The source of this uncorrected OCR text may be viewed in the DjVu format at: http://fax.libs.uga.edu/HD2951xC776/co46 or http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/ugafax/HD2951xC776/co46 the refrigerator of PLANNED PERFORMANCE Performance of any appliance depends upon the specifications to which it is designed and construct ed. Convenience and usability, as well as reliable, trouble-free opera tion, directly depend upon the vi sion and skill with which the fin ished product is planned. Check the specifications of the CO-OP REFRIGERATOR—you'll see why the care with which every feature has been planned means user satisfaction with every aspect of its performance. «HHL COOP 1. Capacity: 9.0 eu. ft. 2. Large, 8-tray freezing unit—two refrig erated shelves for extra fast freezing—freezes 16 pounds of ice at one time—ice-making equh aient: 157^ pounds per 24 hours. 3. Convenient, accurate cold control. 4. Twenty square teet of shelf space—six re movable shelves i one sliding-adjustable shelf; two split shelves). 5. Two vegetable fresheners. 6. Large combination meat-stoiage and de frost tray. 7. Handy storage bin at front of machine compartment. 8. Automatic light - placed to light up every section of the interior. 9. Sileni hermetic unit powered with a 1 6 H.P. electric motor—both permanently sealed in steel. No oiling necessary. 10. Large static condenser requiring no fan. Care and cleaning greatly simplified. 11. Thermal overload switch on motor. 12. Freon refrigerant—safe, non-toxic, non- inflammable, non-corrosive, ever dependable. 13. Capillary-type refrigerant control—never needs adjustment 14. Thermocraft insulation—p roved effi ciency . 15. All steel cabinet—hi-bake, white Dulux exterior finish- porcelain lined inner cabinet. lt>. Chrome-plated exterior hardware. 17. Simple in design, stately in appearance NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. o o- CD O < I O V ^ÜÄü»w*" ^•*>^'" •'"-'''-_L -TM» i" UJ Z QL LO CD é' ,"^w ~* - IK - r : - . - ,- ^ .*•' - '. r I & 5 SS i U 5 1 £ -I „ ,M i \ 2 * Z OP¥- * <» ,„" -* » o. o r> O I oo oo f the Quality Line at lower cost Delivery. ? (see page 15} G N ÖD WS! more kinds more of 'em CO-OP TIRES CO-OP tires will be avail able in increasing quantities throughout 1946. That, in it self, is mighty good news. But, there is other good news which you may have heard, but cer tainly won't mind hearing again. There are more kinds of CO OP tires now. There are CO OP tires for automobiles, for trucks and buses, for tractors, for farm implements, and for bicycles. That's a pretty com plete line for any rural or urban retail store—and it's all CO OP. With this full line of CO-OP tires, you can effectively serve your member-patrons, and thereby serve your CO-OP store. Order from your region al; they will supply you as rap idly as the tires become avail able. Newspaper ad mats on the CO-OP Bar Lug tire will be available through jour regional in January. Ilse them in vour local paper. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. The Looks o9 Things Light! "Pressure groups exist because we have gotten to think of ourselves as elements in the production process. We fail to think of ourselves a« consumer«. The driv ing power uf the American economy is the free enterprize system. The throttle is [or should be] in the hands of the consumers who alone Lshould] govern the economy—who alone should be in con trol in a democracy."—John M. Hancock, partner of Lehman Bros., and co-author. Baruch-Hancock report. U. S. Goes Santa Claus \ bill to relinquish L. S. rightf to oil in bottom of the Atlantic and Pacific ocean" was passed by the House 108 to LI. The rights, worth several billion dol lars, will go to private enterprize and states. Appliance Cartel? Anti-trust suits against General Elec tric, Westinghouse and two subsidiaries have been filed by the U. S. Justice De partment. Suits were instigated to break alleged international electrical cartels which monopolize I . S. export of elec trical apparatus and equipment needed for reconstruction abroad. Striking Comparison "A milking machine that cuts milking time to thiee minutes per cow is hired help thai works for less than the poorest- paid coolie in China."—Farm Journal, No vember. 1945. (The machine milks one cow for less than 1/50 of nne cent.—Ed. l No Pasaran! "Substantial savings which cooperatives have afforded farmers through mass pur- chasms . . . have helped substantially tu increase that all too fractional consumer's food dollar. . . . Anything which weakens . . . the farmer's right in trade coopera tively will be opposed by the business men, workers, professional leaders and others who comprise the National Citizens Political Action Committee. The tax of patronage refunds from cooperatives musl not pass."—Elmer A. Benson, chairman, executive council. NCPAC, in letter to House Ways and Means Committee. Benefit by Co-op Three fourths of the farmers who do not patronize cooperatives think that prices would go up if it were not for co-op price setting. One-half of those interviewed feel that even if co-ops went out of busi ness now. quality standards would have to stay on high levels to which co-ops brought them.—From a survey by South ern States Cooperatives. Twenty Million Gouge Between 1935 and 1941, $21,714,000 was obtained from patrons by the Great At lantic and Pacific Tea Co. through "stork gains," the government charged in the anti-trust suit against \&P. "Stock gains" are sums secured by retail stores over and above the established retail price sel by the warehouse. INo allowance is made for shrinkage, spoilage, waste, etc., and to offset these, "stock gains" are effected bv such practices as short-weighting;, short changing, boosting of prices at check-out counters, etc., the government charges ex plained. Something for Study Agriculture definitely is on the way to an era of larger farms and more prof itable units, C. R. Arnold, Production Credit Commissioner of the Farm Credit Administration at Kansas City, Mo., de clared recently. "l\ot onlv will we have larger farms which will be much more highly me chanized, bul in trying to solve the prob lems of agriculture, we are likely to do away with the mythical 'average farmer.' The 'average farmer' never has existed ex cept in the minds of those who compound economic statistics," said Mr. Arnold, "but belief in the 'average farmer' probably has been responsible for more unwise and inadequate legislation than any other one factor." The Census Bureau, Mr. \rnold ex plained is already taking preliminary steps lo obtain data in the next census which will segregate farms into four classes; large-scale farms, multiple-unit farms, mid-scale farms, and small-scale farms. This classification, following rather closely the income from the various types of farms, should be exceedingly helpful in drafting future legislation dealing with farm problems, he maintained. Hollywood Separation Divorce of movie production from con trol of distribution is aim of U. S. Depart ment of Justice in a suit filed in a New York District Court, according to a re cent news item. Involved is not only the economic effect of monopolistic practices, but the effects of monopoly upon thea trical arts as media of communication and molders of public opinion- Government Fleet Australia's Federal Cabinet is being urged by labor to keep and run it« fleet of fifty wartime built freighters. Author ities indicate they anticipate that the suggestion may be followed; a large num her of industries have already been na tionalized. New Zealand Ahead Forty-nine standard specification» for household and personal commodities have been issued by the New Zealand Stand ards Institute. This represents 70% of all cost of living expenses, ahout 87% of all foods. Consumers Guide. An official organ of National Cooperatives Inc , The Cooperative League of the USA, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n ol America Editor, Gilman Calkins ASSOCIATE EDITORS Wallace J Campbell C J McLanauan James L Proebsting ADVISORY COMMITTEE Editois . ....... .George H Ticlienor Educational .Directors... .. E A Whitney Peisonnel Directors . ... .Herbert E Evans Sales & Adv'g Directors . . Goidon E Ne\ms Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president; Howard A Covvden, vice president; E R Bovven, general secretary; L. E Woodcock, treasurer; Mary Arnold, Charles Baker, R N Benjamin, Perry L Green, A J Hayes, I H Hull, Andrew P Jensen, Wm Liimatainen, Frances Logan, A. J Kmaby, Dwight D Townsend, J P Warbasse NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. I H Hull, piesident; J L Nolan, vice presi dent. Howard A. Cowden, secretary-treasurer; A J Hayes, cliairman, T A. Tenhune, asst secretaiy-treasurer; H S Agster, Charles Baiter, R N Benjamin, E B Chown, Leonard F Cow- den, Ralph Evans, J. A Geddes. J H Gervais, B W. Hogg, H H Hogue, C S Jones, J E Keltner, Laurie Lehtin, William Liimatainen, Jacob Liukku, M G Mann, Bruce McCnlly, Rob ert McKay, Bobert "Neptune C C Patmer, B M Pierson, Boyd Rainey. W B Robins, William Sanderson, Jerry F Shea, R J Scott, J J Sie mens, A. J. Smaby, W E Stough, George TJrwin, L E Woodcorlc, J F Yaeger COOP'VE FINANCE ASS'N OF AMERICA Péri y L Green, president, Glenn S Fox, first vice-piesident; J E Keltner, second vice-presi dent; E R Bowen, secretary; T A Tenhune, treasurei ; Harland Allen, Charles Baker, William W Rlaisdell Andrew P Jensen, Arne Johnson Regional Cooperatives affiliated with National cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America ALBERTA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 107 Bevillon Bids , Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FARMERS MUT AUTO INS CO St Paul, Minnesota ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St, Oakland, California CENTRAL COOPEKATIVE WHOLESALE Superior Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 1535 South Peona St CMcago 8, Illinots CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St, Kansas City, Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amanllo, Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison, Wisconsin EASTERN CO-OP LEAGUE AND WTTOT.1gSAT.1i1 44 West 143d St , New York 30, New York FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St, Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU MUTUAL AUTO INS CO 246 North High St., Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St, Lansing, Michigan FARMERS COOPERATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh, North Carolina FARMERS TJNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P. O Box G, St Paul, Minnesota FARMERS T MON STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenwoith St , Omaha, Neb INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN 47 S Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis 9, Ind. INDUSTRIAL ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St , New York 27, New York MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St. Winnipeg, Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St NE, Minneapolis 13, Minn PACIFIC OOART STUDENT CO-OP LEAGUE Berkeley, California PACIFIC SUPPLY COOPERATIVE P O Box 1004, Walla Walla, Wash PENNA FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSN 3607 South Derry St, Harrisburg, Pa SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATED COOP'TIVES Saskatoon, Saskatchewan UNITED FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY Duke and George Sts , Toronto 2, Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South, Salt Lake City 4, Utah Journal of technical assistance .and information for local cooperative .officers, tlîrectors. employees, and committee members VOLUME 2. NO. I JANUARY 1946 CONTENTS Housing —A Co-op Mu<4 Fourth Graders Form Co-op Co-ops Begin Distribution of Aluminum Roofing Berkeley Builds Member Interest with Training Ten \ears of Growth Walworth County, Wis>. You Gel \Vha1 You Pay For What's [News- The 1945 Co-op Record Help Your Community to Help with CAtîF For Your Co-op Party—Co-op Crossword Puzzle One V,orld—Or 'None! By C. I. McLaiiahan Merchandising Streamliners of the Future By H. E. Bogardm Hardware Fight to Tax Co-ops Goes On Opinions expressed In signed articles are those of the authors necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring orgal Departments Looks o' Thing» .............. Letters from Reader0 They've Moved Into New Responsibilities, Coming Events l\ews 4bout Commodities In Memoriam Business Activity Current Books and Pamphlets, Fart Book Pages Editorial 5 7 8 y 10 ..15 .16 18 ..20 22 .24 .27 and not lizations. 2 4 ......... 4 ..... 4 12 .17 18 .....20 21-24 26 PICTURE CREDITS P itre 5, Hedricli Blessing-, clucapro and Parent's Magazine page 6 Shaw, Naess and Murphy and Chicago Aich Photographing Co ; pake 7, Milwaukee Journal, page 8 Praine Fumei page <) Leon V Ticliimn, page 14 (bottom), O'Bnen, Wankeslia Wj<= Pag-» 16 Bloor Studio, Toronto, paee 17, Acme, page 10, Manthey, Chicago CO-OP Magazine Is published monthly by The Cooperative League of the USA Business Manager, Oilman Calkins Editorial and business offices, 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois Cable address COOPAM Entered as second class matter April 20, 1945, at the postoffice at Chi cago Illinois, undei tie act of March 3, 1879 Printed in USA Copyright 1945 by Tlie Cooperative League of the USA Title registered in U S Patent Office and used by permission of National Coop eratives, Inc Subsciiption Rates One year, $2 50; three years, $6 10 or more copies in one wrapper to same address, $2 per year per copy Single copy price, 25 cents Mailed anywhere without extra charge. Unsolicited manuscripts submitted at author's risk; should be accompanied by return postage Regional Circulation Managers Jack Heino, CCW; Jean Johnston, Indiana; Dorothe MacKay, California; Donaid W. May, Texas, R M. Mitchelï, Pacific Supply; Margedant Peters, Central States, Waltei W White, Midland, W B Bobins, Utah; Doiis Casamello, Eastern CHANGE OP ADDRESS Send old address label with new address to Circulation Manager, CO-OP, Magazine, 343 S Dearborn St , Chicago 4, 111, and allow 30 days for correction of listing Letters from Readers \ South America Coming Dear Sirs Discussion with a recently returned eco nomist with a deal of practical experience in South America Pointe ont that mechanical training1 for growing" industrialization might be veiy helpful in South America A strong" school system attached to the cooperatives there . . (Which yet have tu be built) should speed the npwai d scale of living1 E g~et the impression that the artisans would take very well to the ^o-op idea to everybody's benefit Robin Everett Taber Silver Spring, Maryland And Alaska Bear Sirs. It may interest you to know that after operating" as a auasi-rn-op since 1041 here in Fairbanks we are now incorporating1 as a to011 a fide non-profit co-op under the laws of our territory May we asli that you advise us in what manner we can take steps tu be recognized by The Cooperative League as a true co-op operating" on the Rochdale prin ciples ? We arc now a member of the Grocer's Wholesale in Seattle, and upon making a trip to the States very soon we anticipate doing business with the Pacific Supplj Coopéra tive in Walla Walla, Washington. Herb Pickerîiig Consumers Co-op Fairbanks, Alaska For Broad Cooperation Dear Sirs* I was much impressed with the 'Rural Urban Cooperation" development in Indiana as outlined in your November number As an agricultural economist in the Cooperative Research and Service Division of the Farm Credit Administration, my work is primarily with farmers' marketing cooperatives, and I have discussed with a number nf them the possibilities of their doing business with con sumer cooperatives I have recently become They've Moved Into New Responsibilities C. E. Baker. Manager, Co-op Mills suc ceeding Harold Yoder; formerly cereal technologist. QMC Subsistence Research and Development Laboratory, Chicago Quartermaster Depot. (See story page 19) Charles Radke. Head, hardware de partment, Indiana Farm Bureau Coop erative Association Waldemar Niemalla. Head, automotive appliance department. Eastern Coopera tives Wholesale; formerly manager, Bos ton warehouse. Waino Linna. Manager, Boston ware house. Eastern Cooperative Wholesale; formerly fieldman, New England area, ECW. Vernor Hegg. Associate editor, The Cooperator, New York City; formerly on educational staff, Midland Cooperative Wholesale. W. H. Jordan. Fieldman. Puget Sound (Wash.) area, Pacific Supply Coopera tive; formerly journalism teacher. William V. Torma. In charge of Equip ment and Design department, National Cooperatives; formerly manager, West ern, Division, Council for Cooperative Development. (See page 8.) a member of the Board of the Kochdale Co operative, Inc , in Washing-ton, and am affili ated with four other cooperative oranizations George M. Weber Agricultural Economist, FCA, United States Department of Agriculture CO-OP Gets Around Bear Sirs You might have received some complaints about the May copies of CO-OP nut having arrived in the Frisco area, and I think I can explain why A largue Quantity of our back mail finally raught up and much to my sur prise I had a large roll of May copies of yonr magazine Closer examination revealed that the Postal employees should have opened the roll, as marked on wrap, and sorted the copies Instead, someone noticed my name on the top copy and T received them all These have been placed in the hands of postal authorities and will in due time reach U 1 A Chester Niles SK 3/r USS Medea FPO San Franoispo, Cal Thanks TVar Sirs Your October issue of "CO-OP Magazine" has just anived. and I would say it is the best issue so far with respect to containing cooperative information 3. B. Love President Alberta Co-operative Wholesale Assn , Ltd. Dpar Sirs: Our CO-OP Magazine is doing1 a fine lob It seems to me that every issue shows defi nite impiovement over the previous months Keep up the good work Elton B. Allisun Education and Organization Dept Pacific Supply Coopérative From South Africa Dear Sirs' We are indeed very interested to note from a periodical called CO-OP that you are han dling rust preventive under the title CO-OP You will be interested to know that this Fed eratiou, being- the federal body of the coop erative movement in the Union the share holders of which represent something- like a hundred and seventeen thousand farmers, also handle agricultural requirements under the trade name ol BOEEESAKE As a matter of fact, we expect supplies very shortly of separators specially manufactured for us in Sweden under our trade name Then also, so far as local manufacturers are concerned. Quite a numbei have adopted our suggestion to handle their products under Watch That Number Has your subscription to CO-OP ex pired?- Takt a look at the number under your name on the wrapper to find out. // you number is 4512 or 4511, your subscription has already expired, and we are sending you this additional is sue with the thought thai you may have forgotten to get in your renewal on time. Tf your number is IfiOl, your subscription expires with this issue. To make sure of your February copy, re new ^JOW through your cooperative, or to CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4. 111. (When 5 or more subscriptions are sent together, the rate is $2 per year, $5 for 3 years) oi^r trade name, in Borne instances in coii- ;iunction with their own Like you \ve feel that there is a considerable sentimental at traction in a cooperative trade name, and the object of this letter is to enquire from you if it is not possible for us to operate to our mutual advantage We feel that you may be able to offer us agencies of goods renuired not only by agricultural co ops, but aleo con sumer co-ops. In connection with consumer co-ops, we have an extremely valuable ally in Mr Cow- den, the president of the Consumers Coopera tive Association of Kansas City, and we are accordingly sending" a copy of this letter to him. There is considerable development in the cooperative sphere in South Africa, and, hav ing1 regard to the popularity of American products, we sineerely hope that this letter will result in business to our mutual advan tage John C. Dissell Geiieial Manager, Boersake Ltd Johannesburg-, South Africa Coming Events I Jan. 78 — Conference on Transportation. National Council of Farmers Cooperatives Edgewater Beach Hotel Chicago Jan 7 19—Appliance Service School, Paci fic Supply Cooperative, Walla Walla, Wash ington. Jan 8—Conference of Cooperative Attor neys and Auditors, National Council of Farm ers Cooperatives. Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. Jan. 8—Conference of Cooperative Editors, Publicity and Membership Workers, National Council of Farmers Cooperatives Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. Jan. 8—Meeting, National Committee for Farm Production Supplies, National Coun cil of Farmers Cooperatives Chicago Jan. 9—General Assembly of Council Dele gates, National Council of Farmers Coop eratives Edgewater Beach Hotel. Chicago Jan. 9-11—Annual Meeting, Ontario Fed eration of Agriculture, King Edward Hotel, Toronto Ont, Canada. Jan. 17-19—Annual Meeting, Dairy Farm ers of Canada General Brock Hotel. Niagara Falls, Ont Jan. 28-Feb 8—Advanced Petroleum Mana gers Training School. Consumers Cooperative Association, Kansas City, Mo (Dates tenta tive) Jan. 28-Feb. 9—Appliance Service School Pacific Supply Cooperative, Walla Walla. Washington Jan 30-Feb 1—Joint Program Coordina tion Meeting, boards of directors. National Coopératives, The Cooperative League. Coop erative Finance Association of America, Chi cago Feb 3-9—Annual Meetings, National Food Brokers Association, Canning Machinery Sup ply Association, National American Grocers Association, National Canners Association Atlantic City, N J Fei) 3-9—Advanced Farm Supply Mana gers Training School. Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association, Indianapolis, Ind Feb 5-6—New England Institute of Coop eration Boston, Mass Feb 11 Apr 26—Food Locker Plant School, Kansas State Collee-p Manhattan, Kansas (See page S3.) Feb 14—St Valentine's Day Feb 18-March 2—Appliance Service School, Pacific Supply Cooperative Walla Walla, Washington Feb. 19—Annual Meeting, Allied Distribu tion, Inc Fdgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago Feb 2o-22—Annual Meeting American Waiehousemen's Association Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago March 6—Beginning of Lent March 11-23—Appliance Service School Pacific Supply Cooperative Walla Walla, Washington Mar 26-May 31—Food Locker Plant School Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. (See page 33 ) CO-OP Magazine Housing—A Co-op Must A preliminary Inok at consumer needs, tvhat some groups are doing, and the need for quick, aggressive action hy coopératives. ¥ \ the face of indications that profit industry will be unable to provide low or medium income families with adequate homes, cooperative action looms as the most promising answer to the tremendous postwar housing problems that confront us. The nation's housing headache is a cumulative one, a hangover from the de pression-ridden thirties when construction hit new lows. With the onset of war production, improved earnings stimulated building demands, but shortages of ma terials and labor soon interfered. Even in prosperous times, however, new homes were generally beyond the means of the average family. The pent-up demand forecasts the pos sibility of building 1,250,000 homes each year for the first postwar decade. This is the estimate of the National Housing Agency. Unless drastic measures are taken, however, the same pent-up demand forecasts no reduction of price levels in the near future. Consumers Union warns: "If you feel an irresistible urge to buy a home, count sluwly up to a thousand— then don't. Now is the worst possible time to buy. . . The cost nf building today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is 20% higher than at the out break of war." Co-ops Provided for in Proposed Housing Bi Specific provisions for aid to coop erative housing projects is included in a new National Housing Poliry Bill introduced in the Senate November 14 by Senators Wagner, of New "iork, El- lender, of Louisiana, and Taft, of Ohio. Up to 95 per cent of the cost of cooperative housing would be insured by the government, according to the provisions of the bill, and a maximum interest of 3J per cent would be set for loans to cooperative housing pro jects. The bill, which has bi-partisan and administration support, provides broad ly for both rural and urban housing, slum clearance, low-rent public hous ing, and housing research. Included is provision for extension of FI1 V indi vidual housing finance to 95% of cost of homes under $5,000, 32 years for repayment, and reduction of interest maximum to 4 per cent. Inclusion of the co-op housing pro visions in the bill is Fruit of long tire less efforts by Co-op League Washing ton Representative John Carson. Keep ing them there throughout considera tion and final passage of the bill will depend upon the militant support through legislator-contacts by the co- operators of America Write your senators and representatives NOW— and repeatedly! Many Causes The use of anticpjated building meth ods is a big contributor to the high cost of modern housing. While we have made far reaching advances in the manufac tiire of automobiles, airplanes and hun dreds of appliances and equipment, most homes are built today after the fashion of our 19th century ancestors. Tradition (vested interests) requires that houses be manufactured at the site where costs More thorough search and planning through cooperative action can provide the best of modern design and equipment. This solar house living room gains spaciousness from yard through large windows, and maximum winter sunshine to cut heating cost. Wide eaves keep out summer sun. January, 1946 are high instead of in a factory where specialized producers might, if encouraged, reduce the unit cost of the present type of structure or simplify designs to bring further economies without decreasing the essential comforts and conveniences that the home-user demands. The structural shell which amounts to almost two-thirds of the total cost of house and land is at present built largelj by handicraft methods but lends itself most easily to mass production techniques. A 5U% reduction in costs there would mean a 30% reduction of the entire cosl of the house. Other factors entering into the high cost uf houses are: exploitation of land in minute parcels by real estatr promoters ; some trade union practices that resist re duction of labor requirements—and, thus, labor costs; high prices of basic male- rials controlled by monopolies and car tels; obsolete building codes with unneces sarily strict requirements; lucrative prof it margins to contractors; inefficient dis tribution methods; and exorbitant fi nancing charges. Préfabrication will receive its biggest boosl from Henry Kaiser, the enterprising West Coast industrialist, who plan« to invade the housing field by building whole communities of 200 or moie in which recreational, educational, religious, social and shopping facilities will be provided. The Kaiser program involves the factory assembly of the mechanical heart of the home—kitchen, bath and heating system— and the combination of various standard ized panels into an architectural design making possible the production of struc tural materials on a large scale, but still giving individuality to the finished home. U. S. Steel last year obtained control (Continued on next page) Altgeld Gardens, housing many Negro families at the far south side of Chicago, demonstrates the many advantages for ideal living to be gained when homes are laid out for or by a group without the profit motive dominating. Altgeld residents recently moved their co-op food store into elegant supermarket quarters; the co-op sponsors movies and a weekly newspaper for the community. Housing— I Continued fiom page 5) of the largest American firm handling prefabricated houses. Their claim is that once the foundation is laid workeis can begin assembling the house at 9 a.m. and by 2 p.m. the owner may begin mov ing in. Much of the wiring and plumb ing is built in, requiring minimum con nection work by electricians and plumbers. Pattern for Future Considerable progress has been made in the cooperative ownership of apartments. The most outstanding example is Amalga mated Apartments of New York City, built in 1928 by a trade union group with the aid of several banks. Nearly 1,000 families, who have invested $500 per room, reside in these apartments. The community includes a co-op food store, credit union, electric generating plant i the answer to the high rate? of private utilities), laundry service and milk dis tribution. 130.000 was returned in 1944 as patronage refunds on rents to tenant —owners of the cooperative. The okay by Mayor LaGuardia on the first low-rent cooperative apartments under New York's new Urban Redevelop ment Law came as electrifying news just 4 hours before the end of war. At a cost of $5 million. 710 families will be housed in six 10-story buildings on the lower East Side, paying monthly rentals averag ing $14 per room. The rity is condemning the present slum areas, widening narrow streets and eliminating others. Only 30% of the land will be covered by buildings. Four savings banks will purchase mort gages up to 80% of the construction cost. A. E. Kazan, the guiding light of Amalga mated apartments since its beginning, will manage the new co-op. The Greenmont \illage in Payton, Ohio, and the Walnut Grove homes in South Bend, Indiana, are demonstrating com- pellingly the practicability of mutual housing projects. They operate today at a lower cost than anv other housing project, public or private, throughout the country, and rapid strides have been taken toward complete ownership of the property by the residents. Attention has also been paid in these projects to the organization of community activities in a cooperative spirit. \ family occupies a house but lives in a commimitv. Among the thousands of persons living in the above-mentioned communities, there is little delinquencv and no crime. In a suburb of Chicago, a group of cooperators has just purchased a 130.000 yu-acre farm site on which the York Center Community Cooperative will be gin building soon Ninety families are expected to build homes in the coopera tive village which will make use of modern community development tech niques with plentiful recreation space eliminating dangerous traffic points Mutual bousing projects using the "REA plan" of financing, point to a type of development that will readily meet postwar needs. The Cooperative League worked with Senator Robert Wagner and Representative Jerry Voorhi= on the bills now in Congress calling foi a Mutual Housing Administration to provide credit facilities to housing cooperatives just as the Rural Electrification Administra tion helps in the initial financing of rural electric co-ops. Conversion of federal war housing projects into mutual associations is being urged wherever possible. In Other Lands In Sweden the widespread use of préfa brication greatly accelerated construction of private dwellings, both urban and rural, which can be erected by the owner himself in some instances. Attempts have been made to standardize parts in such manner that houses can be built to the exact needs of a particular family instead of adhering to one of few models. The principle of solar heating is being devel oped with préfabrication. The improvement of Swedish housing is attributed to a large degree to the co operative movement. Largest construc tion enterprise in the country is the HSB Society whose annual volume is |25 mil lion. Some cooperatives have helped fi nance projects in exchange for the right to set up co-op «hopping centers in the community. Societies generally build apartment houses with tenants providing 5% to 10"^ of cost as initial capital. A central fed eration in Stockholm, governed by local co-ops, assists in obtaining mortgages to finance the balance. Banks, insurance companies and public credit agencies sup ply Eunds. Loans from the central fed eration itself, drawn on funds provided by members' savings, aie also used for third mortgages. The Building Societies" Association in CO-OP Magazine Great Britain is investigating post-war participation in housing developments, and cooperative building associations are making strides with new projects in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Quebec. America needs an extensive housing program not only to better the living stand ards of millions but to give productive jobs as well to many of the great mass of workers no longer needed to manu facture weapons of destruction. The coop erative approach is a "natural" in a field where consumeis have been shamefully exploited and have no voice in the setting of costs and quality standards Though the supply of building mate rials and prefabricated units is still low. groups should lose no time in getting or ganized, reaching agreements on overall wants, financing and operating plans. When the breaks come, those who are now napping will be at a disadvantage. Suggested Reading on Housing Cooperative Organizations and the Post war Housing Problem — International Labour Review. 5c Housing in the United States—I. L. O. LOc Mutual Housing Letter—Robert Wagner (from Congressional Record). 2c Cooperative Housing in Sweden — Ulla Aim. 25c Organization and Management of Coop erative Housing Associations — U. S. Dept. of Labor. lOc (new edition due this month) (the above are available from The Cooperative League through your regional cooperative) Houses for Tomorrow—Thomas R. Cars- kadon. New York Public Affairs Com mittee. lOc Building or Buying a Home—B K. John stone. McGraw-Hill. Ç2.75 Manufacturers of Prefabricated Houses and Systems of Préfabrication — Na tional Housing Agency, Wash., D C Free If You Plan to Build or Buj a Home— These Facts Will Guide You—Federal Home Loan Bank Administration, Wash., D. C. Free Land, Materials and Labor Costs—Na tional Resources Planning Board. Wash., D. C. U. S. Gov't Printing Of fice. 30c Legal Problems in the Housing Field— National Resources Planning Board, Wash., D. C. U. S. Gov't Printing Of fice. 25c Housing Costs—Where the Housing Dol lar Goes — National Housing Agency, Wash., D. C. lOc Design of Residential Areas — Thomas Adams. Harvard University Press $3.50 A Million Homes a Year — Dorothy Rosenman. Harcourt, Brace. $3.50 Real Estate Business—a list of references —Helen F. Conover. U. S Library of Congress Mimeo—free Future issues of CO-OP will carry more detailed accounts about existing ( ooperative housing projects, both here and abroad, and specific suggestions as to procedure for both large and small groups.—Editor Fourth Graders Form Co-op, Manage a Real Corporation How Milwaukee &i,hi>ol children are learning about business. Fonperation find democracy hr serving themselves. Story re printed by /»»»mission from the Milwaukee Journal. 1VTAN sized, worrisome word» like "ar ticles of incorporation," "share" and "purchase'" are slipping off the tongues of the pint sized board of directors of Mil waukee's Eighteenth Street School Coop erative association these day». The 40 children in \Tiss Winnie Rosen- berg's fourth grade class began the coop erative project in September, but legally opened shop only recently, when they received the formal charter for the as sociation from the secretary of state. The secretary of state's of fire at Madison in formed Miss Rosenberg that it believed this group was the only incorporated as sociation in a grade school in Wiscon sin. The association was started by Miss Rosenberg to add interest to the teach ing of arithmetic and to "give the future citizens an idea early in life of what makes the business world tick." "But, in addition." Mis0 Rosenberg ?ays, "the co-op has facilitated the teach ing of art, through poster work for tlie association, and language, by the lessons in business letters necessary to correspond with the secretary of state on the asso ciation's incorporation, and it has added 7\y to penmanship and spelling." To date, the association, headed by the board of diiectors comprising the 40 mem bers of the fourth grade clas= and a rep resentative from each class in the school, Jf . \ f •- have sold more than 400 shares in the or ganization at 5r a share to the children at the school. The board hopes to sell 600 shares, one to each child enrolled in the school. While anxiously awaiting their charter, the children opened their retail school supplies shop in the cloakroom adjoining the fourth grade classroom. Serious busi ness has been involved as the board of di rectors visited wholesale school supply stores in town and bargained for pencils, erasers, tablets, crayons, etc., which they in turn have been selling to their school mates at retail prices. Profits will be re turned to the shareholders at the end of the school year. Twice a year, meetings will be held at which all shareholders will hear a complete financial report of the association. During the weeks before Christmas, the miniature businessmen and women rnsiled up paint dishes, rulers and Christmas novelties fur the co-op store. In addition to the training and direction from Miss Rosenberg, the children have been given extensive legal advice by William Kay. a local attorney. Each to His Station Our duty is to be useful, not according to our desires, but according to our ca pacities. -Henrj Fiedenck Amiel. Some of the 40 fourth graders in Milwaukee's Eighteenth Street school are shown here pur chasing 5 cent shares of stock in their school book store cooperative. Under the leadership of Miss Winnie Rosenberg, their *eacher. they have received a state charter for their co-op, are operating the business themselves. January, 1946 t..... finishing touches being put on ne\v CO-OI' Aluminum root ttn the barn nt John Abslme, Elkhart Count} (Indiana) Farm Bureau Co-op member. Mr. \bshire was wrobablj firsi m the cmuitry to ha^e hi& barn cohered with thih m-\v, fine iiualily CO-OP product. Co-ops Begin Distribution Of Aluminum Roofing New material provides light weight, fine insulation, moisture resistance, and goes on over old roof. tance as soon as the shortage of other building construction materials subsides. \t present, available lumber is of inferior quality, and farmers are forced to erect temporary structures that do not warrant the investment of aluminum roofing; when construction material» return to top qual ity, the aluminum covering will be much in demand by both builders and owners. Carload orders have already heen re ceived by INational Cooperatives from Indi ana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association, Central Cooperative Wholesale, Associated Cooperatives (California), Consumers Co operatives Associated (Texas). Consnm ers Cooperative Association, Farm Bureau Services (Michigan), Farmers Cooperative Exchange ilN. Carolina), Midland Coop erative Wholesale, Pacific Supply Coop erative. Utah Cooperative Association. Other regionals are surveying the demand in their territories. took another step forward in services late in November when Mr. John Abshire. member-patron of the Elk- hart County (Indiana) Farm Bureau Co operative, had his new barn covered with CO-OP Aluminum Roofing. Distributed by the Elkhart Co-op lumberyard, the new product combines unique service value with long-life economy. Mr. Abshire's fine livestock and farm implements barn will serve a« an example of the use and economy of the new type of roofing, and the Co-op plans to use it to demonstrate the product to potential patrons. 700 squares (70,000 square feet) of CO-OP Aluminum Roofing have al ready been ordered by the Co-op, which i» thus well launched on its postwar roof ing supply program. Aluminum roofing, although requiring about twice the initial expenditure of steel roofing, is much cheaper in the long run, since it will last approximately four times as long as the steel. As aluminum does not rust, it need nut he painted, while steel roofing must have a fresh roat of paint every few years if it is to last for an} reasonable length of time Three other properties of aluminum give it unique advantages as loofing material. It is very light, and thus reduces trans portation costs considerably. It is a good insulator, and will keep buildings cool in summer, warm in winter. Furthermore, it does a good job of keeping out moisture vapors, and can be applied on open sheet ing, so that the need for special prépara tien of roofs is eliminated. Aluminum roofing, in the opinion of E. L. Smoker, manager of the Elkhart Countv Cooperative, will find good accep- 8 if ill Torma •/»ins Staff of National William V. Torma. chairman of the Equipment and Design Committee of Na tional Cooperatives, join» National's staff as of Januar; 7 to head up its expanding services in these fields. In his new ca pacity he will be in charge of the Equip ment and Design department of National as it relates to service facilities for local cooperatives. He will coordinate the research and planning of member re gionals for service buildings and equip ment, and will direct procurement work in this field at the national level. He will al«o assist Manager T. A. Tenhune with the work of National's growing Building Supplies department. Bill brings with him a background rich in experience with co-op and technical work. His college work included studv of designing, architecture, mathematics and engineering, and he has supplemented this with attendance at various co-op train ing schools. Torma's professional background in cludes work with co-op farm stores, from clerking to managing, work with cream eries and elevators in Western Minnesota, running a garage, and designing and su pervising for a construction firm—an ex perience which he will apply to his new job in connection with National's building supplies program. He worked for Central Cooperative Wholesale as organizational fieldman, taught organization at the re- gional's training school, worked with its visual education program, modernization program, the organization, fixtures and sales departments, helped local co-ops with merchandising and accounting problems. Torma was chairman of National's Pub licity and Education Committee in 1943- 44, has chaired the Equipment and De sign Committee since 1940, and led it in the effort toward improved quality, lower cost and greater uniformity of fixtures, fronts and design for co-op stores and service facilities throughout the regiunals. He was merchandising field assistant for the Edward A. Filene Goodwill Fund in 1941, education director of Centra] States Cooperatives 1942-3, in charge of organization, research and technical serv ices for the Council for Cooperative De velopment for W44-5. He resigns the managership of the western division of the Council to come to INational. William V. Torma. formerly with the Coun cil for Cooperative Development, takes charge this month of new Equipment and Design department, National Cooperatives. CO-OP Magazine Berkeley Builds Member Interest With Unique Training Projects How product analysis education programs and training in use of visual equipment develop member enthusiasm. »ERKELEY (Calif.) Consumer Coop- erative has introduced some unique methods for developing member interest, cooperative understanding and good public relations through member training pro jects, according to recent reports re- reived from Berkeleyman Leon V. Tichinin. Two concrete projects worked out and adopted for action by the membership are concerned with education in consump tion, and training in community educa tion. Product Analysis For "education in consumption," Berke ley picks for special promotion one com modity every month, and "educate«" mem bers and others about the value of that commodity. The product is chosen for its value and attraction for the patron. It may be, for example, a fresh fruit or vegetable, ur a processed item, a farm im plement, motor oil, laving mash or a cer tain fertilizer. To acquaint patrons with the commod ity, an intensive promotion campaign is ar ranged. Pusters and displays are exhib ited at all membership and neighborhood group meetings, and particular advan tages or values of the product are dis cussed. "Phoning committees" contact the membership. Each committee is fur nisher! a list of member« and their tele phone numbers, and everyone on the list is called. The caller explains the advan tages of the month's commodity, and invites members tu meetings and the store to see the displays and to try the product. The society's CO-OP News car ries articles describing the commodity. and announcing that it is available at the co-op. Education Equipment The «econd project is designed to ac quaint members with visual equipment and materials useful in educational work. First step in the project was instruction in running a movie projector. Aim was to make available to the membership a number of persons capable uf running a projector in order to make the most nf opportunities tor showing good films to interested groups. 'The task here, explain« Mr. Tichinin, if largely one of helping people to overcome their feeling of inadequacy: the feeling of mechanical inability to cope with a projector, and the reluctance to use the Telephone for ordering equipment, films, and other materials and service». The procedure of this project is very simple. Several weeks prior to a projector session people are asked to sign up for it, an attempt being made to sign up at least two persons from every neighbor hood group. The class schedule is ar ranged in half-hour periods, and prospec tive students sign up for one of these pe riods. The number of persons signed up for any one period is limited to the num ber of projectors available. In preparation for the class, the in structor procures as manv projectors, amplifiers and allied pieces of equipment as possible. These materials can be ob tained, free of charge, from Visual Aid Industry or any local agency renting or selling such equipment, as these have a business interest in having people in the community who can handle projectors and are therefore likely to want to use them. All equipment is «et up in the largest available room. \ k During the first ten minutes of the instruction peiiod the teacher demon strates how a projector is run, explains the functions of the different parts, and the basic principles involved. For the next fifteen minutes each person is as signed a different model on which he practices setting up the equipment, mak ing the connections, threading, running and rewinding the film, disconnecting and dismantling the equipment. With an able demonstrator, students have little trouble with this. There is time left during the fifteen minutes to exchange machines, so that everybody has a chance to become acquainted with every type of projector in the room. The demonstration and practice periods together take up only twenty-five minutes, so that the instruc- i Continued on next page) UPPER PICTURE: Part of one of Berkeley Consumer Co-op's classes in visual equipment training checks a sound movie projector with CO-OP Magazine's instructions for operating (June, 1945). BELOW- One of Berkeley's "product-of-the-month" exhibits at a member ship meeting. January, 1946 Berkeley Builds— (Continued fiom page 9) tor has an extra five minutes to pul equip ment in order, answer additional ques tions, dismiss the group, and get read} for his demonstration period with the next set of students. In this way students do nol waste time waiting for their turn If they are in time for their half hour pe- ri« One of the sharper-tongued boys suggested this month's cover picture be labeled, "We Can Dream. Can't We7" The Appliance Department assures us. however, that while the washer is a dream, and full-scale pro duction is still an unanswered prayer, the assembly line shown is set to do a big-time Job once "suppliers to our supplier" get their differences with labor ironed out. (See Appliance Production Schedules, page 12.) worth their cost in consumer use, but not just for something special thai "onl} our brand has," the real purpose of which is its use as a sales tool. Slogans—Catch Phrases Slogans and catch phrases are some times good in that they point up a sub ject. But generally they need to be ana lyzed. "You get what you pay for" may be a maxim or an axiom as it relates to life or life hereafter, but it has no mean ing now to prove that relative price in dicates quality and value. So. we urge you; plan on CO OP ap pliances—they are becoming available as rapidly as private brand appliances—and assure your customers of high quality products at a reasonable cost . . . one line of items that are worth what is paid for them. The Way to Teach CO-OP Is to Show YOUR Co-op Your lumberyard, service station or store can be vour most effective piece of educational material. Excellent public relations work can be done by letting people see your co-op. Sunday school classes, businessmen's clubs, labor unions, school groups, womens clubs, may welcome a chance to visit your premises, see them in operation, hear the co-op message. \ fine public relations job of this sort was done b> three cooperatives of Belton, Texas, recently when they arranged a trip to their service plants for more than eighty wounded veterans stationed a1 near- bv McClosky Hospital. So many of the men accepted the invitation, that some Idst-minute requisitioning of additional trucks and private cars was necessary to get all of them to Bellon. More than half of the eighty visitors, according to a re port to the National Association of Co operatives, intend to return to farms after the war, are likely to become active co-op members. At Belton the veterans inspected the physical plants, learned how seven men, borrowing $700, started a business which todaj js worth $49,000 and consists of a grocery store, cotton gin and frozen food locker. T. W. Hander. manager of the co-ops, explained operations, and Joe L. Matthews, Texas A. and M. College, and W. D Seals, county agent, talked about the "how and why" of cooperation. "Thus," reported the local Temple Tele gram, "more than eighty G.I.'