremendous postwar expansion in the field of chain distribution Many manufacturers have even an nounced that they no longer expect to depend on the small private dis tributor, but have made extensive plans to establish factory stores What Happened in 1944 (Continued from Page 15) ops and The League. There are 5,852 people employed by the re- gionals, 13,189 by local co-ops, and 3,017 by Co-op mills and factories There are, in addition, 1,961 insur ance agents. These figures do not include co-op employees and agents in the service now totaling 2,213. Recreations National Cooperative Recreation School was the most successful one to date. Several regional schools were held. The co-op pageant, "In The Hearts of Men," presented largely by cooperative recreation people—at the Centennial Congress and later at New York and Phila delphia, received acclaim as an out standing event of the year. throughout the countrv. The two outstanding examples are tires and electrical appliances. All chain stores have amazing postwar ex pansion plans, [f that system de velops and succeeds, the end is a system of monopoly And let me tell you that you cannot success fully fight monopolies with laws Co-ops Only Way Yes. we have the Sherman Anti- Trust Act. Over the years the De partment of Justice has indicted a number of alleged monopolies and proved the existence of operations in restraint of trade. But what happens ? These monopolists pay their nominal fines, slightly revise their practices and go right on as before I have talked with and heard noted economists express them selves as believing that the coopera tive movement is the only program in sight that can meet the challenge of postwar monopoly within the framework of a political democracy. The cooperative movement has proven, particularly in the Scandi navian countries, that it can meet that challenge. The cooperative movement in the United States has already broken up one of the tight est monopolies that ever existed in this country—the Fertilizer Mo nopoly. Not all business concerns approve of the N. T. E. A. or its tactics. For instance, I am informed that the United States Chamber of Com merce refuses to approve or join in the N. T. E. A. effort although any number of the State Chambers are coopeiating. I understand that the U S. Chamber reasons that a na tional attack on the co-ops will ad vertise the movement and aiouse the curiosity of many people who never heard of it. Then there are business leaders vv ho recognize the coopérative movement as a legiti mate form of competition, and that competition of any kind is good for all business Has Big Fund This fight is very real. I would like to compliment the N. T. E. A and its supervisors for the splendid research job they have done on the cooperative movement The N T E. A already knows moie about the cooperatives in this country than the people who own and op erate them. The N T E A has asked for funds sufficient to provide a budget of 50 million dollars—to put us out of business Now the co-ops are not going to attempt to match dol lars with N. T E. A but we will match our manpower, our confi dence in our program, and our be lief that right will prevail, with all the dollars N. T. E. A. can raise. N. T. E. \. isn't interested in the status of co-ops with regard to in come taxes. N. T. E. A. is out to -.mash cooperatives by any method or means employable. Make no mistake about that. Furthei, you people should he proud that fate has placed you in the cooperative movement. May I sav that we are all in this scrap togethei, none of us can es cape the inevitable results of losing it. When your state association of fice calls on you, please respond. Undoubtedly your state association office will, as soon as possible, get out current information to v ou on the "progress of the war.' Everyone Can Help We may have to hold some county and regional mass meetings. At the proper time it might be ad visable to hold a statewide mass, meeting Your office should get out some material for the use of our local co-op people in combating at tacks locally. Your state associa tion office may not be too success ful in reaching the local press. It will be the job of this membership to get appropriate stories into youi county weekly newspapers. Some of you may have to pay for the space If that is necessary, see if (Continued on Page 25) CO-OP—January, 1945 17 How to ßu//d a Complete LOCAL PUBLICITY PHDGHAM By GEORGE H. TICHENOR Editor, The Cooperator, Eastern Cooperative Wholesale *~pHERE was a man who sat with *• his wife before the fireplace every evening. She knitted and he "played" the cello. It had only one string and he always grabbed it in one place and sawed back and forth. After six years she raised her head : "Eustace," she said, "this after noon I went to a show they called a concert, and I saw a lot of men playing things like you've got there. They had a lot of strings and they kept moving their fingers this way." Then she tucked her head. He raised his : "Maria, when those men were fooling around with all those strings and moving their fingers up and down like this, they were hunting for something." A pause; then he added, exultantly: "I've found what I want!" Having found what we want, many of us benevolent fanatics are impervious to the adverse effect our method of approach may have on others. Three Steps There are three sets in any sort of publicity : a) contact the pros pect where he is. b) Demonstrate that his problem is also your prob lem and, c) show him that your an swer can also be his answer. Most of us start with point "c" without every inquiring into the prospect's interests or what he con siders to be his problem. There are generally four outlets foi publicity for a local Coopera tive : The regional paper, a mimeo graphed or printed local bulletin, the local newspaper, and displays. Every member should get the re gional paper, because it is the cheap est, most informative, and easily dis tributed piece of literature we have. Also a bundle should be ordered for the store to give to newcomers. Our papers are sufficiently presentable to give a newcomer an impression of 18 the wide extent of our movement and strength. Appearance Primary The most important consideration of a local bulletin is the appearance. I know it would be virtuous to lay stress on contents first, but with all the demands on everyone's time no one will waste time trying to de cipher a repellant piece of literature. Three things make for good appear ance: 1; good clear type—which, in the case of mimeographing, means careful typing, 2) art-work, and 3j headlines. In the Cooperative movement we go on the theory of "lift and let lift" and should have no hesitation of picking up lively illustrations wher ever they can be found. You might keep a folder for future use. The A. B. Dick Co. will give mimeograph owners all kinds of traceable illu strations free of charge. In Eastern Cooperative Wholesale we have pre pared some lively, whimsical draw ings to illustrate various Co-op com modities and these have been sent to our bulletin editors. No illustra tion is better than a poor illustia- tion. Headlines should be put in with a lettering guide. I suggest two different sizes of single line letters as being neatest and less affected than fancy lettering. Minimum equipment would seem to be a mimeoscope, a utility stylus, two lettering guides and a shading block. As a substitute for a mimeo scope you can use a desk drawer covered with frosted glass and a light bulb under it. Stick to Local News The bulletin should eschew any pretense at covering national news which is properly done by the re gional Co-op paper. Gossipy items with the names of many persons, editorials, household hints, and par ticularly information commodities handled by the store and notices of meetings will very well fill a one or two page bulletin. Don't use paper less than 16 pound, in which case mimeograph ing should be one one side only. You shouldn't mimeograph on both sides on stock less than 20 pound. Che rful colored stocks are desir able, rotated to indicate to readers that this is a new issue. The staff should be well trained and the A. B. Dick Co. gives free instructions to mimeograph owners. For the sake of appearance, the paper should be laid out before it is written with indications where illustrations are to go. You can trace on typewriting paper the area to be filled and write to fill without wastage. Typing should be done before drawings are filled in as the> might otherwise be ruined in the typewriter. An ideal staff is an editor who does most of the writing, an expert stenographer, and an artist who can also letter. Have your bulletin entered under Section 562 PL&R at your nearest post office. This enables you to send out bulletins at one cent apiece us ing precancelled stamps which can be folded over the edges of the bulletin to keep it together. Writing Stories Eastern Cooperative League thinks so highly of the effectiveness of bulletins that each year we have a bulletin roundup and display at our annual meeting. Competent newspapermen divide entrants in the three categories • highest merit, merit, and mention. Since anyone can qualify, no one "loses." Insignia with the proper class designation can be carried by the bulletin for the ensuing year. The technique of writing a news paper story can be learned in half an hour. Expertness comes with ex perience. The first paragraph of a n ws story, called the "lead," tells •who did what, wlien and where Newspapers say they don't like stories that editorialize. Avoid opin ionated writing unless you are quoting someone directly. Stick to the facts. You don't have to use the word "beautiful." If you describe the person or incident accurately the impression is unavoidable. Those Names In using names, always give the full name the first time it appears in the story. Afterwards designate so-and-so as Mr., Mrs., or Miss. Papers like lots of names. Write your name and address and tele phone in the upper left hand corner of the page and the date of release in the right hand side. If there is no particular reason for releasing on a definite date, put "For Release Im mediately." The best time to send out a story is on Friday because Sunday papers are large and Mon day papers are thin for lack of news happenings What is news? News is whatever interests the most people at the mo ment. It is not necessarily the most important event but usually it is something that touches the daily lives of all of us—such as, food rationing. Try to tie-in your news story to "whatever is interesting the most people at the moment." Get to know your local editor. He may have thrown out your earlier stories because he thought your or ganization was "communistic." Sev eral of you call on him. The best time is about three in the afternoon, because on a morning paper, the assignments have just been made, and if it is an afternoon paper, the day's work is done. Activities Tie-Up In our efforts to ape chain stores, we neglect the one thing that they cannot afford to do: educate the consumer. Bulletin boards calling attention to meetings and frames for holding educational posters should be as scrupulously displayed and cared for as anj merchandising dis play in the store. A Long-Rangé PLAN DF ACTION CO-OP—January, 1945 A postwar planning committee set up •**• in June, 1943, by Midland Co operative Wholesale drafted a program of action for co-ops at local, regional, and national levels. Its report, now in book form and titled Planning for Co operatives, includes the following for local co-ops among its "suggestions for developing and expanding the co operative movement" : 1 Conduct a continuous campaign for new members. Cooperate with the regional organization in carrying on educational work for members and em ployees of local co-ops and for the gen eral public. Greater emphasis to be placed on educational merchandising as well as the interpretation of co operation. 2. Conduct a cash businesc in the handling of goods not requiring de livery. 3. Credit anangements should be organized through cooperative credit institutions to enable consumers to pur chase those items obtained on a time purchase method. 4. Formulate definite plans for the accumulation of capital funds for con tinuous expansion tu meet current and post-wai needs Revolving stock funds, CO-OP—January. 1945 For Local Cooperatives loan capital, credit unions, etc., should be used to insure adequate available funds. 5. Merge all cooperative activities in any natural trade area where such merger will contribute to efficiency and financial stability. Constant effort should be made to build the cooperative community both economically and socially. 6. Provide for training coopeiative personnel and afford opportunities for advancement of employees—both to be done in conjunction with regional and national organizations. Provide for old age, sickness, and disability benefits. 7. Participate in all community af fairs for advancing community welfare and demonstrate in a practical way the principle of cooperation. 8. Cultivate and promote the closest possible cooperation with other local cooperatives and with cooperative re gional and national organizations in order to develop a broad common pro gram which can become a major factor in local, regional and national affairs. 9. Adopt policies and prepare plans now for specific projects of expansion and growth to be undertaken as soon as conditions permit f-^ertineni CO-UPS PLAN FOR THE POST-WAR WORLD. 1944. Co op League. 50c. What coopera tives can do working together on an international scale to exchange food and supplies needed b\ the people of all countries. Contains addresses and decisions of an International Planning Conference m which rep resentatives of co-ops in twenty countries took part PEACE THROUGH COOPER ATION, J. Henry Carpenter, Har per. $1.25. In this little book, the author argues convincingly that a true and lasting peace can be at tained, only if men and nations vol untarily limit their freedoms within the moral law. HOW TO TELL PROGRESS FROM REACTION. Manya Gor don. Button. $3. A timely book for the "man in the street" on roads to industrial democracy. Splendid section on cooperatives. BETHLEHEM AND ROCH DALE. Benson Y. Landis. Co-op League. 