° learned how teamwork among free men can help win a bountiful peace, just as teamwork helped them win the bloodiest of wars." Pragmatic View Those tilings that are not practicable are not desirable. There is nothing in the world redlly beneficial that does not lie within the reach of an informed under standing and a well-protected pursuit. There is nothing that God has judged good for us that he has not given us the means to accomplish, both in the natural and moral world. If we cry, like children, for the moon, like children, we must cry on.—Burke. January, 1946 I5 By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL Publicity Director, The Cooperative League WHAT'S NEWS With the Co-ops A brief who, what, when and where of significant co-op happenings for the information of cooperative workers, and others interested Because of space limitations, chronological order will not be strictly followed and important items uecesuanly omitted from one issue will be published later 1945—A Record Year For Co-ops /COOPERATIVE production was the dominant note in cooperative progrès? in 1945 as the purchasing co-ops checked up a record year with an estimated billion dollar business. The close of the war brought also a new turning outward to international cooperative action and prac tical immediate steps to put "postwar plans" to work. During the year just closed, coopera tives purehased two petroleum refineries, one at Levelland, Texas, and one at Louis ville, Kentucky, bringing the total in U. S. and Canada to eleven. They also added to their oil production by the purchase of 164 additional oil wells, bringing the to tal up to nearly five hundred wells, and acquired leases on 35,000 acres of oil lands to put total holdings up to 139,- 000 acre=. Other steps into the field of produc tion during the year included a new fer tilizer factory in Portland, Oregon, anrl a feed mill at Klamath Falls, Oregon; coal mines in Alberta, Canada, and Idaho; additions to the feed mill at Superior, Wisconsin, As the year closed, construc tion was underway for a fertilizer factory at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and a feed mill and a seed processing plant in the Twin Cities. Other production enter prises included a water heater factory at Albert Lea. Minnesota; two new soybean processing plants; saw mills at Canoe, British Columbia, and Benton, Arkansas. A survey completed in October showed 58 mills, factories and refineries owned by cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives. To implement post war plans, neM ware houses were authorized, land purchased, or buildings were under construction in Indianapolis; Oakland. California: Chi cago; Superior; Hartford and the Balti more-Washington area. Billion Dollar Year Business of purchasing cooperatives is conservative!) estimated at well over a bil lion dollar? in 1945. The L. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the 1944 volume of four types of consumer coop eratives (1) retail distributive, (2) local service co-ops, (3) credit cooperatives or credit unions, and <4) rural electric co operatives — totaled $841,400,000. The Farm Credit Administration, in a report covering the 1943-44 season, reported the business of purchasing cooperatives at $730.000.000 with additional purchasing business of marketing co-ops pulling this total over the billion mark to $1,010,000,- 000. These two reports are made inde pendently and cover some of the same cooperatives. The Farm Credit Adminis tration figure includes no city coopera tives; the BLS report includes city co operatives but not all kinds of farmers purchasing cooperatives. It is next to impossible to determine the net membership of purchasing coop eratives. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 6,022,1)00 members in the four classifications covered in its survey, but points out that many families are mem bers of several types of cooperatives. International Advancement Internationa] trade between coopera tives was cut off almost entirely by the war, and other international cooperative activities were severely curtailed. First substantial new business in that field has been orders for oil to be shipped from I . S. co-op refineries to cooperatives in Sweden and France. The first post war international coop erative conference brought representatives of fourteen countries to London in Sep tember. U. S Delegates were Murray D. Lincoln and Howard A. Cowden, president and vice-president of the Cooperative League. At the London meeting steps were taken to merge the operations of the International Cooperative Wholesale So ciety and the International Cooperative Trading Agencv. The conferences also approved the formation of an Internation al Cooperative Petroleum Association to undertake international trade and produc tion of petroleum. At the San Francisco Conference creat ing the United Nations Organization, co operative representatives proposed the formation of an International Coopera tive Office in UNO and urged that the International Cooperative Alliance be rep resented in the Economic and Social Coun cil. This proposal received assurances of considerable support. Late in the year, the Cooperative League took the initiative in the organization of the Cooperative for American Remit tances to Europe (CARE). Twenty-two relief agencies are members. Training; Programs Grow Rochdale Institute conducted one com prehensive course and four advance train ing courses for present and prospective co-op employees, setting a new record of students. Personnel training has been stepped up to handle returning veterans. In education, outstanding developments of the year included a drive bv Ohio Farm Bureau cooperative« for a thousand additional advisory councils, a drive by co-ops in CCA territory to establish 27 district educational federations, addition of educational fieldmen in man} regions. FATHER AND SON MEET AT CONVENTION. Dean of Ontario cooperators, W. C Good, Brantford, was re-elected to the board of the United Farmers Cooperative Co. at the annual shareholders' meeting in Toronto last month. Mr. Good was recently elected honor ary president of the Cooperative Union of Canada following 24 consecutive years as president. Picture was snapped at the United Farmers Cooperative convention as Mr. Good chatted with his son, Alien, of the staff of East York Collegiate. 16 CO-OP Magazine a development program in Eastern Coop erative League area, and an increase in regional training programs. Rounding out the cooperative program has been a growing increase of interest in recreation and youth work. Four regional cooperatives added Youth and Recreation Directors to their staffs during the year to guide the developments. Major em phasis has been on training volunteer leaders. Over one hundred from coop erative and community groups attended the [National Cooperative Recreation School and Educational Directors Institute sponsored by the Cooperative League in June. The Eastern Cooperative Recrea tion School was expanded this year to a two-weeks school; Midland sponsored a two weeks school for the first time; Cen tral Cooperative Wholesale conducted a full summer's program of camping and training at Brule, Wisconsin. Cooperative Serviras Expand At year's end, four new cooperative hospitals are being organized in the Pacific Northwest. \ new hospital was or ganized at Pellican Rapids, Minnesota. Two Harbors, Minnesota, completed its plan for a co-op hospital early in the year. A new nurses home was built to serve the co-op hospital in Elk City, Oklahoma, and general interest in the cooperative health field grew generally. Group Health Co operative in New York added visiting nurse service. Group Health Mutual, St. Paul, reported a doubling of membership; and Group Health Association of Wash ington, D. C-, overcame several hardships of war-time operations. Biggest housing cooperative in America was planned and finances assured with construction to begin as soon as mate rial is available It will be known as the East River Cooperative Homes and will be built at a cost of $5,000,000 in New York's lower East Side. Man> other groups throughout the country are pre paring to build as soon as possible. Facing opposition in Washington, but promising great hope in helping to solve the housing shortage, is a proposal for the cieation of a Mutual Housing Ad ministration which will make feasible long term credit for cooperative housing. In the insurance field, new records were =et all along the line. Farm Bureau Mutual, alreadv the fourth largest mutual casualty company in the country, reported $6,500,000 premium income in the first half of 1945. Farm Bureau Life pushed ilc coverages up to more than $118 million by mid-vear, adding more than f 13 million in coverages. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, the five coopeiative insurance companies operating under joint management re ported gains running from 17% to 45% for the first half of the year. Credit unions, in a drive under the di- lection of the Credit I nion National \s- sociation, reported an increase of mem bership of 50,000 in the first few months of 1945 "National Expansion I ooking toward closer coordination of the national cooperative movement, a loint Committee of representatives of INa- DEMOCRACY THRIVES UNDER STUDENT CO-OP PLAN. Twenty-three young peo ple, including two Negroes, onp Chinese, seven white Gentiles and eight Jews, resi dents of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Student Cooperative House, at Cleveland, are proving that democracy can work and be fun. Product of a co-op student housing movement started late in I938 by I2 social workers, the F.D.R. House, only a few months old, has also proved that such problems as finance and housework can be handled by share-alike m&thods, with everyone remaining friends. tional Cooperatives, The Cooperative League and the Cooperative Finance As sociation of America was appointed in Oc tober and will meet early in 1946 to con sider (1) national organization structure; (2) national staff organization; (3) na tional education, business and finance programs; and <4) national budgets. The Cooperative Finance Association of America, formerly the National Coopera tive Finance Association, was registered with the Securities Exchange Commission in 1945, is now ready for operation. Two additional regional cooperatives. Farmers 1 nion State Exchange, Nebraska, and Alberta Cooperative Wholesale, be came members of National Cooperatives, during the year, bringing the total mem bership in National to 20 associations. Al ready serving more than 3,200 local co-ops with 1,160,000 family members and doing a business in 1944 of $152 million. Na tional took dramatic steps toward further expansion in production. Designs were drawn up and production got under way on new CO-OP refrigerators, radios, va cuiim cleaners, pressure cookers and other appliances. Plans were made for con linued expansion of the I niversal Milking Machine Division of National. New per sonnel was added to the staff in the fol lowing departments: surplus commodities procurement, appliances, appliance dis tribution and coordination; automotive supplies; advertising. Attacks Splutter 1945 saw co-ops weathering increased attacks by the National Tax "Equality" Association. NTEA continued its attack on co-ops "favorable" tax status and brought the matter to the attention of the House Small Business Committee, where representatives of both NTEA and the Na tional Association of Cooperative0 testi fied on the question. Congressmen were also deluged with propaganda from the National Coal Association and the Na tional Hardware Association. Despite large funds at its disposal, NTEA was unable to line up a great many of its natural allies in the field of busi ness. Fortune magazine, after making an intensive study of co-ops, published an article favorable to the co-op's tax posi tion. \ictor Emanuel. president of the Aviation Corp., denounced the attack. Gov. Edward J. Thye of Minn. declared he is "absolutely opposed to the NTEA pro gram of taxing the savings of coopera tive organizations." Another blow was dealt the NTEA when the Royal Tax Commis sion in Canada upheld the right of co ops to declare patronage refunds exempt trom taxation. Other supporters behind co-ops included: Senators Joseph Ball and George Aiken; Eleanor Roosevelt; Secre tary of Labor Schwellenbach; Judge Thurman Arnold: Marcia Davenport; Louis Bromfield; Stuart Chase; Congress man \oorhis; Ambassador John Winant. IN MEMORIAM Sir Roberl Lancaster, general manager, Cooperative Wholesale Society of England foi the past twenty-two years, died in Manchester, England, December 1. Under Mr. Lancaster's care the business volume of CWS increased from £66,205,566 to £166,834,649; an increase uf more lhan a half billion dollars. January, 1946 17 Help Your Community to Help Starving Peoples With CARE/ Local Co-ops Should Contact Other Groups on Relief Plan ' I HIE first announcements of the forma tion of CARE (Cooperative for Vmer- ican Remittances to Europe; have been greeted with a flood ot inquiries, and with offers lu help. Response has come from interested individual« and from some local cooperatives, whose members are anxious to know how thev can most effec- tiverj utilize the double public relations opportunity offered by CARE: the promo tion of TARE work in communities by co-ops, and education of a variety of ac tive community groups in the coopera tive method and philosophy. Ill details as to procedure in carrying oui CARE'b objectives have not yet been worked out, but as soon as possible post- e r s, remittance forms, circulars, ne wspaper stories and oth er aids will be provided. When these materials are distributed, co-ops and chap ters of the other twenty-one member-or ganizations of CARE should be in gear to do an intensive promotion job on thi« vital relief program. \^ith the completion last month of the organization of CARE, the broadest coop erative distribution program in history has been set in motion, and with it the oppor- These men will guide relief work of the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe (CARE). Seated, left to right: Alexander Landesco, American Joint Jewish Distribution Committee, treasurer of CARE; Murray D. Lincoln, The Cooperative League, president; Donald M. Nelson, honorary president; Lt. General William N. Haskell (retired), Save Hie Children Federation, executive director. Standing, left to right: Eastburn Thompson, American Friends Service Commit tee, vice-president and George Keogh, War Relief Services, National Catholic Welfare Conference, tunity for doing the most efficient post war relief work of all time. Group« and individuals wishing to donate food for relief work through CARE, will buy remittances igift cerli- ficates) from CARE, and the money so obtained will be used to buy food and (Continued on nett page) INDEX 1 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 jf JNrTt TA BUSINESS ACTIVITY JANUARY 1945-100 /" / STOCK^./— — ———— S. / PRICES/ X/ /\ /WHOLESALE / N/ PRICES,/ /~°—=-^ ^gyr^-^ft-f^ast; — y^ ———— • — —*<«»-_- . . . . „^^ TARM^Cr^^ RODUCTION ^-"^" PRICES -v^ ^X FACTORY,^-^ X EMPLOYMENT N \ \ V \\ t 1 1 N FEE MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT. NOV DEC J/ EC nrPARTMENT n „BOB 1 " *T O f 1 1 ___________ \N FEB MAR APR M 1946 NDEX 130 120 110 100 90 80 i 70 60 50 w Where To? All cooperators, but especially those re sponsible for planning future operations, will want to follow these monthly com posite charts of where we're going. As space permits, the chart of what hap pened after World War I (bee December CO-OP) will he reprinted occasionally in future issues. Compare them for your own forecast—probably as good as anv- one's. SELECTED INDEXES OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY FARM PRICES I2°r __ __ WHOLESALE PRICES ^PRODUCTION FACTORY EMPLOTJ MPLOYMENT 18 CO-OP Magazine send it to Europe, for distribution to indi viduals or group» designated bj the pur chasers of the remittances. An} savings from purchasing will be used directly for additional relief work. Organizations participating in CARE in clude the American Christian Committee for Refugees, Inc.; American Friends Service Committee; \merican Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc.; Commit tee on Christian Science Wartime Activi ties of the Mother Church; Congregation al Christian Service Committee; The Co operative League; International Rescue and Relief Committee, Inc.; Labor League for Human Rights, \FL; National CIO Community Services Committee: Save the Children Federation, Inc.; Tolstoy Founda tion, Inc.; Unitarian Service Committee; War Relief Services, National Catholic Welfare Conference, YMCA-World Emer gency and War Victims Fund and the relief agencies for Czechoslovakia, France, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, the 1'kraine, and Yugoslavia. Manj co-ops are now setting up CARE committees. Even though all mechanic0 for promotion are not yet complete, these committees can already contact local rep resentatives of CARE member organiza tions, arrange for fast, intensive action as soon as full material is received, and keep members of the co-op, the other or ganizations, and the community in general urged to channel their relief contributions for war victims through CARE. Hew Co-op Mills Manager New manager of Co-op Mills, Inc., Mr. C. E. Baker, holds a B. S. degree from Kansas State College; is a member of the \ssociation of Operative Millers, Amer ican Association of Cereal Chemists, and the Institute of Food Technologists. His milling experience includes: night mana ger, Rodney Mfg. Co., Kansas City, Mo.; chief chemist, Schultz, Baujan and Co., Beardslown, 111.; superintendent, Slater Mill and Elevator Co., Slater, Mo.; and Cereal Technologist. Chicago Quartermas ter Depot In ihese positions Mr. Baker has had experience in grading and selecting for processing most types of grains, and in the milling of practically every type of flour and cereal product used by ihe housewife, the baking and industrial trade. He will bring to the cooperatives specialized knowledge of the most recent developments in the field of prepared mixes for such items as doughnut, biscuit, cup cake, yellow cake, devil's food cake, gingerbread, corn muffin and pancake flours. Mr. Baker has also worked in the preparation of ready-to-eat cereals such as macaroni product», rice, rolled oats, corn meal, and hominy grits Two pieces of research by Mi. Bakei have been published: one on uncooked cereal« and wheats, the other on CEREAL GRAINS AND BREAKFAST FOODS. He has also been a contributor to technical jour nals in the cereal and milling fields. Mr. Baker is taking the place of Mi. Harold \oder, \vho resigned because of poor health. His resignation was accepted with reluctance, as the operations of the mill had developed well under his manage ment. Provide Veteran Training First to receive official approval for a training program for general insurance underwriters, according ro The Coopera tive Builder, Cooperative Insurance Com panies, serving Wisconsin and Minnesota, have initiated a veterans' on-the-job train ing program. \ returning veteran is allowed to start his career with an immediate income while pursuing an integrated program of selec tive study and planned work under ex perienced supervision. During a two-year period, the Veterans Administration pays the $50 per month if the person is single, $75 if married, in addition to the salary paid bj the cooperative. Interested persons may contact B. F. Ihlenfeldl, manager, Cooperative Insurance Services, Milwau kee, Wis. C. E. Baker, new manager of Co-op Mills, at Auburn, Ind., replacing Harold Yoder. In Alaska or In Death Valley CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid can take it And your member-patrons will take CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid when they know these facts: CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid . . . operates effectively at temperatures from —60' F. to -|-250 F. (minimum pour point, —70°F.; mini mum boiling point, -|-250' F.) . is harmless to rubber and metal parts . . . mixes readily with other approved hydraulic brake fluids. CO-OP Brake Fluid makes driving safer. Your mem ber-patrons can depend upon its unfailing performance under the worst of driving conditions. When they know that, they will use CO-OP. Promote CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid and you will promote your entire line of high quality CO-OP automotive chemi cals. Tell your patrons what it will do and they will tn it. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. January, 1946 19 For Your Co-op Party The co-op crossword puzzle below, prepared by George Yasukochi. should make a tantalizing bit of recreation for your next co-op gathering If there is enough de mand, we'll make reprints—or mats for printing in dis cussion bulletins. (Solution on page 25.) Across 1 This Nebraska town has a co-op and is not far from a CCA refinery. 7 Machines manufactiircd by National Cooperatives 13 Commune in Upper Fran coma, Bavaria, Germany 14 Mexican term for her northern neighbor. 18 Cheeks (Greek) 20 A street car in Rochdale, England 21 Someone a co-op can sprve 22 What Lincoln and Cowden disciissed in England re cently (slang). 23 Behold. S4 What NTEA aims to do to co-ops 25 Owners of the coopera tives 27 Northern inhabitant of a group of cooperatively minded countries 29 Central Utah town. 30 To contradict. 33 Part of a tool for con suming 34 Instruments nsed at co-op oil refineries. 36 Lovers of freedom are sometimes forced to be come these ,'*8 Foot-like part 39 To perform an operation on co-op by-laws. 41 Srram 42 Initials of the American representative to UNO 43 Dun't let your co-op's pro gram do this 44 Exclamation some times used after looking at a co-op operating statement 45 Manager of Associated Cooppratives of California 48 A regional cooperative. 51 Thing- 52 Moray 53 Cooperative business. 57 This publication has one or more 62 Top of a wave 66 Jots. 67 A common Latin alpha betic combination b'K "Boards and managers both do this occasionally. 69 A greeting (.abbrev ) 70 A violin made by a fa mous family in Cremona. 