25c. An exciting survey of 1(J(J years of relation between churches and co-ops Extensively documented. GOOLIBAH TREE. John Gun- termaii and Bill Darr. Co-op League. 50c. A fascinating chil dren's story about Mr. Spingle- spangle, Mr. Wrinkle and Mr. Krm- kle, and the world's only Goolibah tree. Delightfully illustiated. and packs a wallop for adults. CENTENNIAL CONGRESS BOOK. Co-op League. $1. Con tains eight sections. Building a Better World ("staff leport). Peu ple Keep Moving (M. D. Lincoln), A Charter of Economic Freedom (E. R. Bowen), In the Hearts of Men (pageant story), Monopolies Must Go ! (Thurman Arnold i the Congress program, Congress song book and premiere pageant pro gram. Review of Congress business: and resolutions vûll be available later. 19 1 Blackboard and Chalk Are Aids to DEMOCRACY IN ACTION • «"\X7" ELL Jake, the meeting should * have started half an hour ago. 1 guess we better go down on the street and see if we can't find enough members to make a quorum " Finally the necessary 15 members are rounded up and the meeting called to order. "The old board has done pretty well so I move we nominate the members whose terms expire, for réélection," says Stub Jones with an air of "let's get it over with." "Move that the nominations cease," adds Chuck Sullivan, who always makes it a point to get in his 2 cents worth. Current Leaders in CO-OP Literature Co-ops Plan for the Post-War World 50c Bethlehem and Rochdale By Benson Y. Landis 25c Here Is Tonwrrov/ By Wallace J. Campbell lOc There Were Three Men By Robert Stailey 25c Monopolies Must Go! By Thurman Arnold 20c Co-op Comics 2c • Discounts on Quantities Order from your REGIONAL COOPERATIVE By LACEY F. RICKEY Senior Agricultural Economist, Farm Credit Administration That may have a familiar ring to members of many local co-ops But it's not the wa} the} do it in the Mansfield Farmers Exchange down in southern Missouri. They believe in economic democracy through co operation, but they also believe in helping to make it work In the first place their board con sists of 5 members and the entire board is elected each yeai. Theoret ically that might result in the election of an entirely new board with no member familiar with the detailed operations of the associa tion. Actually that won't occur un less the affairs ot the association are in such a state that it should occur. And because the members know it is to be a real election, they turn out in force Minimize Politics Then a temporary chairman is elected—usually some well known visitor who does not know about and is not interested in any local association politic« or personalities. A large blackboard has an impor tant part in the procedure The chairman calls for nominations. They come thick and fast and are wiitten plainly on the blackboard. Nomi nations don't stop with the neces sary five. Not until eight or nine names are on the board does anyone suggest that they be closed. Remarks are called for and if any one has a grievance to air it is threshed out thoroughly before the voting proceeds. Then the ballots are passed and each member writes the names of the five men he would like to have serve as directors. At the recent annual meeting of this local exchange of the Missouri Farmers association last Januaiy nine names were written on the board. As two tellers read the names from the ballots another tallied them on the board where everyone could see. It took a little time, but the interest wa« keen and nobodj became restless. It happened at this election that C. E. Tripp and Chas Camp were A good-sized blackboard like the one in this picture will help in elections explaining plans, and operations, and making reports. tied for fifth and sixth place. The other four high men were therefore declared elected and a run-off ballot was taken to determine which of the two would be the fifth director. Mr. Camp received a small majority. Every member felt that he had been accorded an equal right — equal in fact as v\ ell as in theory — in deter mining who were to manage the business end of his farm operations ; the purchasing and marketing ac tivities of his local association. The constitution of our country provides political democracy. It as sures every citizen an equal "say" in determining who shall manage the Government of national. State, and local units. The cooperative statutes provide a way in which those same citizens can set up or ganizations to handle their business needs in an equally democratic way. Under these statutes the members of each cooperative association can have a real local economic democ racy or they can let the elections deteriorate into a "railroading" pro cedure and then complain of the way "they" run the association. No "Peanut Stand" This Mansfield cooperative, inci dentally, is no "peanut stand" busi ness. In the little town credited with a population of 950, the asso ciation's volume of business last year (1943) was $1,365,879, with net savings O1 $25,401. The manager, Harlan L. Shorter, is interested in volume and savings only as they represent service to the community. "Savings go back to the membeis anyway—either in lower prices for farm supplies purchased and higher 20 CO-OP—January. 1945 prices for products marketed, or in certificates of indebtedness which are expected to be paid off in cash within a few years," explained Shorter 'As long as the co-op provides the best possible sei vice to the members, and savings are suffi cient to provide for expansion and keep the financial condition =tiong, \\e are satisfied " Net worth amounted to $38,404 and certificates of indebtedness is sued for 4 years, up to those issued from 1941 savings, were ordered re tired at the time of the annual meeting. Recently a super-market was added It is as neat and busi nesslike as any city chain store, and its volume is growing by leaps and bounds Put a Co-op Bookshelf IM EVERY LIBRARY he attended the Lake Geneva Co-op Conference a while back, Edmund Lukaszeu ski— he's just "Luke" to his friends—dis covered "The Spirit of Cooperation," by Harold J. Laski. Thumbing through the pamphlet, Luke stopped to read—to ponder—and to plan. A new Co-op employee, he \\a« alert for fresh ideas "Your rounds-man (tankwagon driver, clerk, station attendant; ought t( be selling books, and pamphlets," Laski had written in 1930, ' as naturally as he sells bread or milk (or gasoline or feed or fertilizer) You must often have been troubled, as I have been troubled by the vast number of those in the army of cooperators to whom the Movement is little more than a system of shops which pa} a dividend on purchases. They are the men and women with whom vou have failed " Placed 900 Books Putting these ideas into plans and then action, Luke ran up an admir able record in two-and-a-half months by helping distribute more than nine hundred books to libra- i ies Driving along the shores of Lake Michigan, skirting around Lake Winnebago, and making his way up the Fox River Valley, the Midlandman challenged cooperators e\ei \where. "Donate a set of co-op books to your high schools." "Se1 up a special Co-op shelf in your public library." "Help tomorrow's teachers in today's normal schools live up t( the co-op rules bj giving bonks on cooperatives to their school libraries." From October 26, 1943, to Janu ary fi, 1944, 24 "cn-nps" provider! fifty sets of books to as many li braries These contained more than nine hundred volumes, which are By GLENN W. THOMPSON Director, Membership and Public Relations, Midland Cooperative Wholesale now being used by public and pa rochial high school students, county normal school students (some of whom will soon be teaching;, and the public at large. Steps to Take Luke is a pioneer in this activity hut what he did, any cooperator ma}' do. Here is the plan to follow : Step 1. Outline your plan to the board of directors of your coopera tive. Suggest they pas^ a motion to the effect that your co-op will sup- plv your public library with a set of books on cooperatives—say $25.00 worth. Step 2. Write a letter to the libra rian, telling her that upon request Dear : We are interested in your offer of a bookshelf of literature on co operatives Please make arrange ments with for delivery. Signature Remarks : the local co-op will present the li brary v\ith a bookshelf of liter ature on co-ops. Call attention to the enclosed self-addressed postcard which makes it eas\ for her to ex près« her desires on this matter The postcard, which would be ad dressed to the local co-op manager, the education director or chairman, might read as shown below [f the institution does not want your bookshelf, the authority will say so under "Remarks" when re turning the card. Step 3A. ff the reply is favorable, there are two things to do: (1) get an order off at once to your re gional cooperative, ordering the books for the shelf ; (2) make a personal call on the person who signed the card, in the course of your conversation, thank her for her interest; tell her about when to expect the bookshelf and leave some co-op leaflets. Step 3B. If the reply is unfavor able, write a polite note of regret and enclose the best co-op pamphlet you have on hand. Step 3C. If the manager does not call you in ten days, then you call him and ask if a reply has come in. If there is no reply, then call on the librarian and ask if your letter was received The reply will determine whethei you tell her what the letter contained or whether you ask if she would like to have the books. Let your response be determined by her i eply Be a goodwill builder Step 4. When the books are pre sented to the library, be sure to notify youi publicity director or education committee so that ar rangements may be made with the local newspapers for a picture of the presentation—at least a story will be welcomed by the city editor Use Imagination As you follow-through the above, use your imagination and ingenuitv in both planning and acting. Re member that even executives of in stitutions have been known to change their minds, A "No" today may becomes a "Yes" tomorrow. While it is not advisable to try to get that affirmative reply in the immediate future, a month from now may be a good time to send some free literature to the libra rian providing the pamphlet be short and interesting. A few follow-ups of this sort may lay ground-work for another offei. Luke found SO librarians willing to receive free bookshelves—hun dreds of books that are now well displayed and well used. He planted more than nine hundred volumes : you can do the same—or more CO-OP——January, 1945 21 We Can Deal in BOTH HOPE AMI GHDCEHIES By MARGEDANT PETERS Editor, The Co-op News Central States Cooperatives Miss Peters ]V/fR. FRED RODELL, professor of law at Yale, aimed a lot of crockery and a bottle of mouthwash at us cooperators in an article in The Progressive some time ago, but before any sleeves are rolled up to sling the checkout counter and a copy of the Rochdale Principles right back at him, we had better stop and see why some of these missiles from "a friendly critic" hurt so much when they hit. Mr. Rodell says we are dull, earn est folk, who "believe in" coopera tion a» a religion rather than pro moting it as a money - saving- method of busi ness and that we sponsor ap palling meetings. As to the last point first, I dont know what meet ings Mr. Rodell has been tu, but clearly he has carried on some re search, and had probably just been sitting on a hard chair for a couple of hours getting madder and mad der. We have all suffered through some of these hideously dull meet ings, and, Lord help us, have prob ably at times contributed to the dullness. A Lot Was Truth When Mr. Rodell tells us not to bore the ears off people collectively in meetings or individually in try ing to corral a member, let us by all means take his unkind words to heart. When he says we spend a lot of time converting the converted, almost every leader, whether of League or local, will freely admit he has made a point. It is also unfortunately true that too many of us do exhibit a sense of moral superiority that is the caricature of the missionary spirit. When a friendly critic tells us to shine up our appeals and to use better techniques, let us grant that 22 the "Toad Lane" complex still exists widely in our education as it does m our grocery stores and be as ready to modernize one as the other. In other words, let's keep looking for the things that work best. However, having admitted guilt and accepted guidance to this ex tent, I'm going to start dodging. Maybe Mr. Rodell is just trying to get oui goats, but when he leaves off on method and starts on aims, I'm not going with him. Consumer Is Big Word Mr. Rodell insists on reading "consumer" in its narrower sense : ie. "shopper." Which is OK, but not the whole story. Read "con sumer" as "economic citizen" and it takes in a lot more territory, practically and philosophically. No body can legislate, especially out of a dictionary, as to the "only reason for existence" of consumer coopera tives. In actual practice too many people find too many things in them for that—friendship, status, racial equality, economic education, use fulness, hope, a kind of economic system that makes sense, in addition to savings returns and grade label ing, proud features though the lat ter are. And if these people find also a "way of life," then I think they are righter than Mr. Rodell. Profit business imposes on us a way of life, whether we like it or not. So does non-profit business, and from what I've seen of both I'm going to vote my dollars for the latter. Economic Citizenship Intellectuals who prefer to re main on the fringes of the coopera tive movement, wishing it well and and offering advice (I don't know if this includes Mr. Rodell, but there are a lot of these around), are fond of this particular job about "A way of life" and the fact that many co- operators are given to "believing in" cooperation. Grant that the demo cratic morality of cooperative busi ness may be among the remoter appeals to the new patrons of gro cery store or feed mill who wants to stretch his dollars by group buy ing. Nevertheless it is a factor which must be taken into account in the most realistic and hard-boiled education (promotion) program. We will have to have a system of education for economic citizenship as