71 Poem. 73 A Now York subway sys tem 74 A "Consumers Union" type o f organiz ati on in the investmenl field. 75 Glamour resort of South America 7u Northeast 7"î Article 78 One of the products of co-op study groups (plur ). 79 Exist 81 Initials of Italian physi cist who developed the astatic galvanometer. 82 Hough winds 84 Free from mistake 86 Prefix meaning three 87 Isle (diminutive) 88 Help! 89 Something- co-ops must do constantly 9U Important inlorm a 11 o u about a prospective co-op member Down 1 Whole grains. 2 Grppk oomtiininer form foi metal plate. 3 American Baptist Mis sionary Union. 4 Identification for a co-op 5 To come out 6 Second person 7 Parent 8 Dental fillings. 9 Main business section of Chicago 10 Feminine name ID To put up a stake again 111 poker 13 Slipping1. 13 You'll find mariv in a fekyscrapei. 15 Concerning 16 One of the Co-op appli ances. 17 Educational arm of the cooperative movpmpiit 19 Mental deficiency. 25 The economic way to Peace and Plenty 26 Feminine name of He brew origin. 27 Farmer's Cirsl need. 28 Kecomppnsp. 31 Ideologies 32 To do this is a proper start for a co up gather ing. 35 Red Label 37 The atomic bomb has pul this in the toy nlass. 4u This New Jersey town has a co-op. 46 The lime for co-ops to ex p and 47 Employable 49 To rid of lice 50 A fortress (Sp ). 54 Trouble some pesl for which Co-ops supply an exterminating agent 55 Most consumers did this yesterd ay and today 56 Prosecuting officer. 58 Point for a fault. 59 Tellurium eu Railroad. 61 To bring into line 63 Co-op convention goers seek this always ( ab- brcv. ). 64 An organ very much 111 nse ai co-op meetings 65 Touls for walking 73 Drinking cup. 74 Feminine name oi Span ish origin. 77 Dry. tSU Kind of meetintr 83 Source of wealth of U S Stppl Corporation Rfi TTs f Latin). Current Books and Pamphlets More Pages for Your ZEON : COIJ) CATHODE FLUORESCEXT LIGHTING. Federal Electric Co , Inc , 8700 ri State, Chicago. 111. Free Collection of over twenty photographs (7 in color) of in terior» Illuminated by cold cathode lighting-. With a short introduction pointing out the economy, flexibility of design, and technical advantages of this type of illumination At present only eu stom built it is soon to DP available in standard fixture form SIXTY SPECIAL SALES EVENTS. National Association of Retail Grocers, 360 N Michi gan Ave Chicago, 111. 50 pp Free Mer chandising suggestions for monthly promo tion events. Covers sample feature com modities and related displays, signs, adver tising" methods, plus advertising- slogans useful for local bulletins, newspaper ads bag- stiiffers Full of iisefiü ideas. SELECTION OF STORE FRONTS. Owcns- Illinois Glass Co , Toledo, Ohio. Free At tractive designs, with plates and architects' plans, for 44 different store fronts Sug gestive for those considerine1 remodeling- or building- HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE. 74 pp $1 Avail able from regional co-ops Collection of edu cational methods for fieldmen and edu cation committee members Clear, factual text and lively illustrations The informa tion has been contributed by a large num ber of organizations including The Coopéra tive -Lragne With a list of community agencies from whom assistance may be oh tained WILL HE FIGHT THE 3RD WORLD WAR? Thp Coopfrative League $1 per hundred Leaflet explaining; how CO-OPS combat basic ea-Libes of war Designed for eye appeal, and with a strong- Uear cut, impressive message Splendid for membership drives and for bag- stuffing. COOPERATION IN THE BUILDING OF HOMES. 30 pp Bureau of Labor Statistics, U S. Department of Labor. Free Report on seven cooperatively built housing proj- e^ts in the TT S. Projects discussed are not wholly cooperative in nature, as title to land and buildings is not retained by asso ciation but by families iiarticipating. Never theless, those interested in cooperative hous ing will find much useful material here on types and costs of houses and sites, com munity and cooperative project activities and services, community layouts, financing of projects, procedure of organization. In the Periodicals COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER QUIZ. Manon Preece Recreation, October, 1945 Ho\v to organize and operate a community center program Clear and comprehensive "how to ÉTO about it" dirprtions RED LIGHTS FOR FIRE INSURANCE CO OPS. By Kermit Bird. News for Farmer Co operatives, Nov Lî>45. Analyses reasons for past failures of fire iiisuraupp co-ops, sug gests that they are high assessment and loss rates, variable assessment rate and va riable loss rate, expense rate above average, lew reseives and small surpluses, small amounts of insurance in force. A UNIVERSITY SIDES WITH THE CO-OPS. GTA Digest, Nov., 184E Why St Francis Xavier University's extension department teaches and defends cooperatives YOUB POTENTIAL LIES WITH YOU! By P S. Morrow Tlie Challenger, October, 1945 Duties of the co-op insurance serviceman, with some technical and historical data he must know in ordpr to do a e'ood job. CO-OP Fact Book pages, published in monthly groups in CO-OP Magazine beginning with the December, 1945, issue, will contain, cumulatively, a wide variety of information about cooperative organizations, functions, commodities, services, progress in America and the world. Pages fit an) standard 5" x 3" six ring, loose-leaf binder. Strong, simulated leather, semi-flexible covers, with "CO-OP Fact Book" embossed in gold, as shown in the accompanying illustration, will be avail able soon through regional and local cooperatives at $1 each. Printed at the bottom of pages are section names and page numbers, so that each person's Fact Book may be divided into sections according to subject matter. When the pages become sufficiently numerous to require it, an index page will be published. An added mechanical feature beginning this month is the marginal reference guide on the outer edge of each page to enable users to locate a desired section b> quick thumbing. At the bottom of every odd-numbered page, the date of its publication is printed, to enable users to know the age of the data on that leaf. \\ hen the information on a leai becomes obsolete, new, revised pages with the same page references will be pubished to replace the old. This will keep the Fact Book constantly up to date. "Vital statistics" about member regional«—business vol umes, havings, service points, memberships, etc.—are always desirable data for use in promoting understanding and ad vancement of cooperatives. This information, being com piled for 1945 as fast as figures can be obtained from the regional organizations, will appear in Fact Book pages at, soon as complete. Eight pages with which the Fact Book was started in the December issue, may be obtained by sending 25c for a copy of that issue to CO-OP Magazine care your local or regional cooperative, or at 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4, 111. Keep Your Facts Handy Watch your regional cooperative publications for special offer in connection with subscriptions to CO-OP Magazine and embossed covers for Fact Book pages. Rochdale Principles o o o 1. Open Membership—Anyone who can be served by the cooperative is eligible tor membership, regardless of race, creed or financial or social position. 2. Democratic Control—Each member of a co operative has only one vote on any question, regardless of the amount of his share capital. Proxy \oting is not allowed. 3. Limited Interest—The dividend or interest on a cooperative's share or loan capital is held at or Below a low maximum—usually at a fixed rate and non-cumulative 4. Patronage Havings — The net remainder of funds, after providing for all expenses and proper reserves, is refunded to patrons in proportion to patronage,, rather than on the amount of capital owned 5. Trade for Gash—As" a general rule, business in a cooperative Is done on a cash basis to eliminate the extra cost of credit records and to remove the disadvantages- of members in debted to the co-op. 6. Creedal Neutrality—Cooperatives do not takr sides on religion or party politics. Legislative activity by cooperatives is limited to the pro tection and advancement of cooperative function. 7. Constant Education—Members must be kept fully informed about the objectives, services, activities and condition of their cooperative, and of cooperative affairs generally. 8. Constant Expansion—To increase the vitality and usefulness of the cooperative, members should make constant effort to serve more people and to expand the types of service provided. 20 CO-OP Magazine January, 1946 21 o o V • 1-46 EDUCATION—I What Progressive Business Men Think About Taxing Cooperative Savings Victor Emmanuel, president, Aviation Corporation — * The cooperati\e is a corporation with one important difference. It is built to serve patrons at cost rather than to serve the public at a profit . . . You cannot tax profits where there are no profits. In this simple statement is em bodied the fundamental mistake of the NTEA " FORTUNE Magazine — "Their \aluts are social as well as economic . . . The community as well as the individual gains by their existence . . . Rebates on pur chases constitute in effect a lowering of prices ... A tax on cooperative withholdings would hamper only the small growing cooperatives *iince the well-established ones would be able to tiorrow back . all the money they want." l?. S. Rubber Company bulletin — "Any corporation that elects to, may do busi ness on trre same basis (as a cooperative) by lefunding its profits to its patrons." Edward J. Thye, Governor of Minnesota — "Cooperatives do not make profits . . . any savings . are divided on a pro-rata (to patron age; basis . . I do not belie\ e the cooperative constitutes a threat to individually-owned business." A. J. Roth, manager, Commerce Division, Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce — "Why there should be a sudden and bitter attack upon cooperatives is a mystery to me, except that the inroads into the sacred pre cincts of retail distribution must be their un pardonable offense' . . . Cooperatives enjoy no tax exemption not enjoyed by an unincorporated business " St. Paul Pioneer Ii]\i>r<>s* — 'Businessmen \\ho have studied objectively the nature and growth of cooperatives have little fc-jmpathy for the tax campaign against co-ops . . . These cooperatives, their services and the pmius of their leaders will be highly important in coping with the peace-time economic prob lems that lie ahead." -1-46 PROTECTION—I The Coopérative Emblem A o Tlie Pine Tree IK the annent symbol of endurai)' e, fecundity, and immortality. These aie the qualities that we see in Cooperation In the old Egyptian, Persian and Indian mythology, the pine tree and its symbol the pine cone are found typifying: life and tin.* perpetuation of life The hardy pine sym bolizes the enduring- quality of Cooperation More than one inn«1 tree is used to represent the mutual (ool)eiation necessary. The trunks ol the pine trees are continued into the roots whi( h torni .1 divle The eucle is another aiuient symbol ot eternal life It typifies that whieh has no end The circle m this emblem represents also the world, the all-embracing- < osmos ot \vhit h Cooperation is a part and which depends for its existence upon Coop eration The color of the two pine trees, and the tircle is darK preen this is the color of chlorophyl whic h is the life principle in na ture. The ba< kground within the UK le is iroklen yellow typifying the sun, the fa\ei- of lij-rht arc! lUe —James Peter Warbass«* O o o o Co-ops in Context— One World—Or None! By C. J. McLANAHAIN Educational Director, The Cooperative League I DO NOT know how you rate the career of Wendel] Willkie. That is not important. I believe you will agree that he made at least one great contribution that will be long remembered. Toward the end of his life he made a plane trip around the world and then came back to write the book "One World." In it, you will recall, was his emphasis that the people of the world are so much alike and now live so close together that they ought to leam to live together in harmony and peace. Recently Dr. Harry Fosdick said that if Wendell Willkie were to write his book today he would change the title and instead of call ing it "One World" would name it "One World—Or None." Dr. Fos dick went on to say that with the coming of the atomic bomb it was no longer a matter of whether it was a good idea to live in "one world" or not but an absolute necessity Much has been said about the atomic bomb, and we are becoming slightly tired of the subject. We cannot, however, put the problem aside until we have made some progress in solving it. Its implica tions for us are too terrible. A few days after the unveiling of the bomb over Japan, one of the columnists of the Chicago Sun pointed to the revolutionary significance of this new type of energy: "The world we knew was familiar, and therefore comforting. Our life was a series of struggles for survival, struggles between indi viduals, corporations, labor unions, communities, nations, continents. "We told ourselves that this was the good life: it brought out the best in men, permitted the best nations to dominate the earth, en couraged progress. 'Free competition' became a shibboleth. Under this rule, we thought, the best of the world's goods would go to those who deserved them, and those who fell behind in the race would be inspired to improve their lot and so also contribute their bit to the general welfare. "Now suddenly all this is changed. The new world is a strange and unfamiliar place. If a large nation can reduce an enemy city to rubble with one blow, so can a small nation. If a good man can hurl this Jovian thunderbolt, so can an evil man. The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. The whole basis of a com petitive society has been undercut, and we are confronted with the injunction to cooperate or die." The Causes of Strife The handwriting is on the wall. We cannot afford to delay in facing this new world any longer. We must ask in cold frankness what it is that causes the periodic upsets, the intermittent wars that plague us—the constant progression toward an Armageddon that is more horrible than we care to describe. The basic causes, it seems to me, line up something like this: Over the last hundred years people have been constantly losing owner ship, until today in our own country less than 15% of the people own anything of significant worth. The other 85% own no more than their own personal possessions, a few small businesses and minor amounts of farm land. Ownership of the natural resources, the in dustrial, the finance and distribution systems have come into the hands of a smaller and smaller number of people. This group is constantly on the move to use this control for their own advantage. Their profits are higher if there is scarcity or if they can join to keep prices at a monopoly level. As a result, the larger group of people is forced to live on a scarcity and poverty standard. They dwell in insecurity, the breeding ground of fear and misunderstanding. Conflicts develop between the two groups This is the story of the last 25 years. In one country after another the conflict between the two groups has broken out into the open. First in Russia, then China, Spain, Japan, South America, Italy, Germany; each has been the scene of a struggle between the smaller group of those who own and the larger number of those who do not. Today people are on the march and they will not rest until they have obtained a greater share in the wealth of their nations Thus the great problem becomes that of getting ownership into the hands of a larger and larger number of people. There are three ways in which this can be done. First, through direct seizure. The masses can organize themselves and by revolutionary force take ownership from the smaller group 22 CO-OP Magazine which has cornered it This method we cannot advocate The second approach is through political action By votes, in a democracy, the larger number may come into powfr and then set about distributing ownership on a 'wide scale. This is the method that is being tried in Great Britain today. The third method is through cooperatives. In this way, the peo ple become first thp owners of their retail stores, and then their wholesales, from which point they move into manufacturing and then to ownership of natural resources. The same principle and procedure is followed in the organization of producer and marketing cooperatives. The farmers first become owners of their collecting depots, then their processing plants, and then their marketing sys tem. Step by step, in an evolutionary and democratic manner the people come to gain a greater ownership of the wealth and wealth- producing factors of the nation. When the people have gained ownership in this manner, they are in position to go on and build a sound economic and social system When the people own, they have control; they can get it in no other way and maintain it effectively. With control in their hands, the people can operate the machinery of the economy to produce abundance. There is no advantage in trying to promote scarcity. With abundance will come security, and with security, freedom. There is no alternative way by which to climb the ladder to free dom. We have tried to gain it by taking short cuts, but unless it is undergirded by security and abundance it will not endure. For centuries we have been hot in pursuit of security and free dom Could it be that we have been employing the wrong methods, and that here is a new approach that will lead us to success? Until now it has not been extremely important how fast we moved. We could take years to achieve greater security and freedom. But something new has entered the picture. There is a new handwriting on the wall. We cannot delay. We must coopeiate or die. There are only a few years left. With the tools of cooperation to help, employed along with those of other people's agencies, the church school, state, farm and labor organizations, we can remove the threat of the atomic bomb and move on to the united world that we must have Whether we will or not is another question. We cannot, however, long delay in an swering. It is one world or none. foot/ lictfe/1 /Yrf/tf Schools ' 1 1 HE Fro7eii Locker Manufacturer« and Supplier« Association and the National Frozen Food Locker Association have completed arrange ments for two Fnrn-n Food Locker Plant Schools one to be held a! Kansas State College, Manhattan, Kansas February 11 to Vpril 26, the other at Ohio State 1 niveisity, Columbus, Ohio, Match 26, througli May il. The course' will include all procedures connected with the operation of a frozen food locker plant, and they will also include proceduies that will he of value to the patrons. Specifically thev \\ill include (1) a history of the art and science of food preservation, (2) trade association activities and accomplishments, id) processing of meats, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruit, i4i laws governing locker operators, (5) services which locker operators can render to huild confidence in their business, (6) letter writing and advertising, (7) bookkeeping methods, (8) the preparation of frozen foods for table use and, (9) tilt, principles uf refrigeration The processing oi iwat« will include the slaughtering of beef, sheep and hogs; the cutting wrapping and freezing of meat; rendenng of lard, sniokins. curing, chilling, aging and labeling The work with poultry, lisb and game will include killing, chilling, picking, dre=sing, glazing, packaging, freezing and storage. The vegetable and fruit course will include recommended varieties, blanching, preparation, antioxi dants, packaging, quick freezing and storage. Instructors from Animal Husbandly. Poultry Husbandry, Horticul ture, Home Economic^, Rural Economics, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Chemistry, Business Organization, Economics and Engi neering will contribute' their efforts to make this a well rounded course. Registration, costing &60.00 for the eleven-week term, will be restricted to sixty (60) students. Advanced registration of civilian» may be made by sending check payable to either I niversity address ing Prof Ooige \. Filmger, Kansas Slate College, or Prof. H. D Brown, Horticulture Department, Ohio '•late I niversity. Veterans should make applications and anange well in advance for payments at their nearest convenient local Veterans Administration Office. A detailed program ma^ be secured upon request from either school o o o o January, 1946 23 O o o o o V ative C a. B t £ tH •3 = 1 s -5 i K o s 5 iä w c ^ £ K S w w MjrfTp A W of Nationa 01 _D 01 "D 01 "D U o o o o m o o o O K K M .= !a fc - S ~ ^- ^ c 2 « rt rt è è PUBLICITY— l Labeling Policy On CO-OP Products As adopted December 20, 1544, by the Board of Directors, National Cooperatives, Ine. The label on a commodity, like the advertising of a commodity can be extieinely useful to consumers in selecting products çiost economical and satisfying. In adopting the follow ins labeling policy. National O«"»p- eratives has pledged its enthe organization to the pro tection of the consumer's dollar in the home and on the farm: 1. National Cooperatives will at all times pre sent the consumer's (the user's) point Of view— giving accurate, honest and, where practical, complete specifications on the label When in the user's interest, we shall give the limitations as well as the advantages of a given product (Cooperatives being- owned and controlled by the member-patrons, are the only merchandisers who can speak in their behalf ) 2. Tntegrate our labeling policy by emphasizing- those names and methods which are applicable to all CO-OP groups ("forest grreen and cream for architectural trim, the jname CO-OP so that publicity can be effectively produced on the national level, elimination so far as possible of restrictive terminology) 3. We shall zealously protect the integrity and the good name of CO-OP brand and assume the responsibility for increasing- its acceptance in the communities we serve. 4. Tn all cases where the CO-OP label appears on a product It will represent, in our estimation, a definite consumer use and value for the pur pose for which it is intended. l I-I-4G DISTRIBUTION—I V I ~ I p 3 O 01 n o 3 à ^ a o s rV re re 7> o o a si * w3 B£s pj 50 O M EU ü 5=2 ice for the regionale si cifications a œ S 2 » s 9 ^ S — • r*- ^ ""^ 5" o 3 rf- 3 a S1* S" o B S« a B P re EU EU £" *"* * £ Es o 3 a Si -1 S •aË re a re ä S- O 2 a 1 *l ?* a s ? re P» S Nj œ sponsible f« détermine 1 p1 hj re 3* s s 1° » ff S 0 a3 S. P 3 3 M a 1 I re M £ & Advertisin « 3 g rt- s g P B re P 4 O 3 ri ff re I •§ ° f m -i re »H p B B O 5 û§a g 55 a xi „ U £ !» Ë ro 5 Sf ?.<" 0 ft n S £ Sow & ro 3 o "• P S ro r* 50 Er,« 3. S 0 E.Û? O rH n t n re Z P rt- O* n £. 9 o I re OT o TQ rt- J re S-' fü c re X " £ ft m S 5ffl " r» 3 ra O 5 ° ff ^ H ï3' ffl several qua est quality Led Label, t Blue Labe the CO-OP Q n * 5 "i M u S* ft « K 0) § & 0 ET o ^ O ft M» S & t?1 S fi § * • J^ p £ W r^ E & W S X §• (D o re re S" M' & M re P & 0" re n o n M c 3 re a" p u n ^ p ^ S » 3 g. r* •< & S S S"° S ä^ t; œ y ^* * p C re f«?s i gl§°l e^ll^ n- jij _re jo S' M M ; sssil ' -! r, f » S SB g ffl re »ri ^ si|° ^ ^ So £ ! 2. 2. *r jq jq M *i , [31 Jjl M g " M rt- gj | 0 0 ro 3 j O » = 3 S ^- = 0 I "Î S ;' ! o W ? a 3 a 5' P j* n ' O ' a Periodicals Published by Members of National Cooperatives (Continued from preceding naae) Piibhslu-r* Frequency Circulation Hoosier Farmer IPBCA Manitoba Cooperator ManCW Miolug-an Farm News MFBS Midland Cooperator MCW Nebraska Cooperator FUSX Ohio Cooperator OFBCA Ohio Farm Bureau News OFBCA Pacific Northwest Cooperator PSC Pennsylvania Co-op Review PFBCA Producer-Consumer CCAtx Rural Cooperator UFC "Initials of KeKional Coopérative; see ORG 3 o sm m sin sm m m sm 60 000 44,400 38 407 84 7*50 26 000 118 95« 90000 41,000 127 onn 1K.77K 27306 O Kclitor Glenn W s,imple Q H Maitinson Einar Ung-ren Tver Lind L S Herren James R. Moore JanieM R Moore. Kenneth McCandless T Warren Metzger Donald W. May Andrew Hebb O p o T3 Oi H. s ra i! i 3. IÄ If i-!. i a 11 S* IG^! tS »LE., '"i 73 i p£ 3 i s a 2 ' K Si Hl Q §'§5f! D- re* a 5-1 5? 