good or better than our educa tion for political citizenship before we can keep a great big non-profit economy working democratically, even though it is built up as fast as Mr. Rodell wishes with the aid of slick salesmanship and Toujours a Toi. Profit Business Preaches Note also that profit business is spending some of its fanciest adver tising money these days on a cam paign to point out the long range civic virtue of "private" enterprise and the fine kind of world it brings about. No doubt it does this not out of religiousity but because many business men these days are feeling hot on the back of the neck the breath of the questioners who are wondering if among us all we couldn't devise something a little better than this present mess. Let's not be scared of our ideals, [f Mr. Rodell thinks that ih the co operative movement earnestness is inevitably linked with stodginess and idealism with lack of business ability, he has never been exposed to Murray Lincoln, I. H. Hull, or Howard Cowden—to name a few— in front of an audience. Hear them and you recognize the drive that Henry Wallace is talking about when he says "Today we need a great many more persons who will become as deeply motivated by the idea of a cooperative economic so- cietv as the young men of 1776 and 1787 were motivated by the idea of a democratic political society." A lot of people are looking for some constructive idea big enough to be loyal to these days—and the idea of consumer cooperation, I submit, is big enough and construc tive enough to qualify. If we don't enlist that loyalty, perhaps some worse cause will. We can afford to deal in both hope and groceries. Not both in equal quantities to every customer, but in stock for all who want them. As Orson Wells said recently, "Giving the world back to its in habitants is too big a job for the merely practical." CO-OP—January, 1945 Oil Delivery Savings* (Continued from Paye 5) pioved 1>\ titling tank tincks \\ilh mechanical unloading equipment and meters In 1943, 71 percent of the regular tank trucks were equipped with hand, power take-off, <>i gasoline-engine unloading pumps Truck operators agreed that »uch equipment saved considerable time and manpower as compared to hand unloading by cans and was espe cially desirable for filling overhead farm storage tanks. Delivery trips to a farm can be kept to a minimum only if there is adequate storage space on the farm in relation to its seasonal needs Cooperatives have encouiaged farm ers to enlarge their petroleum stor age capacity. Some western asso ciations reported that one-half to two-thirds of the farms now had large tanks i anging from 250 to SOU gallons in capacity Barrels Passed Around Redistribution of barrels among farmers by truck operators aided in meeting storage shortages When a farmer acquired a large tank, his ex tra drums were placed among other farmers most in need of them. Win ter fuel oil patrons were encouraged to loan their barrels to spring and summer gasoline users, and vice versa One of the most helpful efforts to improve efficiency by cooperatives delivering fuel "on orders" was to have farmers give longer notices of their motor fuel needs Many pa trons, in 1943, were ordering fuel 24 to 48 hours in advance instead of 12 hours or less before the war. On the basis of such advance oiders, tiuck operatois have been able to plan daily routes so as to dispose of an entire load of fuel with the least possible mileage. "Standing orders" among farmers helped most truck operators to dispose of all luel in a load before leturning to the bulk station. Largei drops or fills and mini mum order requiiements helped to improve delivery efficiency. Farm ers cooperated by placing orders to fill their storage facilities. Some as- «ociatioiis increased minimum de liveries fiom 25 gallons to 50 or 100 gallons, but compliance with such standards was limited by lack ot storage capacity on many farms. Lengthening intervals for cover ing "régulai, scheduled louto' from a week to 2 \\ccks 01 more aided m the conservation of equipment. Fur ther progress in this respect should be possible when farm storage ca pacities can be in ci eased. Truck operator1- had reduced mile age since the \\ar by discontinuing special deliveries, solicitation of business, collection « ork with trucks, and call-backs fur deliveries or to collect rationing coupons. Most operatois had about all the business they could handle, but the importance of deliveiing a large vol ume in a compact area indicates that efficiency can be improved b} getting additional patrons on routes or in communities already being seived. Improvements in delivery effi- ciencv depended moie upon the adoption of a definite efficiency pro gram supported by educational \\ ork with farmers than upon local opei- ating and agricultural conditions affecting petroleum deliveries. The close correlation between volume delivered and efficiency and the vari ation in delivery records of truck« within the same association indi cated that all cooperatives have within their control the means of improving efficiency. The advantages to fanners of making changes in prac tices and equipment such as increased savings, improved service, or main tenance of delivery service, must be pointed out to llieni if full cooperation is lo be received. Counties Mapped '\nalysis of the patrons' pertorm- ance records with respect to their seasonal and annual consumption of motor fuels and of their purchasing habits i-> necessary, as well a*, data on farm storage facilities to detei- mine needed adjustments in stoiage capacity. It is only by means ot such records that the effects of changes in piactices or equipment can be measured and truck perform ances evaluated. County maps show ing location of pations, territories, and truck loutes should be helpful in keeping mileage to a minimum. Cooperatives included in this study believed that theii wholesale could provide assistance in the im provement of local delivery effi ciency and in conservation of equip ment. They suggested that it provide delivery record forms, publish news articles on improvements in efficiency, arrange for the manufacture and dis tribution of more storage equipment, sponsor studies of delivery systems and practices by areas, and sponsor de livery efficiency contests. Many possibilities exisl for the improvement of dehverv efficiency among petroleum cooperatives. Should gross margins decline, co operatives will find it necessary to operate more effeciently to show operating savings. Economies in the delivery of motor fuel can play an important role in such a program SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR CO-OP Mail the form below with remittance. Rates: One year $2.50. Three years $6. "CUT ON DOTTED LlNE" *Mr. Matter's detailed report, titled Miscel laneous Repoit No. 77—October 1944, is avail able from the Director of Information jnd Ex- teiiMon, Farm Credit Administration. Kansas City 8, Missouri CO-OP—January, 1945 CO-OP 343 S. Dearborn St. Chicago 4, III. Please send CO-OP for remittance for $ . Name Address Date years. Enclosed is _I 23 WOMEN'S BIG JOBS l In Cooperative Development By MRS. ALMER ARMSTRONG Home Deportment, Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Assn. ONE of the very first responsibili ties women in the local co-op- should assume is learning as much as possible about the cooperative way of living and doing business As she learns this she will pass it along to her neighbors and friends. The Cooperative Movement has . i mteiest for each member of the i-imily ; it is like one huge family it self. Certainly no woman would want to sit on the outside of her home and see someone else make all the decisions regarding it. W hy should she sit on the outside and let someone else make all the de cisions about her cooperatûe. Be 100% Patron She should become a well- informed member, one who patron izes all of the services She should be loyal to membership meetings, willing to serve on committees, yes, and assuming the responsibility of becoming a director if occasion demands. Women can serve not only on various committees but they can be educational directors, directors of business, they can take their places on membership drives, in the store or even in field work. Women are certainly the ones to boost the Co-op Food Program be cause as they purchase food and It's got the country talking! WHAT? The GOOLIBAH TREE By John Guntermon and Bill Darr » Get Your Supply Now Before They Are Gone Order From Your REGIONAL COOPERATIVE prepare meals for theii families they will tell their finds to other women with whom they come in contact. Women like details. Theiefore, they will not mind taking care of de tails for programs. Women like to be busy ; therefore, they should seek responsibilities in regard to their cooperative Be Part Owner Women who leain how their co operative functions will take a very keen personal interest in it and will take pride in telling the story— thereby helping the growth and de velopment of their own business. Each one should own stock eithei as co-owner with her husband or by herself. Madame Homemaker should feel she has as much right to make sug gestions as to how her cooperative should operate as she does in mak ing suggestions in the operation of her home or her husband's business Farm Bureau Life Company Passes $100,000,000 Mark HpHE Farm Bureau Life Insur ••- ance Company has achieved its goal for the Cooperative Centennial year by boosting its policies in force to moie than one bundled million dollars it was announced recently Beginning business in 1936, the Life company now operates in twelve states and the District of Co lumbia, writing all types of life in surance, and is served along with the Faim Bureau Mutual Automo bile Insurance Company and the Farm Bureau Mutual Fire Insui ance Company, by an agency Eorce of nearly 2,000. Expands Headquarters The Automobile company recenth purchased another piece of property adjacent to theii present Home Of fice building in Columbus, Ohio With this addition, the insurance company is in possession ol the en tire frontage on High Street from Chestnut Stieet to Hickon, Street, measuring 187M> feet, with a depth of the same figuie. Expansion of operations and need of additional office space led to the pui chase. People Cooperate TjVARMFRS must not lose sight of ' the fact that it i> the man who cooperate-- and not the commodity. In fact, commodities cannot cooper ate Tt takes men working together, intelligent!) in accordance with business rules to make a cooperative function successfully. \ great manv men get the idea that it requires only a fine elevator, and the best of equipment and machinery to make a successful local co-op. The human or personal element in a cooperative organization is the controlling element, and it entirely depends upon the interest that the member take-- in his own concern This mteiest need not stop with the members A popular cooperative is a friend to every patron who comes to its doors.—Will Doulnt, m the Co-op Reporter. A Simple and Realistic People Plan to Build New Homes in Country or Suburbs QUESTIONNAIRES sent out by Small Homes Guides were re turned by 2,443 persons, according to Consumer News Digest, with the revelation that 64 per cent plan to build homes in a suburb or the country, while 30 per cent expect to live in small 01 medium-sized cities. F'amihes in the medium income bracket reportedly plan to spend from $4,000 to $10,000 on their homes, with almost twice as many expecting to finance by a mortgage as by cash. In many cases the pos session of war bonds will account lor high average down payments on mortgages The suivey showed that more than SO per cent want door chimes, electric mixers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and ventilator fans. Many expect to have television sets, quick freeze units, garbage disposal units, ironing machines and air- conditioning. Almost all checked these two statements : "Homes should be better built to save main tenance costs" and "Homes should be simpler and more functional " Voice of Experience "Willie, do you believe the devil vi ill gel you \f you're naughty ?" "Don't know about that, but 1 know I'll get t'.ie devil if I'm found out " —Producer-Consumer CASH POLICY "IXrHEN the Cumberland Farm Bin eau Coopeiative Associa tion, w ith headquarters at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, decided to adopt a strictly cash policy, they stated the case as follows in notices to all members and patrons and also dis played in the store : "The Cash Policy which becomes effective April 1, 1944 will be as fol lows: "1. All sales at each ware house will be strictly cash. "2. All truck deliveries will be cash—if a patron is not at home at time of delivery he will be allowed 7 days to make pay ment in full. Any goods de livered when you are not at home must be fully paid before another delivery can be made. "3. A satisfactory settlement must be made on old accounts The Hottest Issue (Continued from Page 17) \ou can get some help from neigh boring co-ops. ] don't believe we have used the weekly press enough. \t any rate, it will be worth the money it may cost Some of you will have opportunities to speak be fore local gatherings, luncheon clubs, church programs. Allow other people in your neighboihood to know whai vou are doing You will be surprised at the fair lecep- tion you will get. Now, Mr. McCabe, we are going to fight back. Cooperatives have always been fair competition. We usuallv follow established trade practices in marketing farm prod ucts. We don't cut prices or com pete with inferior merchandise in our purchasing cooperatives We desire to, and we will, fight fairly. You set the pace and make the rules. If you want it rough and rugged, we'll fight that way. We are not underestimating vou, Mr McCabe but don't underestimate us. We hope to make >ou wish >ou had never started vour N T E A At any rate "We'll be see ing yuh, BFN ' For Your Co-op by April 1, 1944. It is suggested that holders of such accounts discuss them with the Manager who will in turn bring them to the attention of the Credit Com mittee if necessary. "This sound business policy will greatly strengthen the fine institu tion which you and I own and con trol. Your employees are instructed to