3' L; n> .gro •3 S tr1 B' s „ s •* p _. 1 &. a- M ^j j^ * I s ^ "'S •s es ^ H* S S ' § R B- 3 1 CTQ ft ~ er tD —. «4. » p Ht Ê-^o g- 3 05 ä -^ - " 3 a W S 3 jj W p. (B l-s ^1 S 13 ^ S' S S Û5 P P±J ^ fB PS h—, rj- ülsi T VI * or « &d ^s i' 1 e ^ S ^» g. — H*! &- G ft t" rX ft i S ES ft ft. n j^: * Sow •rr- rt- 3-S i E. , 99 « 3 B1. ' S S g -*; 11 3 M« S 'S § . K. ru ï—i rf S? £- (f ft ! • s. &• » II 5 S' D- 3 l ft (D l Q H^e; g g1 So S n Hh a; Mo QÜ &. I ? ^ H. iMM es | i f 3 ä\ a fl-3-!" ° ?" ' S m " C3 p o_ „ \ 3 ^ <° n> 3 O 3 o = q ° " £ c -" rüS-n cn m o (3^3 3 !"§ 5 -j o "* n OJ -• (D < 2* "3 "° o •< a •< Œ CD *" °- """ o-^" O O 3- O 2 * »5" » 5 •< 3 = 2L 3 -Ha o""'"* • s.i^ _ -i- i | »«o ST 1 3J U? Z I W J> V! co ,,, "ïf -n RESERVES 1- 1 S = SLOW MOVING ITEMS M« MEDIUM-FAST MOVERS F • FAST MOVERS CO , —— HI. ' *' 2 -n -n — — t/5 i J> » -n C T T C U CO CO — 2 2 2 •n -n ASSEMBLY LINE v^ 1 1 ! / co !X -o -o z CD -o r —3 s 2 co I T> T> Z O 0 o n g oaps, sham poos, cold cream, vanishing cream, deodorant cream, and lotions, CO-OP Cosmetics will attract attention and help to increase turnover in this department. Order from your regional, and get the attractive cosmetics display card with your initial shipment. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, CO-OP FACE POWDER "The final touch . . . for bcautj enhancement.'" Soft in texture and delicately scented, there are four shades from which ini- larK mav choose. CO-OP CAKE MAKE-UP For thai "smooth" appearance and longer lasting look of freshness. Avail able in four shades, to match CO-OP face powders. Large, eoni- pact-si^e plastic containers. CO-OP ROl'GE "Color balance for added attractiveness" . . . Five lipstick- matching shades. Handy screw-on type bov. CO-OP LIPSTICK Six "fas cinating red-tones" in popu lar large-size swivel tubes. Re fills available at low cost. o ^1 o* CO u o o o_ 0> I * PURCHA 8 2 u. 2 OS. Ui Z CO IS r i . i g X H- s O 2 s u_ o H2 O CO •Ja M a g a z i n e 'Ja > *»~ ' 1 .-co £RAL L. VrfEA*5 Once upon a time a meat cutter discovered that customers like to buy from the clean looking butcher. So he discarded his freshly laundered black apron and put on a nice white one because it looked cleaner. His fellow meat cutters saw that it was a good idea and they, too, started wearing white aprons. Only in recent years have businessmen found out that the same rule applies to other goods, too. By careful tests they have proved that patrons prefer the clean looking place of business when they buy, not only meat, but feed, seed, gas oline, lumber, implements, appliances—in fact anything. That's why smart merchandising men put on new tiie store fronts—paint interiors with light, bright colors—double the amount of electric lighting—end then spend valuable time dusting, sweeping and scrubbing. TAKE A CRmCAL LOOK AT YOUR CO-OP Sweep 'n' Scrub. There's a world of soles appeal in broom ond mop—when used. Paint 'n' Varnish. Cream— with green trim—is recommended for interior face-lifting. Light-up 'n' Stuff. Let there be light—and plenty of it—to give that cheerful cleon look. An officiai organ of National Cooperatives, Inc., The Cooperative League of the USA, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America. Editor. Gilman Calkins ASSOCIATE EDITORS p J Tampbell C. J McLanahan James L Proebstine: ADVISORY COMMITTEE Editors. ...... . ..... George E. Tichenor Educational Directors ... ..... .E A Whitney Personnel Directors .. . Herbert E Evans Sales & Adv'g Directors. ... Gordon E Nevins Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president; Howard A Cowden, vice president ; E R Bovven, general secretary ; L E. Woodcock, treasurer ; Mary Arnold, Charles Baker, B N Benjamin, Perry L. Green, A. J Hayes, I. H. Hull. Andrew P Jensen, Wm Liimatainen, Frances Logan, A J Smaby, Dwight D Townsend, J. P Warbasse. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC I. H. Hull, president; J L Nolan, vice presi dent ; Howard A. Cowden, secretary-treasurer ; A J Hayes, chairman ; T. A. Tenliune, asst secretaiy-treasurer; H. S Agster, Charles Baker, B. N. Benjamin, E B Chown, Leonard F. Cow- den, Balph Evans, J A. Geddes J H Gervais, E. W Hogg, H. IT Hogue, C S. Jones, J E Keltner, Laune Lehtin, William Liimatainen, Jacob Liukku, M. G. Mann, Bruce McCully, Bob- ert McKay, Robert Neptune, C. C. Palmer, B M. rierson, Boyd Bainey. W B Bobins, William Sandeison, Jerry F. Shea, B J Scott, J J Sie mens, A J Smaby W. E. Stough, George Urwin, L. E Woodcock, J F. Yaeger COOP'VE FINANCE ASS'N OF AMERICA Perry L. Green, president; Glenn S Fox, first vice-president; J E. Keltner, second vice-presi dent; E. B Bowen, secretary; T A. Tenhune, treasurer; Harland Alien, Charles Baker. William W Blaisdell, Andrew P Jensen, Arne Johnson Regional Cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America ALBEKTA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 107 Bevillon Bldg , Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FABMEBS MUT AUTO INS CO St Paul, Minnesota ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St , Oakland, California CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTBAL STATES COOPEEATIVES 1535 South Peoria St., Chicago 8, Illinois CONSUMEES COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St., Kansas City, Missouri CONSUMEES COOPEEATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amarillo, Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison Wisconsin EASTEBN CO-OP LEAGUE AND WHOLESALE 44 West 143d St., New York 30, New York FAKM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St, Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUEEAU MUTUAL AUTO INS CO 246 North High St., Columbus 16, Ohio FAKM BTJKEAU SEBVICES 221 North Cedar St., Lansing, Michigan FABMEES COOPEEATIVE EXCHANGE Baleigh, North Carolina FAEMEBS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P O Box G, St Paul, Minnesota FARMERS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenworth St , Omaha, Neb INDIANA FARM BUEEAU CO-OP ASSN. 47 S Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis 9, Ind. INDUSTBIAL ARTS COOPEBATIVE SEEVICE 519 West 121st St., New York 27, New York MANITOBA COOPEBATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St , Winnipeg, Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St. N E , Minneapolis 13, Minn PACIFIC COAST STUDENT CO OP LEAGUE Berkeley, California PACIFIC SUPPLY COOPEEATIVE P O Box 1004, Walla Walla, Wash PENNA. FARM BUREAU COOPEBATIVE ASSN. 3607 South Derry St , Harrisburg, Pa SASKATCHEWAN FEDEEATED COOP'TIVES Saskatoon, Saskatchewan UNITED FARMERS COOPEEATIVE COMPANY Duice and George Sts , Toronto 2, Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South, Salt Lake City 4, Utah Journal of technical assistance and information for local cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members VOLUME 2. NO. 2 CONTENTS Operating Budget for Appliance Stores By James F. Blackbur/i Family Institute Present? Co-op Story By Elizabeth Hayward Why Don't We Tell the Women.'' By W. A. Anderson CO-OP Magazine Display-of-the-Month Club Bogardus to Full Time with National Quotes from NCFC Annual Meeting Purchase Systematically (Toral ro-op policy) German Cooperatives and \\ orld War II . By Dr. Erwin Hasselmann \ Peak at NTEA Techniques Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations. Departments Coming Events .... They've VIoved Into New Responsibilities Looks o' Things . .. News About Commodities In Memoriam Fact Book Pages ........ What's News with the Co-ops Current Books and Pamphlets Business Activity (economic trends graph) . . . Editorial- National Cooidination Moves fojwaid PICTURE CREDITS Paerp K, Leon V Ticlunm pase 10 Wurts page 18 Ag-Eesearph. pa?e 23, Acme FEBRUARY, 1946 5 8 10 12 13 18 i;: 20 22 CO OP Magazine is published monthly by The Cooperative League of the USA Business Manager Oilman Calkins Editorial and business offices, 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4 Illinois Cable address, COOPAM Entered as second class matter April 20, 1945, at the postoftice at Chi cago, Illinois, under the act of March 3, 1879 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 Coop eratives, Inc Subscription Rates. One year, $2 50 ; three years, $6 10 or more copies in one wrapper to same address, $2 per year per copy Single copy price, 25 cents. Mailed anywhere without extra charge. Unsolicited manuscripts submitted at author's risk; should be accompanied by return postage Regional Circulation Managers. Jack Heino, CCW; Jean Johnston, Indiana; Dorothe MacKay, California; Donald W May Texas; R. M Mitchell. Pacific Supply; MarEedant Peters Central States,- Walter W White, Midland; W B Eobins, Utah; Doris Casamello, Eastern CHANGE OF ADDEESS Send old address label with new address to Circulation Manager, CO-OP, Magazine, 843 S Dearborn St.. Chicago 4, 111 , and allow 30 days for correction of listing. ^gg^ February, 1946 HOT SUMMER DAYS ARE COMING ... when a good drink of Cool water is always in demand stock CO-OP WATER BAGS t keeps water cool by the natural method—evaporation t always ready for use ... no presoakmg necessary ^ easy to carry . . . equipped with hardwood handle and rope sling t easy to drink from . . . long-lasting aluminum mouth piece t easy to clean . . . the hardwood handle is simple to remove for convenient access to inside of bag t durable . . . made of sturdy cotton duck In all likelihood, you've been handling water bags for your member-patrons. They've found them ideal for taking cool, clean drinking water wherever they want it ... in the field or out on the ranch, or along on picnics, hikes, hunting, fish ing and driving trips. Now you can handle CO-OP Water Bags . . assuring your customers both quality and economy. Size selection is complete . . . CO OP Water Bags are available in 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-gallon sizes. (Past experience shows the 2-gallon size accounting for 90^ of the sales.) The active market is great; the potential market is greater. Stock CO-OP Water Bags and be ready to display and sell them during the summer months. So that your regional may know what volume to plan for, get your order in as soon as possible. Definite savings can be effected through volume business on CO-OP Water Bags. Send in your order, now, to your regional. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. Coming Events Ffeb Li-Apr 26—Food Locker Plant S^bonl Hansa« «Hate roller*1 Manhattan K insas Feb 1 .'Î-15—Amci i( an Management Asso ciation Personnel Confeience Chicdgu Feb L4—St Valentine's Day Feb 15-16—Annual National Farm Insti tnte, sponsored by Agricultural Department Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Fort Des Moines Hotel, Des Moines, Iowa Feb 18 23—Nmtli Annual Cooperative Week lor Wisconsin Feb 18-Marcli 2—Appliance Service School. Pacific Supply Cooperative "Walla Walla, Washington Feb. 10—Annual Meeting- Allied Distribu tion, Inc Edge water Beach Hotel, Chicago. Feb 20-22—Annual Meeting-, American Warehousemen's Association Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago March 3-5—Meeting, National Rural Elec tric Cooperative Association, Washing-ton, DC Mar 5—Meeting of Board of Trustees of Rochdale Institute, St Charles, 111 March 6—Beginning of Lent. Mar 6 8—Meetings National Co-op .Edi tors and Educational Committees St Charles March 11-23—Appliance Service School, Pacific Supply Cooperative Walla Walla, Washing-ton Mar 26-May 31—Food Locker Plant School, Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio April ,î-5—M if] west Power Conference eponsoiccl by Illinois Institute of Technology. Palmei Ho n se Chicago April 4-5—Annual share holders meeting, ( 'onsumerÊ Cooperatives Associated Amarillo, Texas Aiorii .'iü-May l—Annual meeting National Cooperatives Inc , Chicago 111 June 23 July 6—Tenth Annual National Recieation School and Educational Directors Training Institute Mi «si on House College, Plymouth.,. Wis. AUPT 26-dO—American Institute of Coop eration Purdiie University, Lafayette, Ind They've Moved Into Hew Responsibilities Morgan Olson, returned to Midland Cooperative Wholesale as educational fieldman. Olson held this position before entering the army two years ago. Roy Keating, field representative. Farmers Union Central Exchange; for merly manager, Farmers Union Oil Com pany, McVille, N.B. Fred Wothe, Jr., field representative, Farmers Union Central Exchange, St Paul, formerly manager, Farmers Union Oil Company, Reeder, N.D Hubert E. Bogardus, manager, Grocery Department, National Cooperatives; for merly buyer, Central States Coopera tives. (See page 13.) Robert Overstreet, buyer, Central States Cooperatives: was manager, Hyde Park Co-op, Chicago before entering Civilian Public Service Arthur H. Purseil, director of train ing, Council for Cooperative Develop ment, Chicago; did personnel work for Office of Defense Transportation before entering Civilian Public Service Gwen Goodrich, director. Burkhardt Co-op Community Center, Burkhardt, Wis.; formerly assistant, education de partment, The Cooperative League of the U.SA. Orrin Shipe, education director, Cen tral States Cooperatives, Chicago; was education director. Credit Union Na tional Association, before entering mili tary service CO-OP Magazine Preparing an Operating Budget (or a Cooperative Appliance Store Have you planned an operating budget for your appliance department? If you haven't, you'll want to put it among the first things to be done. If you have, compare it with the suggestions made here for CO-OP appli ance outlets. After you have made your comparisons, let us know your reactions—especially if your estimates indicate that your appliance de partment cannot be operated within the 25 per cent total expense ratio shown, or if you believe 25 per cent is too high. By JAMES F. BLACKBURN Appliance Distribution Manager, National Cooperatives p1 OR must co-ops, the preparalion of a budget for operating a -*- household appliance department is a new experience. Even those with previous experience in the appliance field will find the postwar picture sufficiently changed to require a rethinking of the entire problem. No single budget can be devised to serve all outlets, but, even so, there is enough similarity in the prob lems of each to make it worthwhile to examine the experience of others. To serve as a basis for discussion, five charts are submitted heie for yom examination as to classification and percent of expense. Chart I gives the actual figures, averaged for the 12 year period 1929-1940, of an electric appliance and service mil let. Chart II shows an estimated postwar sales quota and oper ating budget, averaged for the first three years of postwar opera tions, for an outlet with a gross annual volume of *75,000. Chart III shows the actual expeiience of 82 retailers of household electrical appliances in 1939. Charts IV and \ give the esti mates of National Cooperatives for the operation of local CO-OP appliance outlets and service departments. It must be remembered, of course, that expense ratios are not rigid. Dollar volume is especially important when speaking in terms of percentages: many fixed overhead costs will of neces sity appear large in teim.s of percentages in the budget of a small outlet, but will decrease proportionately as total volume increases. The efficiency of management, the size of the town or area served, the existence of any number of variations in local conditions ... all affect the apportionment of funds necessary for doing a given job. In anv rase, however, a guide is needed. Knowledge as to average and maximum peicentages of expense is vital if you are to correctly analyze your expenses »o as to »how a net savings. And this requires the keeping of accurate records with charges pinprrly made to each classification. Following are a few observations and comments with respect to the data contained in the charts. Total Wages. Salaries, Commissions Chart I shows salaries and sales expenses accounting for 11.2% of net sales on an average annual net merchandise volume of 135,000, with owner receiving approximately half. This percent age represents a total of the expenses listed under the classifi cations "bookkeeping and sales" and "management." Chart II shows essentially the same items accounting for 14 0"k on a postwar net sales volume of $63,000. Note that in this post war estimate, even though nel sales volume is considerably greater than in Chart I, the proportion allotted for sales expense and salaries is nonelheless still hitrher Chart III indicate? that 20.1^ for salaries and wages and com pensation of officers was the actual experience in 1939 of 82 retailers averaging a net sales volume of 1141.778 per store. The comparative ratios in the three charts lead« one to questioning the validity of the theory that expense percentages decline as sales volume increases. It may well be that, the attainment of high volume through "high pressure" selling results in lessened efficiency and higher costs to the consumer. (Continued on next page) Chart I ACTUAL FIGURES OF AN ELECTRIC APPLIANCE & SERVICE OPERATION Averages for 12 Year Period 1929-1940 Ulisint-ss A oluiuu Gross annual volume Income from labor IN et Merchandise sale= Cosl of labor .... Gross gain on labor Cosl of merchandise Gross margin (30.3%) Overhead Expense Bookkeeping and sales ...... Management (Owner's) Rent and heat . Light, power, telephone Taxes on mdse. and equip. Vuto and truck expense Freight, express and drayage Insurance ............ Advertising Office supplies—postage Repairs on bus. equip. Interest on borrowed capital.. Bad debts Depreciation on equipment Association dues—licenses Payroll taxes (4 years avg.) Totals Less net gain on labor % of % of Annual Gross Net Kange: 4vg. 18 Bus. Mdse. Mln. to Years Volume Volume Maximum $40,183 5.025 35,058 1,844 18] ... 24,135 . 10,623 12.2 .5- .5 1,876 2,031 930 293 248 483 52] 378 960 313 90 51] 200 284 180 261 1.6 5. 2.3 .7 .6 1.2 1.3 .9 2.3 .8 .2 1.3 .5 .7 .4 .6 (23.4) 5.4 5.8 2.7 .8 .7 1.1 1.5 1.1 2.7 .9 .3 1.5 .6 .8 .5 .7 (27.4) S24-55.000 3.5-9,000 20-47,000 3- 9,000 (hundreds) $ 7-28 11-25 6-10 2- l 2- 4 3-10 3- 7 3- 5 3-13 l- 5 0- 3 1-10 l- 4 1- 3 0- 3 2- 3 9,559 23.6 27.6 181 .5 .5 Net totals 9,378 23.1 27.1 Capital Structure, etc. Owners Average Investment for period ... 20,000.00 Borrowed capital (carrying contracts) 12,000.00 Distribution of Investment Merchandise, average inventory Fixtures & Equipment (original cost l Accounts and contracts .... \vg. surplus and balances 32,000.00 14,000.00 1,500.00 12.000.00 1,500.00 32,000.00 Average number of employees—6 Vverage annual net profit on sales—3.2% (Range 15<& loss to 9% gainj \vg. Investment per employee—$5,333. Source: ELECTRICu. MLRCHANDISI'VC—Sept., February, 1946 Appliance Service Budget— (Continued from page 5) Chart IV. 10.0% on $10,000 to $100,000 volume ib the writer's recommendation as the maximum for the CO-OP appliance nut let. National Cooperative? will soon send an outline to its mem ber regional wholesales giving recommendations for attaining this goal—ask them for the data. Service Expenses Charts I, 11, and III do not show a separate breakdown for service expenses. It is assumed that service departments are maintained, and that service payroll is applied against service 'ncome with no allocation of service department labor spent on merchandising activities. We have suggested in Chart IV that 1.0% to 1.5% of the net sales of merchandise be budgeted for "service expenses." This item should then include that portion of the service department expense which represents the time spent in uncrating and set t'ng up merchandise, plus the cost of free service in the Lome and parts supplied fiée to customers which are cost items to the store. (An additional portion of the expense of operating the service department should be charged to "delivery" if the serv ice department handles deliveries. When customers are charged for deliveries, the income from this source should be applied to service income.) Chart II POSTWAR SALES QUOTA & OPERATING BUDGET Average for first 3 postwar years Business Volume,_etc. Gross annual volume Lahor service income Net sales of merchandise — . Est. average margin on sales Lahor service cost Labor service margin Total gross margin ... . Overhead—Cost of Doing Business_ Sales expense and office salaries Management (owner's salary) Rent and heat .... ........ Light, power and telephone Taxes Auto and truck expense Freight, express, drayage Insurance Advertising Office supplies Repair« Interest Bad debts . Depreciation ............. Association dues, licenses .......... Payroll taxes Gross margin (21,000 plus 1,200) Net margin ....... .. Plus interest and discount earnings Net business earnings Capital Investment Merchandise inventory Fixtures, trucks—equipment Accounts and notes receivable Working capital ...... . ........ One Dealer's Estimate % of Net Quota Mdse. Sales $75,000.00 12.000 63,000 21,000 10.800 1,200 5.670.00 3,150 1,890 500 380 1,260 945 630 1,575 500 190 315 315 500 315 690 33.3 2. 35.3 9. 5. 3. .8 .6 2. 1.5 1. 2.5 .8 .3 .5 .5 .8 .5 1.1 18,825.00 29.9 22,200.00 35.3 3,375 5.4 «SO 1.5 4,325 6.9 20,000.00 6,000 15,000 t,000 Total 5*45,000.00 1 Bookkeeper 1 Manager Employees: 2 Salesmen 5 Service mechanics I Delivery & poiter Total—10. Investment per employee—$4.500 00 Source- ELECTKICAL VltRCHANDisiNG- Sept., 1945 V separate operating record should be kept for the service de partment which handles paid, customer service work. Chart V gives a suggested breakdown for a service department operating statement. Items 3, 4, 5 and 6 are each a proportion of the total store expense in their1 respective classifications. Office Expense, Occupancy, Utilities No separate classification is given in Charts I. II, or III for "office expense." We helieve there should be such an itemiza- tion, to include: bookkeeping salarie» or the cost of bookkeeping service, office supplies, auditing, telephone and postage. I, Iny postage or personnel used lor advertising purposes should be charged to advertising expense.) Chart IV shows an estimated average expense of 1.5% for office expense. "Occupancy," which includes rent and heal 'or if the properly is owned by the occupant, and adequate allowance for taxes, upkeep, depreciation, and interest on the investment involved), should, in the writer'« opinion, be held within the 2°^ figure. 'Utilities," in Charts 1 and II, are listed as "light, power, tele phone," but include gas and watei as well, and account for an expense item of 0.8% Chart 111 shows no breakdown, the ex- p-nses probably being included in "other" expense. The 0.5% allocation provided in Charl I\ does not include telephone ex pense an item hettei considered as an office expense. Taxes. Insurance, Delivery Any attempt to estimate taxes foi nation-wide application must of necessity be subject to considerable qualification. While fed eral taxes are the same throughout the nation, local and state taxes, including unemployment insurance taxes, vary. In Chart IV, taxes and insurance are shown at an estimated 1.5^5 to 2.0rc of total sales. This is slightly higher than the 1.7% experience of the 82 appliance retailers reported in Chart III, and somewhat lower than the percentages shown in Charts 1 and II. Charts I and II contain entries showing 2.9% and 3.5%, re spective]), for auto and truck expense plus freight, express and drayage. The) contain no breakdown as to delivery expense, service and sales, or freight in or out. Chart III has no entiy whatever. The 2.0% (1.5% possible) shown in Chart IV includes auto, gas,, oil, repairs, depreciation, delivery wages lor hired deliverv service, or both). Chart III RETAIL SALES. GROSS MARGIN, of 82 Retailers of Household Electrical IN et sales < $11,625,789) .......... Cost of merchandise sold (net) Gross margin Distribution Fxppnsc Compensation of officers Other salaries and wages Rent expense Taxes— Social security and unemployment Other (excluding income taxj Advertising Other Provision for bad debt ...... . . AND EXPENSES Appliances—1939 % of Net Sales 100.00 68.38 31.62 4.79 15.33 2.03 .73 1.01 2.53 4.09 .70 TOT<\L EXPENSE ...... ........ ............. 