follow the policy exactly as out lined above. "Thanks for your cooperation." Prepare For Postwar (Continued from Page 7) has its peculiar problem« and meth ods of operation It would not be i easonable to expect a cooperative engaged in petroleum, farm supplv or food distribution to do a work manlike job of appliance distribu tion with existing facilities Spe cialized personnel is needed to ad vise intelligently a patron concern ing his requirements, and then to place them in operation for him Maintenance Service Vital Of primary importance to every local co-op, then, is maintenance and repaii service Most of the above-mentioned devices will be in more or less continuous operation, performing a service in the home or farm plant that cannot be dispensed with when once started. This means that at intervals they must have the attention of a skilled technician or mechanic to make adjustments, and, in some cases, to repair or make part replacements. Proper mainte nance of refrigeiators milking ma chines, water svstems, radios, and electric ranges cannot be left to the doubtful mercies of "screw drivel mechanics." Special instruments are required; trained and experi enced men must operate them Training of personnel has alreadv been undertaken by National Co operatives and some of the regional wholesales. More schools will be started as conditions wan ant Mam men in military service will retuin to civilian life with thorough train ing and experience in electrical and mechanical work. Just a little added information and preparation, will quickly adapt them for vital jobs in the co-op service organizations. Manuals Being Prepared Comprehensive service manuals for the use of local personnel are in the planning stage, and will be pre pared as rapidly as adequate staff can be developed at National Co operative^ to carry the burden Complete information on the use and care of machines and appliances will be included for the instruction of the ultimate user. The success of all cooperative en terprises, whether manufacturing or distribution, depends on the last link in the chain from producer to consumer—the local cooperative. To be readv to give youi patrons the sei vice they want and deserve re quires planning now In succeeding issues we will bring you the experience of other cooper atives in appliance distribution and -.eivice, together with suggestions that you may be able to use in ex panding vour maintenance facilities. Attention Directors Managers Committee Workers • Improve your cooperative knowledge and ability by study ing at home. • Write -for information on courses. Cooperative Correspondence School Box 1000, Superior, Wisconsin 24 CO-OP—January, 1945 CO-OP—January, 1945 25 Get Your CENTENNIAL CONGRESS BOOK Before They're Gone Editorially Less than 1000 copies of the above assortment of exciting Centennial publications will be available. The combination, as shown below, may be bought for a considerable saving from the total of separate prices. Further, when the covers are gone, there will be no more complete books. Building a Better World (Staff report) ...........__..... 25c People Keep Moving (M. D Lincoln)............. 20c Charter for Economic Action (E. R. Bowen) 20c Monopolies Must Go! (Thurman Arnold) .......... 20c In the Hearts of Men (Pageant Story) ..........._...25c Congress Programs and Song Sheets (With Congress Book only) .. ....... .. .Free Rainbow Congress Book Cover & Binder Fasteners.. 15c $1.25 Entire Book..........$! Order from your Local or Regional Co-op Hello At long last, after a variety of birth pains, CO-OP is in its swaddling clothes, and ready for a long, eventful life of service. Dedicated to de velopment work for the Cooperative Century, it makes a respectful bow to its predecessor, CONSUMERS' COOPERATION, and sets to the enormous task of finding out and relating the best ways to do all of the things that need to be done to build a local cooperative into a strong, highly serviceable institution CO-OP will be most effective if it enjoys an abundance of sugges tions and criticisms from its readers on the Co-op frontiers May we have them ? Forward Into the New Century \s we go to press on the 100th birthday of the Cooperative Move ment, we yield our remaining space to Co-op League President M. D. Lincoln, for what seem to be the most fitting words foi the occasion "The greatest period of cooperative accomplishment lies immedi ately before us. It is not important that cooperatives have only 2J^ million Americans in their ranks. What is important is the fact that today in thousands of rural and urban communities we hear the groundswells of democratic faith—through cooperative enterprise Here is an American institution, and an association of Ameiican peo ple committed to democracy in both belief and practice.'' "In the critical period ahead, the American cooperative movement \\ill contribute more perhaps than any other economic institution to a new declaration of democratic faith in this country," Mr. Lincoln de clared. "For cooperatives stimulate buying power—the prime requi site of a prosperous economy. They ferret out and attack monopoly on the economic battle field. They effect savings for millions of their members which result in more goods to more people at less cost. They return ownership and control of business institutions to the people who use them." "Ahead of America is the task of distributing the abundance we have so clearly indicated our capacity to produce. Toward this goal the cooperative stands—enemy to the abuses of monopoly capitalism and champion of genuine competition and free enterprise. Coopera tives offer to \merican business a challenging moial and economic yardstick of performance." THE DOCTOR BOOK 26 CO-OP—January, 1945 THE CHECK-LIST SHOWS the line's complete AND POUSH »AD WAX AUTO CO-OP Automotive Chemicals The following items, without exception, have been selected by the Automotive Committee of National Cooperatives to assure the best in consumer value : CO-OP Automobile Cleaner and Polish CO-OP Combination Cleaner and Wax CO-OP Auto Cleaner (Pre-wax Paste) CO-OP Wax (Paste) CO-OP Road Tar Remover CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid CO-OP Shock Absorber Fluid No. 100 CO-OP Shock Absorber Fluid No. 200 CO-OP Knee Action Shock Absorber Fluid CO-OP Stopleak Radiator Fluid CO-OP Powdered Radiator Stop-Leak CO-OP Radiator Flush CO-OP Gasket Cement CO-OP Water Mix Valve Grinding Compound CO-OP Motor Weld CO-OP Iron Cement CO-OP Black Top Dressing Regular CO-OP Extra Heavy Black Top Dressing CO-OP White Tire Paint CO-OP Chromium Cleaner CO-OP Touch-up Enamel CO-OP Hydraulic Jack Oil CO-OP Rubber Lubricant CO-OP Graphited Penetrating Oil CO-OP Neatsfoot Oil Compound CO-OP Fire Extinguisher Fluid CO-OP DI-ZOLV-IT CO-OP DI-ZOLV-IT, most recent addition to the COOP automotive chemicals family, is now avail able. Used according to directions on the can, CO-OP DI-ZOLV-IT rids the combustion chamber of carbon by dissolving the binding gum and per mitting carbon deposits to be blown out through the exhaust. «OÄD REMOVEH Local managers: Get catalog pages on the complete CO-OP Automotive Chemicals line from your regional. In the in terest of your member-patrons vour local check-list should show the complete line stocked. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, Inc., CHICAGO Order from vour regional Cooperative Yessîree! It may have been a coopera tive Christmas issue. It may have been pub lished as part of the Cen tennial year program. It's still the coopera tive movement's first full-color illustrated children's book. It's becoming more popular and more in demand every day. It's good reading and looking for the kiddies who will be tomorrow's co-op man agers and members, and members and board members and employees. ce K ffi g 9 K of the people by the peöp/e, . nrf for the « - op/e a E re M BS 5 03 .3 Q re B An actual letter received recently — Cooperative League Chicago Dear Sirs: About 100 people attended the MCF conference in Detroit yesterday. At the very last minute I was able to do the promoting of THE GOOLIBAH TREE, which I did in just a few minutes. The next thing I knew, silver was falling on the table in front of my popping eyes, as the books disappeared in no more than ten seconds. This book can be the greatest adventure in recent cooperative history, not just because it is a good low-priced children's book, but because it may mark a turning point in good low-priced juvenile literature. I hope a nationwide campaign will be made to distribute it. Had I three hundred copies, I could have sold all of them. I do not think we would be immodest to expect two million cooperators to buy an average of three copies each — and that would bring us another million cooperators. Aaron Aronin, Ypsilanti, Mich. Available from Your Regional Cooperative Retail price, 50c [[ SPECIAL OFFER: CO-OP Magazine will give a copy of The Goolibah Tree with every 3-year subscription 1} II received between February 20 arid April 1—whether received direct or through a regional or local co-op il a B E H l J3 D U u tn K EU CO U I rf oo oo oo 1 ••• MOD OW DECEMBER 21, 1844 — THE ROCHDALE SOCIETY Of EQUITABLE ,, PIONEERS OPENED THEIR FIRST STORE-- WE'LL IMPRESS YES/ AND WE'LL UPON PEOPLE / ALWAYS KEEP THE THAT BUYING / STORE CLEAN!—— FOR CASH / GIVE HONEST WEIGHT - SAVES THEM X AND SELL OMLV MONEV/ /\ PURE FOODS —— 'COSTOM6RS FOUND THE KI6W WAY OF DOING BUSINESS MUCH TO THEIR LIKING --- " I FEEL AS IF I'M DEAL ING WITH MY OWN PLACE WHEN! I , .8UV HERE/ YOU ARE, MAOAM-- VOU HAVE ASHARE IN IT/ r WE PA/ I REGULAR /_, PRICES - BUT WE GET BACK. A PIVIPENP/ A NEW WAY to tell the Co-op story Millions of persons today ore habituated to reading the colorful comic strips. Many of them will get the basic cooperative message through the new 8-page Comic Cavalcade folder who would read it in no other form ^R emplovees got more real education out oi the co-op comic than any of the books or pamphlets we gave them." This is the testimony of the man ager of a mill recently acquired by the cooperatives, after he had pur chased copies of the comic for dis tribution to the employees. Such is one of the many effective ways in which this unique piece of educational and promotional mate rial can be used. The Co-op COMIC is the quick est, most fascinating and under standable way there is to tell the story of how and why cooperatives were organized—and what they are doing today. Just as interesting too, for grandfather or uncle as for little Billy. The first quarter million copies have been »old, and order» are pouring in, report;, Publicity Direc tor Wally Campbell. Stores can well afford to put this leaflet in members' purchases— with a note from the manager offering to mail copie» to names and ad dresses of friends : in non-member patrons' purchases with a note of welcome. Children of cooperators will delightedly pass them to chums at school; church and labor groups should offer opportunities for ac ceptable distribution—and with big results. A local imprint—typed, mimeographed, rubber-stamped, printed—will increase their effec tiveness for response and follow-up. In lots of 100 or more, these snappy "Comic Sections" are only $1 per hundred, and they can be ordered in quantities from your regional cooperative. Get your order in before the present supply is gone, you may have to wait for a reprinting. OUT IN THE COUNTRY NEARLY A MILLION FARMERS HAVE THEIR OWN) ELECTRIC POWER CO-OPS ---- AND 6AS AND OIL CO-OPERATIVES --- YESSIR.YOU CUSTOMERS OWN TH' WORKS --- YOUR OWN STATIONS, TRANSPORTS. REFINERIES, PIPELINES OIL PUMPS —— FROM THE GROUND TO TH' CAR, YOU OWN! IT-- AND SET TH SAVINGS. TOO/ YES/ AND DON'T FORSET.WE HAVE LIGHT AND POWER VN THE BARNIS, TOO/ RUNNING WATER.' WHAT A BLESSING AN ELECTRIC PUNAP is/ VOLT ME ONE NUMBER TWO FEBRUARY, 1945 COOP MAGAZINE Journal of technical assistance and information for local cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members • An official organ of National Cooperatives, Inc., and The Cooperative League of the USA • Editor, Oilman Calkins Associate Editors: Hugh E. Bogardus, Wal lace J. Campbell, John Carson, Ellen Lmson, C. J. McLanahan, Otto A. Nurkkala, J L. Proebsting. • Contributing Editors : George Burchara, James Cummins, Davis Douthit, Carl Eck, Herbert E Evans, Herbert Fledderjohn, Glenn S. Fox, Ed Hannula, Leonard Harman, Andrew Hebb, Gardner Heidrick, Allan Holzweiss, George Hough, Carl R. Hutchinson, Erick Kendall, Fred Kessler, Madelyn Kilmoyer, Anthony Lehner, Laurie Lehtin, Iver Lind, M. G. Mann, Jr., Donald S. May, T. Warren Metzger, Merlin G. Miller, Robert M. Mitchell, James R Moore, Robert Neptune, Margedant Peters, L. C. Roenigk, Arnold Ronn, A. W. Ricker, George P. Sanderson, E. F. Scharf, Alfred Sheets, Robert L. Smith, E. A. Syftestad, Glenn W. Thompson, George Tichenor, William Torma, Einar Ungren, E. A. Whitney, J. F. Yaeger, Homer Young. Editorial Advisory Board: James Cummins, Davis Douthit, Carl R Hutchinson, Robert "L. Smith. • Business Manager, Gilman Calkins Regional Circulation Managers : Jack Heino, CCW ; Jean Johnston, Indiana ; Dorothe Mac- Kay, California ; Donald S. May, Texas ; Margedant Peters, Central States; J. M. Platt, Midland, W. B. Robins, Utah; Charlotte Tinker, Eastern. CO-OP is published monthly by The Coopera tive League oi the USA. Editorial and business offices. 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4. Illinois. Printed in USA. Copyright 1945 by The Cooperative League of the USA. Title registered in U. S. Patent Office and used by permission of National Cooperatives, Inc. Subscription Rates: One year, $2.50; three years, $6. Single copy, 25 cents. Mailed any where without extra charge. Change of Address: Send old address label with new address to Circulation Manager, CO-OP, 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4, '11., and allow 30 days for correction of listing. Unsolicited manuscripts are submitted at the author's risk and should be accompanied by return postage. in this issue: Articles What's Ahead for Cooperatives? By A. J. Hayes 5 Training Your Employees? By C. /. McLanahan 7 Cooperators Want Appliances. By Otto A. Nurkkala 8 News about Refrigerators—and Other Appliances 8-9 Please, Mr. Teacher. By C. Maurice Weiting 10 Are Co-ops Ready to Make