31.21 Source. Report of the Federal Trade Commissinn on Distribution Methods and Costs; Part H Notes Net margin, obtainable b) subtracting "total expense" from "gross margin,'' figures 0.41 per cent of net sales. \verage net sales volume per retailei—$141,768. "Cost of merchandise sold" includes freight in. "Gross margin," as used here, is the "realized margin" 01 "maintained gross margin." The original gross margin on retail list of appliances was probably in the neighborhood of 36 to 38 per cent; but loss on trade-ins, special cash deals below list for favored customers, and mark-downs due to special sales and damaged or display-worn merchandise, brought the realized margin down to 31.62 per cent. CO-OP Magazine Chart IV SUGGESTED CLASSIFICATION AND BUDGET OF EXPENSES for a CO-OP RETAIL HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE OUTLET Average Possible Net sales of merchandise .. Cost of merchandise (net) Gross margin realized 100.0 100.0 70.0 70.0 30.0 30.0 Expenses 1. Selling payroll 2. Service expenses 3. Office ....-- 4. Occupancy 5. Utilities 6. Taxes—Insurance 7. Delivery .......... .. 8. Depreciation—Repair 9. Other -...- .............. ~ 10. Provision for Bad Debt . 11. Advertising ............ . TOTAL EXPENSE 10.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 .5 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 .5 3.0 8.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 .3 1.5 1.5 .5 .5 .3 1.0 NET SAVINGS 25.0 16.6 5.0 13.4 Notes "Gross margin realized" (sometimes called "maintained" or "actual" gross margin) differs from original gross margin of a retail inventory-control in that deductions have been made of mark-downs from the original cash price, and for losses which result from loss on trade-in merchandise. "Selling payroll" includes management payroll. Service expense includes service payroll and parts charged to merchandise expense. "Depreciation and repair" of store furniture, fixtures and equipment totals 1.1% in Chart 1 and in Chart II. No break down is given in Chart III. One per cent is shown allocated for this purpose in Chart IV, but it does not include service department equipment and tools. Chart V shows a similar item for the service department. Other Expenses, Bad Debts A weakness in any comparison such as this is always to be found in the category of "other expenses." Charts I and II con tain no such catch-all, while in Chart III the classification is second only to those dealing with salaries. The best rule to fol low is to limit the classification to include only those expenses which cannot reasonably be included elsewhere and which are not large enough to justify separate entries, for example: travel of managers, salesman and servicemen to meetings, training schools, and the like. By the very nature of cooperative business, losses caused by bad debts may reasonably be expected to be below those experi enced by profit business. In the writer's opinion, the 0.5% allowed in Chart IV should be more than ample. Advertising The advertising of CO-OP appliances presents a problem some what different from that which exists among retailers of national ly advertised brands. Normally, in profit business in the appli ance field the manufacturer and wholesale distributor, through one means or another, pay part of the advertising expenses of the local retailer. The cost of such help is, of course, hidden in the prices the retailer pays for his wares. Manufacturers' prices on CO-OP appliances have been kept to the very minimum, with no allowance for assistance of this sort, and while the regional cooperative wholesales and National Cooperatives will perform many advertising services for the local outlets, through the prep aration of materials and publicity in their regional papers, the locals will be the ones finally to determine the extent to which the products will be advertised in their respective communities. A further factor complicates the CO-OP advertising appropria- Chart V SUGGESTED OPERATING for a STATEMENT CO-OP HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE SERVICE DEPARTMENT Income from service and parts Expenses ]. Parts cost .. .... . 2. Service payroll 3. Office 4. Occupancy 5. Utilities ..... 6. Taxes — Insurance 7. Delivery — Auto . . 8. Depreciation and Repair . . 9. Other .... 10. Provisions for Bad Debts .... 11. Advertising . TOT 4L EXPENSE IN ET SAVINGS 100.0% 10.0 55.5 1.5 2.0 .5 2.0 .... .. ............ . 5.0 ............. 5.0 1.0 .5 3 n ———— O.U 86.0 14.0 tion. The local co-op like the regionals and National, has a convincing institutional story to tell—as well as electrical appli ances to sell. Consumer acceptance of CO-OP appliances is increased through a fuller understanding of. the meaning and methods of cooperation. This means that the local Co-op must include the cooperative story, as well as details as to merchan dise, to most effectively convince a community of the real values being offered by its services. Margins, Expense, Net Savings Vlake every effort to keep expenses within 25 per cent of sales. While your gross margin, may be 30 to 35 per cent, you should want, and effect, a 5 to 10 per cent net for patronage savings. In setting up a new appliance department, a break-even oper ating report for the first year could readily be justified under normal conditions. But with the starting of an appliance busi ness made more easy with present demand being what it is, even the first year of operation should now show a net margin. In any event, it is of utmost importance that correct prac tices of expense recording and control be adopted at the outset. Competition will grow keener as the months go by, and gross margins will become lower. That is all as it should be—but co operatives must be prepared to operate with the lowest distribu tion costs and to create still lower distribution cost standards. Sorry, but-- After keeping them on for the January issue and this is sue, we are removing from the mailing list names of those whose subscriptions ended with December and who have not yet renewed. Some of these names are managers and other co-op leaders who, no doubt, have overlooked the fact that their subscriptions have run out. But we cannot leave the names on the list indefinitely. A close check will be kept, of course, so that those whose renewals are received during the next few weeks will not miss an issue. Renewals are coming in every day, along with hundreds of new subscriptions for CO-OP Magazine. Many communi cations include words of appreciation and praise for the help being received from the magazine's contents. Look now at the wrapper. If the number near the address is 4512 or 4601, your subscription has expired. If the number is 4602, it expires with this issue. If it is 4603 (expiring with March), it is not too early to get your renewal on its way. (Check with others in your organization, and send subscrip tions through your regional where you can; remember—the rate is only $2 for one year, $5 for three years, when five or more subscriptions are sent together.) Single subscriptions sent direct to CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4, 111., are $2.50 per year, $5 for 3 years. February. 1946 A Family Institute Presents the Co-op Story to a Whole Countryside Hou, Ramapo Valley Co-op put on a 2-day family life insti tute, and gave a picture of an "integrated" co-op to several communities. ' 11HIb is the story of how a consumei cooperative produced a two-day in stitute that was both a community service and a means of publicizing the coopera tive movement. It was done in Ridgewood, New Jersey, under the direction of the education committee of Ramapo Valley Cooperative. "I'd like to see this co-op undertake one big pi eject in education this year," Mrs. Kenneth A. Gay, education chair man, told her fellow board member« at a directors' meeting in the spring of 1945. "Instead of dissipating our energy in a series of repetition« efforts like member ship teas and informative lectures, let's put on one big event thai will be a con tribution to the whole community.' The board agreed on the experiment; voted 8300 to foot the bills. That was the start of a proj eel that finally involved 24 talented people who appeared on the program and 34 others whose abilities were employed behind the scenes. Steering Committee The first step was to set up a steering committee. This was composed of Mrs. Winthrop Means and Mrs. Sumner Hay- ward, representing the co-op; Mrs. E. M. Berdan and Miss Marghetta Jebsen, for the extension division of Rutgers Lniver- sity; Miss Esther M. Baker, local libra rian, and Mrs. E. L McCarroll, press representative. Meeting at frequent intervals during June and July, these seven women laid the foundation. It was decided to call the project The Ramapo Valley Family Institute, a title that proved too long and cumbersome for everyday use. Headline writers and typists, confronted with the full form, groaned. It was inevitably shortened to "The Institute," but the com mittee. in selecting the longer title, in cluding the phrase "Ramapo Valley," gave the project not only an immediate iden tification with the local co-op, but also got across the idea that the sessions, though held in Ridgewood, were meant for peo ple in neighboring towns. Ridgewood, a suburb of New York City, is at the same time the geographical and shopping center of a group of smaller towns such as Glen Rock, Hohokus, Radburn, Mid land Park and Waldwick. These and other nearby towns were covered by the designation "Ramapo Vallev.' "'Family" was chosen because the theme agreed upon was the enriching of fam- ilv life. It might have been some other general topic, such as community wel 8 By ELIZABETH HAYWARD Ridgewood. New Jersey fare or adult education, bur. having chosen this one, the committee felt it should be indicated in the title. Next, date had to be set. Ridgewood is a village of many organizations, most of which get into gear about the first of October. To avoid conflicts it ap peared desirable to set dates sometime in September. Those chosen were Thurs day and Friday, September 27 and 28. The place selected was Christ Church Parish House. It is a commodious, cen trally-located building with equipment for serving food, an adequate stage and an attractive auditorium. Ramapo Valley Cooperative was fortunate in finding so pleasing a setting for its project. The biggest chore the steering com mittee had was to outline a program that would contain all the desirahle ele ments: a program that would be varied and interesting and at the same time would carry oui the theme of enriching family life. Whether the object was at tained may be judged by the reader from the program used, shown on these pages. A headline writer in The Ridgewood Sim ilar News described it thus: "Wealth of Thought-Provoking Material Marks Institute. Speakers from Many Fields, Colorful Enter tainment, Exhibits, Combine in Ridgewood's Two-Day Meeting." Striking a balance was nol easy but neither was it impossible. The program included information on method0 of en- -§11 * -* „,.j& liching family life; audience participa tion through question periods, singing folksongs the coffee hour; entertainment by radio performers; co-op information in talks, with brevity that did nol reduce their forcefulness. To present the co-op story effectively, one speaker at each of the six sessions developed one phase of the cooperative movement. The steering committee in sisted that these "co-op commercials" be brief. iJsed Non-local Talenl Another decision was to ignore most lo cal talent. This was not for lack of local people with high qualifications. Who's Who in America, for instance, lists twenty- five persons living in Ridgewood and vicinity. The committee felt, though, that fresh talent would draw larger audiences This cannot be proved but it was a point of agreement. After the program was in shape it was presented to the membership ol Ramapo Valley Cooperative through its publica tion, Happenings, and at a membership meeting. "There is nothing here," Mrs. Gay told the members, "that has not been subjected to searching consideration. We have tried out our arguments on each other, we'll be happy to meet yours." Co op members offered suggestions but agreed that the program suited them just as it stood. Next step was to appoint sub-commit tees to carry out the plans. Arrangements, a troublesome task that meant attending to a multiplicity of such details as hav- Group collaboration is used for solving common problems in meetings of neighbors from one end of the nation to the other. This discussion from the floor at a quarterly meeting of the Berkeley Consumer Cooperative in California typifies the techniques used in the Ramapo Valley (New York) Family Institute as described in the accompanying story. CO-OP Magazine ing a grand piano tuned and on the stage at the right moment, were put in charge of Mrs Kenneth Campbell Mrs. Donald B. Read undertook contact work, with the object of providing audiences. Her suc cess is indicated by the total attendance of 665! Exhibits and contributions of par ticipating organizations, such as the Brail- lists, the Art Association and the Camera Club, were in charge of Mrs. E. R. Ho ward. A table of co-op literature, provided on consignment by the Eastern Cooperative League, was under the supervision of a committee headed by Mrs. Corwin Perisho. While no emphasis was placed on the sale of co-op books and pamphlets the =uni of $28 was collected. Co-op cookbooks were especially popular. \ group of seven wom en from Radburn served coffee; a recep tion committee headed by Mrs. Alfred INewberry was responsible for greeting and seating those who attended the Institute. Smooth functioning added much to the tone of the event. Publicity Extensive The committee on publicity, beaded by Mrs. McCarroll, a professional, handled the mechanics of producing ample cover age for the Institute, and left nothing to chance. When speakers were engaged they were informed that extensive pub licity would begin September first, be fore which date they were requested to supplv biographical material accompanied by pictures of themselves. The dates for release of different stories were sched uled well in advance; in fact the com mittee outlined its campaign in August. What was to be printed when was thor oughly worked out, with stories from dif ferent approaches planned so that reader- interest would not flag. When the time came, newspaper stories were carried in The Ridgewood Vews and Herald-News, The Paterson Morning Call and The Ber gen Evening Record. The co-op angle was not stressed in these; rather, the interest and value of the program itself was the focal point. For cooperators the story was told in Happenings and The Looperator (regional co-op paper) . The success of this is shown in the Institute's press book, which contains thirty-three stories illustrated by eleven pictures. On the other side of the ledger was the failure of the co-op to gel space in the metropolitan newspapers to which it sent material: The New York Herald-Tribune, 1JM and The Newark Eve ning News. In addition to newspaper publicity, the Institute obtained several mentions on the , of New York, referred briefly and not always favorably to the fact that some of their stars were to visit Ridge wood. WPAT. of Paterson. 'New Jersey, gave a detailed and inviting account of the program to be presented. Another means of publicity was the use of church bulletins, two of which in the Ridgewood area carried announcements. The contact committee concentrated its efforts on the co-op membership Pro grams were mailed two weeks in advance of the Institute to each member of Ramapo Valley Cooperative, and this was followed Program Ramapo Valley Family Institute Thursday 10:00 A. M. Come Have Coffee. "Co-ops—the Personal Shopper" — Mrs. Esther K. Schwartz Fun with the Fitzgeralds 2:00 P. M. "The Sandbox" — American Theatre Wing Victory Players "Starting Rights"—Miss Jessie Stanton "A Disciplined World"—Mr. Robert L. Smith "Discipline Problems from Five to Twelve Years"— Mrs. Ellen Steele Reece •'The Family"—Mrs. Marian McDowell 8:30 P. M. "More Time in Every Hour"—Mrs. Doris Anderson "Constructive Leisure for Teen Agers"—Dr. H. W. Hurt "Ridgewood Needs Its Co-op"—Mr. A. Duryee Crooks "Some Problems the Home Front Must Solve"— Father George B. Ford Friday 10:00 A. M. Story Telling Demonstration "Stories in the Home"—Miss Dorothy Reha "New Ways of Doing Things"—Mrs. Margaret Rigg Bender "Getting Better Radio Programs for Children"—Mrs T. H. Walker "Opportunity at Your Doorstep"—Local Organiza tions 2:00 P. M. "Making the Most of the Ridgewood Library"—Mr. Harold C. Kessinger "Consumers in the News"—Mr. George H. Tichenor "Housing"—Mr. Ramsey Wood 8:30 P. M. "What Makes a Co-op Tick?"—Mr. Wallace J. Camp bell American Folksongs—Mr. Frank Warner by telephone calls right up to the final session of the Institute Mrs. Read said that her committee missed one opportu nity. "We should have stressed family par ticipation in Frank Warner's program, 'Come bring Grandma and the children,' we ought to have said." The contact com mittee did send individual invitations to leaders in the community. Scoutmasters, the clergy, educators, librarians and library trustees, officers of local organ ization,- and past presidents of the co-op received letters asking them to attend. It was a tribute to those who worked on it that the Institute had nothing ama teurish about it. Perhaps il was because Mrs. Gay followed the principles of a good executive: select capable assistants, dele gate responsibility, follow through. The 34 people who were mosl actively con cerned worked well together. Each did a good job—for which he or she was qualified. Cost and Results The cost.'' The largest single item was for entertainers: $130 This feature could be omitted should a biiefer program, con centrating on educational aspects, be pre sented. To the janitor of Christ Church wem $15 foi his services, and a donation of no to the church itself for the use of the parish house. Printing, advertising and similar expenses amounted to about $50. Speakers' traveling expenses, their entertainment, and flowers for the women speakers cost $20. A nurse and her as sistant, who took charge of small chil dren during the daytime sessions, were paid $16. Mailing, telephone and tele grams, plus secretarial assistance and other incidentals amounted to $34, mak ing a total of $275—out of a budget of $300 allowed by the board of directors! There is a direcl relation, of course, be tween the size of a co-op and the amount of money at the disposal of its education committee. Ramapo Valley Cooperative, with 400 member families in its tenth year of existence, was in a position to spend a sizable amount. It is worth reiterating that a similar Institute, with the enter tainment features curtailed, could be pre sented at perhaps half the cost. The results of a project such as this cannot be totalled on an adding ma chine. Such intangibles as increased understanding of the cooperative move ment cannot be put in figures. When the Institute was over the word most often heard in describing it was "stimulating." Certainly the aim was not to promote insomnia, and it did make people think. February, 1946 Why Don't We Tell the Women? Some co-ops are missing a valuable source of support by failing to take the women folks along in the processes of cooperative educa tion and business. Here is a report of a shocking survey—and sug gestions about what to do if your cooperative is guilty along this line. By W. A. ANDERSON Professor of Rural Sociology, Cornell Uni versity, Ithaca, New York TF WHAT we found in a study in New •*• York rural communities is typical of coopératives generally, co-ops are missing a good bet. At the suggestion of an important pur chasing and selling cooperative, we tried to find out how much the farmer's wife knowb about cooperatives . . . what she thinks of them, and how she thinks co operatives can be of greater service to the farm household. We selected three communities. One was an area where cooperative activity is general and where considerable educa tional work in cooperative thinking and piactice has been done. The co-op people Test Questions— Here are seven questions which over 5U% of 544 wives of farm co-op mem bers in one area were unable to answer. YES or NO? 1. Cooperatives musl be incorpo rated according to state law. 2. Cooperative associations are ex cluded from payment of income tax if they comply with Federal Laws in or ganizing. 3 The Federal government main tains »pecial bank services for coop erative associations 1. In a cooperative association each member usually has as many votes as he owns shares of stork. 5. In most cooperative associations savings or profitb are distributed ac cording to the amount of patronage. 6. Usually a cooperative purchas ing association benefits its members through patronage dividends rather than through lower selling prices. 7. Cooperatives were first organ ized in New York State. sav it is a good cooperative community. The second was a community where there is only a little cooperative activity and no educational work has been done. The co-op people consider il a poor coopera tive area. The third community was an in-between community, average in activ ity and in educational work. We interviewed and gave tests to 544 farmers' wive? in these three places. We found that, irrespective of the community, the farmer's wife has little accurate knowledge of cooperative principles and *Reprinted by permission from material in News for Farmers Cooperatives 10 practices, is neutral in her opinion as to their advantages and disadvantages, and does not participate significantly in their activities. The farmer's wife depends on. her hus band for the family contacts with their co-op. Since her husband does not give her much information about what is going on, she knows little about the association and is not positive in its support. Now let us turn to a few of the facts that support these assertions. We present ed seven statements about cooperatives to which these women could give a "Yes" or "No" answer. It was agreed by a number of competent persons that individuals who know about cooperatives should be able to respond to these statements correctly. Of all the women, 52 percent did not re spond to any of the seven statements. They t \ i if Two views of co-op gatherings that attest to the ability and eagerness of women to par ticipate. Above: A study group session, Cambridge, Minn. Below: A membership rally, Union County, Ohio. CO-OP Magazine said ihey did not know the answers. If the farmers" wives had responded to all statements, the 544 women would have given 3,808 responses. They made 989 re sponses, and of these. 198 were incorrect. When we grade all the women on the basis of correct knowledge, they score only 2] percent. Another mosl serious matter, in my opinion, is the extent of the unconcern. the large amount of neutrality, that exists with these women. Eight out of ten of them say that their family uses the co operative, but when the women are asked about the relative advantages and disad vantages of the cooperative method, M percent are neutral in attitude. Of those who aie members of cooperatives, 28 per cent are neutral, while of the nonmem- bers 67 percent are neutral, ll is this neu tral, unconcerned group that can most easilv be developed into proponents or opponents of cooperatives. How active is the farmei's wife in the work of the cooperatives :" [n these areas, at any rate, she does not seem to be active ai all. Of the ^44 women, not n single nne is an officer or committee member, and yet the cooperatives serve the household and are intending to extend the services. Eighty percent do not know whether a woman can be an officer or committee member, although 63 percent say they think they should be. What seems to have happened in these areas, and it may be generally true, is that the cooperative has developed as a man's organization, controlled and dom inated by men, and has, perhaps uncon sciously, neglected the women. Of all the women, 77 percent had never attended an annual meeting of their purchasing and selling cooperative. When asked where they obtain information about their co operative, over half of them say that what they get comes from their husbands Can Be Great Help Cooperatives that are not making use of the women are surely missing a real bet. Here is a potential source of support, which if properly educated, can becorm a bulwark of strength in the cooperative movement, [f they continue to be neglected they can he a source of danger, for without knowledge of the principles and practices of cooperatives, they are susceptible to the argument of those who wish to injure the cooperative movement. But it is as a constructive force that women should be brought actively mtn the cooperative pio- gram. Here are a few concrete things thai can be done to inform women about their co operatives and what they stand for. The first step is getting them to take a part in it. Get them out to the annual meeting and get them working for it. They can cer tainly handle the food end of the program . either picnic, box lunch, or however it's served. But it also would be a good idea to pick out a good woman member for a part in the actual program . per haps telling the women's angle, what the co-op niean^ to them, and how they can build themselves a vital part in its work (Continued on next page) Set for Satisfaction COOP TABLE MODEL RADIOS TONE FIDELITY BEA UTY PRECISE SELECTIVITY LONG DISTANCE RECEPTION Here are radios designed in side and out to bring lasting sat isfaction to their owners—Beau tiful, two-color, all-plastic cases .... easy to keep looking spank ing new. Full vision, illuminated, slide-rule dials .... large, clear, and easy to read. Responsive fin gertip volume control. Built-in full-wave antennas. Life time aluminum chassis. Here are radios to bring sat isfaction to CO-OP dealers—In struments representing the finest in engineering bkill and eraft- manship . with performance that will do credit to the name CO-OP for years to come and help build acceptance for the en tire CO-OP appliance line. ORDER FROM YOUR REGIONAL COOPERATIVE I .-«* - •Jf!* MODEL NO. R-546 (Outside dimensions: 91 inches long, 61 inches high; 6i inches deep.) Five-tube V.C.-D.C. set with built-in high fidelity five-inch permanent mag net speaker MODEL NO. R-646 (Outside dimensions: 12i inches long: 7i inches high: 7î inches- deep P Six-tube A.C. set with a i-gang tuning capacitor and an R.F. amplifier for extra long-distance re ception. Six-inch permanent magnet -peaker for maximum tone fidelity. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. February, 1946 M Tell the Women — (Continued from page 11) There are many ways to gel wumen s fin gers into the co-op pie. Then give them literature . . and literature thai presents basic cooperative principles and practices in such a way that they can easily read and understand il. Every cooperative should have such simple and attractive pamphlets available for every patron. Second, all publicity should contain some challenging material on basic prin ciples and practices in cooperatives. This should include every variety of publicity; posteis, newspapers, feature stories, and radio programs. Third, local schools for patrons could be developed with emphasis on philus- ophy and principles of cooperation at first. Fourth, again on a local basis, the store employees, especially the managers, must be charged with promoting cooperative knowledge in their own areas. They can take a real responsibility in promoting training schools for local leaders, as well as in general educatiun uf the members. Fifth, indoctrination of employees should be continuous. New personnel should be given special attention. All employees must be enthusiastic believers and preach ers of cooperative aims, and transmit their enthusiasm to the farmers. Pounding away at these and other ways of telling women about co-ops can bring about a change in women's attitude . . . a shifl from neutral into some shade of positive approach to the individual co-op and the cooperative movement as a whole. The Looks o9 Things Inch By Inch The government should destroy its $143,000,000's, -worth of Big Inch and Lit tle Inch pipe lines, suggested a member of Congress not long ago. While Congress and Senate Cummittee are wrangling with the prohlem, government has permitted pumping of salt water into the pipes, thereby seriously impairing their value. No Reader Interest? \dvertisemenl!; featuring a letter by Ethel duPont to (General Motors manage ment, urging it to open its books, did not get into leading Détruit, Chicago and New \ork newspapers. Contention was that they were short of space. There was, how ever, enough space fur advertising on the «ubject by the management of GM.—from F ARMEES UNION HERALD, January 4, 1946 Punjabi Study Co-ops Important item in post war reconstruc tion program of the Punjab (India) gov ernment is education of Punjabi veterans in cooperatives as well as other services of the Bénéficient Departments of the prov ince. Veterans attend courses in coopera tion covering economics, legislation, and business procedures of cooperatives.—In dian Cooperative Review Peace—after All "The atom bomb WILL bring peace. . . . Either with or without people."—New York Times Problem Representatives of the small tool indus try propose that entire government sur plus of small tuuls be dumped into the ocean, as the surplus exceeds average an nual prewar production. Industry is afraid of consequences of disposing of the tools on the open market. Old Stuff Big busines0 has known how to make DDT for 72 years, but kept it a secret. Reason: Private enterprise knew that it would bring lower profits than the insec ticides that have been on the market dur ing that time.- -Edwin Kemp, farm editor, Philadelphia Record. Co-op Opportunity ". . . the farmer buys only 20 per cent of the goods produced in cities while the city worker purchases 75 per cent of the products raised on farms. To put this in plain language, the working man's dinner plate is the farmer's market."—A. B. llacDonald. Secretary. Cooperative Union of Canada. CO-OP for India Cooperatives are included in the topics and institutions to be studied by several hundred government workers and students sent to L.S. by government of India. Stu dents are to study American social, eco nomic and scientific activities, with the hope of adapting findings to Indian con ditions. Announcing CO-OP Magazine's DISPLAY-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB ' IA HERE are no dues in this club. Instead, we will pay you $10.00 when you complete the "initiation" satisfactorily. This is not an exclusive club, but the membership is limited— bv your ambition. Read the following and see how easily you can be an eli gible candidate! Displays are effective silent salesmen. Every good display of CO-OP mer chandise is like the addition of a full- time sales person to your staff telling your CO-OP story constantly. Good displays are simple and direct—they tell one story, but thev tell it well! We need more good ideas for the dis play uf CO-OP merchandise of all kinds. Displays that bring results for you will help to bring results for other cuoperative store managers. Join our club by sending in a picture of a dis play that worked for you, together with a stury as to the results obtained. For each acceptable idea and photographs that can be published, CO-OP Mag azine will pay $10.00. The eligible ideas will be published as received in CO-OP Magazine to help other CO-OP managers to organize their silent sales men. THE "INITIATION" — or eligibility rules for membership: 1. Submit one or more photo graphs of your display. 2. Tell us briefly to what ex- tenl your display helped build vol ume or acceptance of the CO-OP products displayed. 3. Submit as many ideas as you wish, but please submit each new idea separately. You may be eli gible for an award on more than une idea. 4. Photos and displays may be of any types of products or equip ment, but all items shown should carry the CO-OP label. 5. Store interior displays, win dow displays, fair displays, annual meeting displays—all are equally eligible for consideration. 6. All entries will be acknowl edged, but none can be returned. 7. \11 entries will become the property of CO-OP Magazine, and the derision of the judges will be final as to eligibility for the merit award and publication. In case of duplicate ideas, the first one re- reived will be the only one con sidered eligible. 8. Membership is open only to managers and employees of local cooperative outlets. 9. There is nu deadline for en tries as all entries will be adjudged on the basis of acceptability for general use and publication. En tries chosen for publication will be awarded a $10.00 merit award and will place the submitter's name on the selected membership roll of the CO-OP Magazine's Display-of- the-Month Club. COOP Maga zine reserves the right to terminate this contest without notice. 10 Submit entries to Display Editor CO-OP Magazine, 343 South Dearborn St., Chicago 4, Illinois. Help your fellow cooperative man ager. Spread your display ideas. Send a picture of every CO-OP display you make. Tel] us how you made it and what results you had. Al least one idea will be published each month—as soon as you get them coming in to us. Will yours be one? If it is, you'll find a $10.00 check in your mail. 12 CO-OP Magazine Bogardus to Full Time as National Grocery Manager Hubert E. Bogardus, who has worked ivith National Cooperatives on a part-time basis since January 1, 1944, becomes full- time manager of National's Grocery de partment as of February 1. Bogardus has had extensive experience with cooperatives and with the grocery field. He studied agriculture and business administration at the University of Illi nois, working in a canning factory on the side to finance his studies and thus ac quiring a "ground-up" acquaintance with his present field. From 1927 to 1934 he worked for the Columbia Conserve Company Indianapo lis, Indiana, in the production department, as manager of a branch plant, and selling Columbia products to wholesale grocers. Bogardus began working for coopera- Hugh Bogardus, formerly grocery buyer for Central States Cooperatives, who became full-time grocery department manager for National Cooperatives last month. lives in 1936, when he assumed manager ship of the (Evanston, 111.) North Shore Cooperative. Under his guidance the co op's membership increased from two to seven hundred, the monthly volume from $1,500 to $14,000. Bogardus became manager of the Coop erative Wholesale at Chicago in 1939, saw it through merger with the Central States Cooperative League into today's Central States Cooperative». He has chaired Na tional's Grocery Committee since 1942, and is vice-president of the board of direc tors of Co-op Mills, Inc. Hugh is nephew of Emorv S Bogardus, professor of Sociology at the \ niversity of Southern California, and author of numer ous works on cooperatives, including the "Dictionary of Cooperation" and "The Cooperative Movement—An Outline." SELL THE WELDER FARMERS PREFER P&H — a famous name in weld ing— provides you with welders whose simplicity and ease of op eration make them the choice of all progressive farmers. P&H farm welders are sturdy full size, full ability machines capable of handling all farm welding jobs. They are built with the same ma terials and same precision meth ods as P&H's Heavy Duty Indus trial Welders. Behind them is all the experience of P&H — one of the world's largest makers as well as users of arc welding equipment. Farmers are learning, more than ever before, that they can save a lot of money by making their own quick repairs on broken parts and in the building of special farm equipment. In the years ahead thousands of P&H welders will be sold. Act now to get your share of this highly profitable business. P&H Farm Welders are built with Power Factor Correction — Meet all / ' R. E. A. requirements and ^ " are fully approved by Underwriters' Laboratories. \ Make Your Welding Service Complete. Sell P&H Electrodes in Small, Convenient Packages Round out your service to the farmer. Handle these easy-selling P&H packaged electrodes. They'll handle any welding job the farmer has or might have. P&H ARC WELDERS HARNISCHFEttER fa. C.P. a P qugj*. T « O K . jA General Offices: 4630 W. National Ave. Milwaukee 14. Wis. PAH Farm Welders are so7d compiefe with accessories and instructions for using They are built to the same exacting standards as P&H heavy duty industrial welders. Ask your Regional Cooperative for details February, 1946 13 News About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities Automotive Supplies Hydraulic Brake Fluid Visual proof is the surest way to con vince a person. And there is a simple test which can be set up on a store counter to illustrate, visually, the properties of CO OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid and to prove its efficiency and dependability. A few pieces of simple equipment are all that is needed. They are: A glass beaker (a plain drinking glass will do) Half a dozen test tubes A thermometer Isopropvl alcohol Dry ice CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid Other brake fluids The proceduie is also simple. Put isopropyl alcohol in the glass (a third full) and sei glass in the drv ice. Then put cojked test tubes containing various hydraulic brake fluids in the glass, along with the thermometer Vs the tem peratures of the fluids fall, note the pour ing properties of the different brands. It will be seen that CO-OP Hydraulic m CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid is one of a full line of CO-OP automotive chemicals. and represents the high quality found in the entire line. Fluid flows at as low a temperature as an} competitive brand hydraulic brake fluid, lower than many of them. The minimum pour point of CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid is 70 degree^ be low zero! This you can prove in your local store or service station, pointing up the safet} tactor of CO-OP brake fluid at low temperatures. Vnother test whieh ean be easily run is that of pouring CO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid into a test tube with any other ac cepted brake fluid to prove its ability to mix with other fluids. These simple tests will create a greal deal of interest and comment on the part of your patrons. It has been said that "if you can sell GO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid, you can sell your entire GO-OP automotive chemical line." These tests will help you sell GO-OP Hydraulic Brake Fluid. They will build confidence in the complete line, as well. Spark Plug Time Cold weather demands "hot" spark plugs. Put vour stock of GO-OP Spark Plugs where your member-patrons will see them and be reminded of their need. You will be doing a real consumer service, loo, if you urge your patrons to have a com plete change of plugs fur motor efficiency. Oil Filters Oil filters are always in season—and the CO-OP line of oil filters is complete. CO OP filters and filter cartridges are avail able for all common makes and models of vehicles—passenger cars, trucks, busses, and tractors Bundling Supplies Wind-lok Shingles Spring roofing requirements in 1946 are sure to be great. The backlog of roofing jobs that can be put off no longer is large. Stocks, therefore, will need to be large in order to begin to meet the need. There are GO-OP roofings of all types—alum mum, asphalt shingle and roll roofings, and wood shingles. The new CO-OP Wind-lok Shingles are now ready to ship. They are ideal re- roofing shingles. And there i<= also avail able the handy roofing manual, available from your regional, giving detailed and well-illustrated instructions, on laying, capping, flashing, and other roofing pro cedures. Appliances Misnomer There is a tendency on the part of manv of us to speak of freezer unit' as "deep fieeze" units The name Deep Freeze, how ever, is a copyrighted trade name. It is well, then, that we guard against the use of the terra. CO-OP Home Freezci is a mighty gond designation, anyway! Production News The lalesl production news oil appli ances is not good. We again have to report later deliveries than previous bulletins. Our latest information mav not be an} more reliable than before, but we are hop ing against hope. I nless strikes among steel or electrical workers or both prevent production, the following is expected: I. V4CTJI M CLEANERS la) Shipment on schedules made will be completed February. New sched ules will be issued for subsequent ship ments. (b) Shipments will be slow in February and March on upright cleaner. I c I Sample6 of the cylinder type cleaner will be shipped in February. II. W\smxG MACHINJS (a l Small quantities of die Model No. 17 will be shipped in February. (b) New model CO-OP washer will be nut in March III. DOMESTIC WATER HEATERS (a) Production has been stepped up and shipments are being made. IV. RFFISICFKAIORS (a) First carload shipments ma} not go out until the week of February 18 (b) This means consumer delivery about April. \. RADIO? (a) First shipments of 5 and 6 tube table models in March. ib) Consoles and combinations po°- sibly in June or July. \ I. [To "vu FREEZERS 'a) Franklin shipments heing made on 8 cu. ft.; 16 cu. ft. in March. VII. FOOD MIXERS (a) First shipments in July. VIII. PRESSURE COOKERS (a) Shipments being made. *>etup on shipments after March. IX GAS iND ELECTRIC RANGES (a) Shipments in March under A & B brand name. ibi GO-OP brand about July. 14 CO-OP Magazine News About Commodities X. ROASTERS la) First shipments in March XI. SMALL \PPLIAKCES (ai 'No definite information. Possi bility of something by July. Pressure Cookers Shipments of the new CO OP Pressure Cooker are now being made. Incorporat ing the mosl recent improvements in de sign and construction, it will be found by your member-patrons to be efficient, easy to handle, entirely safe. The instruction book which goes to the user with each unit gives complete and clear instructions for using the cooker, as well as information regarding the prepara tion of foods for cooking and canning, and A list of handy recipes. The cam-action top and the special safe- 1} features of the CO-OP cooker are of especial interest, representing as they do, ne\\ developments in this line. The follow ing paragraphs describe some of the fea tures of the cooker as they relate to safety in operation. ACCIDENTAL OPLNINC : When the pres sure cooker is in operation, and steam pressure; is developing in the kettle, it is next to impossible to open the lid without first releasing the pressure. The cover area is approximately 175 square inches, and with a pressure of only one pound per square inch, there would be a pressure of 175 pounds bearing against the surface of the hold-down flanges. Figure the pressure at even ten or fifteen pounds pei square inch, and the impossibility of screwing open the lid with the fingers becomes ob vious. \ ALVi- : The pressure release valve, a weight actuaied type instead of the spring- loaded valve previously used, 1= compar atively easy to remove. In most cases the operator would pick the pressure release weight off the lop of the kettle before re leasing the cover. W hatever the method, when the housewife is through with a par- ticulai operation, the steam release valve can be so adjusted as to release pressure gradually, and as long as the valve re mains open there is no possibility of près : ur - accumulating. BLOW-OUT PLUG: \ further improved safe!} feature is the "\eo-Prene blow-oui plug, a much more pusitive safet} device than the former fusible plug. This rubber plug piotects not only against excessive positive pressure, but alsu against vacuum pressure from within the vessel All in all, the GO-OP Pressure Gooker is an exceptional!} fine product of engi neer'ng skill in efficiency ... in durability ... in safety. It is a credit to CO-OP quality. Groceries Special Promotion Greater coordination of advertising, mer chandising, and display activities—involv ing local, regional, and national partici- I r< The new CO-OP Pressure Cooker . . . safe, efficient, easy to use. Properly cared for, it will give long and satisfactory service. This mass display of canned corn is the first in a series of coordinated grocery pro motional programs being prepared by Na tional Cooperatives. pation—will result in more efficient plan ning and staging of grocery promotional programs. That is, at least, the upinion of Grocer) Committee representatives from the regionals. To this end, they requested that "National Cooperatives' advertising department prepare a series of six com modity promotional kits to supplement re gional and local programs. Materials requested for each kit in clude: a newspaper ad, a poster, a window sti earner, and a photograph uf a suggested mass display togethei with instructions fnr setting up the display. Pictured un this page is the mass dis play recommended for the first promotion of this series—canned corn. This promo tion is scheduled for February use. The second of the series will lie on CO-OP pancake flours—featuring Special Blend; the third will prumote CO-OP Evaporated Milk. Better Smokes The wartime blend of GO-OP cigarettes, made of the best domestic tobaccos ob tainable at the time, were not—to sa} the least universally receiver] with wild ac claim. Like Goldilocks at the bears' por ridge, some thought they were too strong, some thought they were too mild, and otb- er<= thought they were just right. The present blend of CO-OP Cigarettes differs from the original in that select im ported tobaccos—obtained through Bul garian, Turkish, and Russian producer cooperatives—have been added. Glycol, too, has been added—generally accepted es the best agent for retaining moisture and/ keeping cigarettes fresh. The facts, then, are these : GO OP cig arettes are cumparable with any uf the "big five" in tobacco quality and hlend: the moistening agent used is the same a? February. 1946 15 News About Commodities that used by must leading brands: they are wrapped in foil to keep them fresh. When CO-OPs get dry, as any cigarette will, place them in a refrigerator and the moistening agent will attract the proper amount of moisture. CO-OP Wheat Flakes CO-OP Wheat Flakes are made from Michigan white wheat which is put through a série» uf cleaning and grading operations and finally thoroughly scoured to remove any surface impurities. This process insures, that only choice grains of clean wheat go into the further processing. These cleaned whole wheat berries are then cooked under steam pressure in large stainless steel rotary cookers. Malt, sugar, and salt are added as flavoring ingredients and cooked with the wheat so that the flavor penetrates into the heart of each wheat berry. The slow and thorough cook ing process insures a finished product that i« tasty and readily digestible. The cooked wheat is dried to a definite moisture content and then tempered until its physical properties are perfect for flak ing. The flaking is done by running the wheat berries between large steel rollers under tremendous pressure. The flakes then pass immediately into large rotary ovens, literally floating through heated air. This thorough toasting seals in the flavor and develops a perfect crispness. and in cidentally creates the golden brown color. Before packaging, the flakes are cooled with fresh filtered air. As «oon as they are cooled, the flakes are automatical!} weighed and packed in wax-tite lined CO-OP cartons. These sealed cartons will hold the original crispness for a long pe riod of time under proper «torage condi tions. While the above process is not unique with CO-OP Wheat Flakes, this brief ex planation uf the process should remove any mysterv as to the ingredients and method of manufacture. Many consumers will be interested in knowing that CO-OP Wheat Flakes are a whole wheat product. This information can be passed on to your con sumer-patrons through your sture bulletins or other publications. Floor Wax CO-OP Emulsified Floor Wax will soon be back. Carnauba and candelilla waxes, which were unobtainable for some time, are now available in limited quantities. Their cost has nearly doubled, however, necessitating an increase in the price of CO OP Floor Wax. You should get your quota of this high quality product soon. Farm Supplies New Dairy Water Heater The improved CO-OP Electric Dairy Water Heater-Sterilizer is scheduled to ap pear on the market during the second quarter of 1946 With a tank capacity 50% greater than the present model (7i gallon« compared with 5 gallons), and more heav ily insulated, the new Dairy Water Heater is designed to give greater efficiency and more adequate service. Other specifications on the new heater are as follows: Watts—two 1000-watt elements Volts—220, easily changed to 110 with full wattage The new CO-OP Electric Dairy Water Heat er-Sterilizer, expected by early summer, has greater capacity, more insulation1. Overall height—31" Overall diameter of shell— 18" Ihermostat—manual reset type Red pilot light—to indicate when unit is on Mateiial for tank—32 oz. copper Finish—Baked enamel over zinc giip steel Insulation—3" rock wool on sides; 21" rock wool on bottom Three legs with adjusting screws Clear dimension under faucet—12" New designs that will add life and color to your shelves—as well as being more functional in style for effective sales apeal. 16 CO-OP Magazine News About Commodities uufllil Universal Production Up Despite manv serious supply problems, 'National Cooperatives' 1 mversal Milking Machine Division made a new production record in December. Changes in produc tion facilities already made, and others planned, will make an even greater pro duction possible soon. Milker unit production has been moved to enlarged quarters at the Albert Lea plant in Minnesota, and the pump produc tion has been greatly increased at Wau- kesha Wisconsin. These changes were authorized by National's board in order to enable the plant to meet the orders from the field. During the wai. priorities and shortages made it difficult to meet regional require ments. Now, however, although many shortages from outside sources still exist, plant production facilities are ready, and if outside sources can be counted upon for supplies, the day will not be 'far oft when the plant will be able to produce all that the field demands. Tank Heaters Tank heaters are again on the market. Get your orders in to your regional and they will supply you as promptly as pos sible. Fence Controllers bpring brings fencing jobs along with the rush of other farm work. Electric fenc ing simplifies the fencing problem tremen dously -saves time and expense. Stock CO-OP Fence Controllers now, and help your farmer-patrons get an early start on the 1Q46 crop season. Milker Pails Stainless steel and aluminum milker pails are again available INon-rusting, easy to clean, lightweight, and seamless, they're Ear superior to the tin variety which had to he used during the war. Don't delay in getting these long-missed items back in stock. Order from your regional. Rat Bait This is the worst season for rodent in festations. Rat« come inside when the fall rains begin, and the cold weather keeps them in until after the spring rains are over. INioTv is the best time to exterminate them. CO OP Rat Bait, available from yuur regiunal, is fortified with 500/600 K.C./M.G. potent Red Squill, which meets the exacting requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service, and it is sure death to rats. Hopeful Liberal Thrusting my nose firmly between his teeth, I threw him heavily to the ground on top of me.—Mark Twain. Designed for convenience, this inviting, maroon and gray display card can help you promote acquaintance and enthusiasm for the new line of CO-OP Cosmetics. A PRODUCT OF YEAR 'ROUND DEMAND With a Spring Sales Peak •fa Keeps boots and shoes soft and waterproof •fa Lengthens the life of har ness •fa Preserves leather belting and keeps it pliable •fa An excellent light ma chine oil CO-OP Neatsfoot Oil has many uses the year around. But spring rains and mud develop the greatest demand for it. Feature it now. One of a full line of CO OP chemicals developed for household, garage, and farm use. CO-OP Neatsfoot Oil is compounded to high quality specifications. Remember ... the CO-OP chemical line makes an in viting and sales-stimulating display for both store and bervice station. Keep your stock complete. Keep it in sight of ynur member- patrons. •fa Order from your regional. NATIONALICOOPJERATIVES February, 1946 17 m m CHALLENGING PRESCRIPTION. What is said at a co-op meeting is minimized or amplified by the setting in which it is said. This poster background for the annual meeting of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, at Chicago last month, is something for every co-op to copy. Homer L. Brinkley, retiring NCFC president, shown speaking, said that "when we devote ourselves principally to . farmer cooperatives, those not in our ranks should thoroughly understand that our discussions are not selfishly directed merely at our own problems, . . . we fee! the need for expansion of the spirit in which we strongly believe—cooperation between nations and within nations; and cooperation between economic groups which tod ay are in such bitter discord." At left is John Da vis, NCFC secre tary; at right is Clyde Edmonds, vice president. Hidden from view by the rostrum is Quentin Reynolds, general manager of Eastern States Farmers Exchange, and newly-elected president of NCFC. Words of Counsel From NCFC Annual is inadequate to report the sig- ^ nihcant words of challenge, technical advice and advocacy for co-op leaders that flowed from speakers at the annual meet ing of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives last month in Chicago. Es pecially apt : CLINTON P. V^DERSOX. Secretary of igriculture: "We have been talking in a »pecial jargon that tends to make the idea of cooperation too complex. . . . The pub lic is somewhat confused about coopera tives . . . our language has caused means to be confused with ends, methods with purpose, implements with principles .... Efficiency and lowest possible cost . . . are going to loom more important and may rapidly become the deciding factor be tween a thriving co-op and a defunct one. . Modernization of facilities is going to be a problem for many organizations that have creaked by with obsolete equip ment and old-fashioned methods during the war. " I. \V. D i ice AN, governor, Farm Credit Administration: "In some States the price of farm land is up 100% from the 1935-39 average. Rising land prices left un checked can easily lead to a duplication of the World War I aftermath ... 2 mil lion farm foreclosures with their trail of wrecked homes and hopes." JUHN H DAVIS, executive secretary. National Council of Farmer Cooperatives: "The real fighl is still ahead. Those who miliated the attack on cooperatives were not motivated by a desire for tax equality. Their real purpose was and is to cupple coopératives as pace-setters. . . . Enemies of cooperatives are not complaining with equal vigor about the ... 87 percent of American wholesale and retail establish ments which operate as partnerships and proprietorships (and) are on exactly the same income tax paying basis as coopera tives. . " H E. BABCOCK, chairman o) board, Cornell University (to co-op publicity and public relation15 workers1 : "4s a profes sional group you're not in focus, your philosophical base isn't broad enough, > our sights need raising. ... I hope you feel complimented by these indictments They indicate your importance." Purchase Systematically A local merchandise-purchasing policy will help manager stock most desired goods and improve turnover and savings CO-OP stores, a» well a= other business, are coming out of a period in which merchandise was extiemely scarce, into one in which it will be extremely plenti ful. Managers have developed in many instances an almost fixed habit of buying whatever thej could- wherever they could find it. In the days to come, many brands of man> items will be pushed at these co-op manager-merchandisers; il will be the IN MEMORIAM J. J. ADAMS, vice-president, Canadian Cooperative Implements, Ltd., died at Al berta, Canada. JOHN B. FISHER, representative for Scottish Cooperative Wholesale in b.S. and Canada, died January 15 at Winnipeg. Mr. Fisher, who served as head of the Ca nadian office of SCW for many years, had been appointed representative for both Canada and l .S. shortly before his death. same be it a farm supply co-op, food si ore, co-op auto =ervice station, or general store. The managers, therefore, will have to be come more and more selective in their purchasing. Careful stocking means faster turnover, more merchandising efficiency, and greater savings. Volume is built b> handling whal cus tomers want, not by having on hand any old, shopworn merchandise. Co-op man agers must watch the in's and cut's of inventories more constantly and thorough ly than they watch anything else. They must consider carefully where to build margin by stocking only the CO-OP brand, and where to "lock a variety oi brands in order to satisfy patrons and build extra volume. \ helpful guide to intelligent selection of items to stock and promote is a pur chasing policy—rarefully worked out, written, and strictly followed. This goes for any kind of co-op business. The prin ciples stated may be flexible in that they may be reviewed from time to time in the light of experience, and altered as seems CO-OP Magazine best; between such revisions, however, the written policy should be law —and, as such, a very effective answer to the over-zealous salesman who will not accept the manager's judgment. The following purchasing policy, adopted recently by Altgeld Gar dens Cooperative, Chicago, and reported to us by Al Rees, outlines the main principles to be covered. It can be revised by each cooperative to fit its own local problems: Purchasing Policy Altgcld Gardens Cooperative 1. We will determine which items will be carried—in the CO-OP brand when available, and in other brands carried by our regional cooperative in place of CO-OP. These will include most items in lines in which there is no strong consumer demand for advertised brands— such as fruit juices, canned vegetables, extracts, preserves, salt, matches, mustard, catsup, chili sauce and vinegar. 2. We will determine which "nationally advertised" items are de manded by our trade, and the best source for those which our regional does not carry. The number of different brands of each item will be kept to a minimum. For example, we will feature CO-OP Evaporated Milk, stock Pet and Carnation brands adequately, and not carry any other brands. Advertised brands may be carried in soups, canned milk, baking powder, baby foods, cereals, soaps, shortening, cleanser and flour, among others. 3. When goods are needed to supplement those available from our regional, we will give preference to "'nationally advertised" brands. The private label brands of profit wholesalers will be carried only when nothing else is available. t. In lines such as bread, pop, crackers and cakes, we will have the smallest number of suppliers consistent with satisfying strong de mands. Elimination of slow-moving lines will reduce extra checking-in and bookkeeping, and insure fresh merchandise. 5 No special display or promotion will ever be given to private brands of profit wholesalers. CO-OP and "nationally advertised" brands will be featured in about 2-to-l proportion. The display of "nationally advertised" brands i» to create price impression and a sense of familiar ity. Preference will be given to "nationally advertised" items for which there is no co-op duplicate. 6. The co-op will not have any merchandise packed for it in its own ilorali label CO-OP Fact Book CO-OP Fact Book pages, published in monthly groups in CO-OP Magazine, began with the December. L945 issue. They will contain, cumulatively, a wide varietj of information about cooperative organizations, functions, commodities, serv ices, and co-op progress in America dnd the world. Fact Book pages will fil any standard 5" x 3" six ring loose-leaf binder. Strong, simulated leather, semi-flexible covers, with "CO-OP Fact Book embossed in gold, are ex pected to be available through regional and local cooperatives by the time this is received. (Production has been delayed because of material shortages.) Price will be $1 each. Printed at the bottom of Fart Book pages are section names and page numbers, so that each person's Fact Book may be divided into sections according to subject matter When the pages become sufficiently numerous to require it. an index page will be published. "Vital statistics" about member regionals—business vol umes, savings, service points, memberships, etc.—will appear in Fad Book pages a? soon as complete. Keep Your Facts Handy Watch your regional cooperative publications for special offer in connection with subscriptions to CO-OP Magazine and embossed covers for Fact Book pages. r O o o o o i*a 0> et L. 0) VI "5 a: u 0) "D 2 ^_ >_ 5 | rre c ! «•H V D g £ ce •S £ 9 "o "e I P A Ri CÖ 1 £ o S S "c c € IS fe 1 2 1 at 5 rt n I S O i 3 IL) i i «-< ! s a rt g c (Ci ai ë .£ b£ C B 8 a | a o „ strict of Columbia, where free competition reiffne, B £ Ç ifj S a o 1 S C3 - t) C tî < .2 œ t, co o: c ^ Tf* ^ ce *û ce > I ! is O 00 t, OC î> i- t- o W ° W Ä tf *H Q kfi QJ «U £ tl s ? A- . : 1 ; ' b s « £0 > ' î s : o W S o 1 « S S £ g 5 f E t c W öS , j o o £ C3 5 f E -^ I February, 1946 19 German Cooperatives and World War A stirring picture of co-ops of yesterday and the struggles of today for revival—written especially for CO-OP Magazine by a German cooperator. By DR. ERWIN HASSELMANN i^ERMAl\ \, in the bleak twilight between a most destructive wai ^^ and a most uncertain peace, her economy largely in ruins and her political and social structure shattered, is /at present thinking al most pxclusively in term0 o) food, warmth, shelter. But even from these elementary thoughts the complex problem of the future social order cannot be excluded. The effort tu get foud and houses must be organ ized, food and fuel, if any, must be distributed—not onlj efficiently, but also equitably. There can be no doubt that the existence and efficient functioning of a strong consumers' movement would be of the greatest value in the present period of emergency in Germany which is, characterised by a general reluctance of the private producer and trader to part with his precious goods (at least at the official price l and by a flourishing black market. To look further afield, in the long-term process of eco nomic and social reconstruction, one of the effects of which will be the shifting of the emphasis in German industrial production from the heavy and capital goods to the consumer goods industries, a firmly About the Author Dr. Hasselmann is a German Cooperator, now living in England. In the last years before the Nazi Regime he was a member of the Members Representative Council of the Hamburg Consumers' So ciety "Produktion,'' the largest in Germany. He was also a teacher in the Evening Classes of "Produktion," and contributed to the cooperative press. He is following closely the cooperative develop ments in Germany, though postal communications with civilians, he explains, are still handicapped by the general conditions—especially by the cutting up of the country into four zones. Efforts are being made in many places to get cooperative organizations going again, he reports. Dr. Hasselmann's report, printed herewith, is not only interesting reading, it is vital background information for all those who wish to understand and further the cooperative tasks before us. established consumers' movement would represent an important ele ment of dynamic democratic control. If it could take up and continue the long tradition of the pre-Nazi German consumers' movement, it would be internationalist in outlook, a strong rounterforce against any resurgent nationalism in post-war Germany, But what ground is there for the expectation that a new strong Ger man consumers' movement will emerge from the present chaotic condi tions? What material is available inside Germany for use in the recon struction of the cooperative organizations? What is left of the old mem bership, and especially of the active nucleus of convinced cooperators? What bas become of the assets of, the movement? To what extent and in what form has the whole structure of the cooperative organization survived "Nari perserution—and management? Two Movements \t the time when the Nazis seized power, there existed two consum ers' movements in Germany, each with its own federation and whole sale organization. The stronger, the "Central Union'" < Zentralverband deutcher Konsumvereine l, relying mainly, but by no means exclusively, on tlie masses of the workers politically represented by the Parties of the Left, comprised about 1000 societies which supplied almost 3 mil lion families with goods to the value of 1 billion Reichsmark a year. Their assets totalled 620 million Reichsmark in 1932. More than half of tbeir financial resources were deiived from members' savings depos its and roughly a third represented share capital and reserves. The wholesale »ocietj of the Central Union (Grosseinkaufsgesellschaft 20 CO-OP Magazine deutcher Consumvereine—G. E. G.) owned about SO factories, mostly food processing plants, including the biggest German meat factory at Oldenburg, some modern flour mills, preserve works, etc., and also some household goods and clothing factories. The output of these pro ductive works accounted for between a third and a half of the G. E. G. turnover of 340 million Reichsmark in 1932. Financially the wholesale society was in a very strong position. The snidllei consumers' union, the "Reich Liuon" (Reichsverband rleutcher Konsumvereine) found its main support in the Roman Cath olic districts of the Reich, its 750,000 members were largely recruited from the Christian trade unions, though there were also a few civil servants' consumers' societies, like the big Berlin Civil Servants' Society 'with more than 100,000 members) in league with the Roman Cath olic movement. The trade of the 250 societies affiliated to the Reich I nion in the pre-JNazi period amounted to about 150 million Reichs mark, and that of their wholesale society (Gepag) totalled approxi mately 60 million Reichsmark a yeai. Nazi Procedures with Co-ops In the years before 1933, the German consumers' movement was under constant fire, and in some districts under dire pressure, from the l\azig whose policy and ideology at that time were largely deter mined by the interests of the "little man"—Meaning the independent small trader, artisan, farmer, etc. As a result, a confidence crisis shook the consumers' societies when the Nazis came to power. The people expected the worst and many members withdrew—or tried to withdraw —their savings deposits. But the Nazis, once in power, thought twice about the liquidation of the consumers" societies they had promised the small retailers- and its probable effects. They enforced certain restrictions on the societies, half-heartedly started a few foolish experi ments at "collaboration'" with traders" organizations 'which failed and were abandoned), arrested a number of cooperative officials appointed "'commissars" for the central organizations and local societies, and soon embarked upon "reorganization'" of the movement. This consisted main ly in the merger of all central organizations—wholesale and federa tions- -into one central body which, however, was later again split into a wholesale and a non-rommercial federation. The INazis tried hard to carry on ''business as usual" after the Gleichschehung, but they could not arrest the decline of the movement which set in as soon as its inner life, its democratic character was destroyed The nucleus of militant cooperators reased to work, coopéra live democracy became a farce, and cooperative business declined in the midst of bustling rearmament activity, expanding employment and rising mass purchasing power. At the beginning of 1935 the movement was in the throes of a seri ous financial crisis, which was the outcome of the Nazi-produced con fidence crisis plus the equally Nazi-produced cooperative business stag nation. The "Liquidation Law" of May 21, 1935. was the Government's answer to the situation: 4bout 1UU societies, the most severely hit by the crisis, almost all of them big societies in large cities and indus trial centers, were liquidated—they represented a membership of about one million; the remainder was deprived of the right to accept and use their members' savings deposits and compelled to paj back, in stages, what savings had not been withdrawn up to that time Though it is true! thai overcapitalization and the execution of ambitious building programs by some societies in the optimistic twenties aggravated the crisis, there can be no doubt that the 1935 crisis itself was a Nazi-pro duction, The treatment of the liquidated societies is typical of the social ambiguity of Nazi economic policy. The liquidation was promised to the small retailers as a relief measure But the liquidated societies were neither dissolved nor were their shops given to small traders. The^ were transformed into so-called "\uffanggesellschaften" ("receiving soci eties") and. more completely under Nazi control continued their busi ness- without the legal limitations of ordinary consumers' societies (which could sell to members only), but still supplied bj the consum ers' wholesale society. The small traders were certainlv not better off than before. All Member Control Elided The remaining consumers' societies were allowed to continue in op- eiation till, by a decree of the Reich Minister of National Economy issued on February 18, 1941, they were divested of their cooperative form; that is. the members were deprived even of the pretense of their right of control and robbed of their collective assets. The whole move ment was transformed into a vast subsidiary organization of the Nazi Labor Front, as the "Gemeinschaftswelk der deutschen Arbeitsfront" r o o o o v Members of the INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE as listed in the EEVIKW OP INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, October, 1845 Data on membership, business, number of societies not complete and current; new statistics on \\orld cooperation wijl be published soon as compiled. *—recently admitted to ICA subject to cndotsement of Central Committee ARGENTINA »Federacion Argentina de Cooperativas de Consume, Buenos Aires "Federacion Argentina de Cooperativas de Electricidad, Buenos Aires *Institucion Cooperativa del Personal de los FF. CC. del Estado, Buenos Aires *Sociedad Cooperativa de Consume "La Internacional", Buenos Aires *"La Dental Argentina", Buenos Aires *Couperatîva Limitada de Proprietaries de Automoviles, Buenos Aires AUSTRALIA »Cooperative Federation of Australia, Sydney BELGIUM General Cooperative Society, Brussels BULGARIA Kooperativna Tsentrala "Napred", Sofia CZECHOSLOVAKIA Velkonakupni Spolecnost Druzstev (VDP), Prague DENMARK Faellesforeningen for Danmarks Brugsforeninger, Copenhagen ENGLAND The Cooperative Union, Manchester Cooperative Wholesale Society, Manchester Cooperative Insurance Society, Manchester Cooperative Productive Federation Leicester ESTONIA Eesti Tarvitajateuhisuste Keskuhisus (ETK). Tallinn February, 1946 21 O o o o o o V i « c _o Z-1-46 ORGANIZATION—5 Cooperative Insurance Companies serving members and affiliâtes of National Cooperatives American Farmers Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. 2233 University Ave., St. Paul, Mlnn. Central Mutual Fire. Inc. Superior, Wis. Cooperators' Life Association 2233 University Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Cooperators' Life Mutual 5070 N. 35th St., Milwaukee, Wis. Cooperative Insurance Mutual 5070 N. 35th St., Milwaukee, Wis. (Automobile insurance) Cuna Mutual Insurance Society Raiffeisen House, Madison. Wis. (Life insurance) Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. 246 N. High St , Columbus, O. Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. 246 N. High St , Columbus. O (also fire, casualty & general liability) Farm Bureau Mutual Fire Insurance Co 246 N High St , Columbus, O Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. of Indiana, Inc. Farm Bureau Bldg , Indianapolis, Ind. (Auto, geneial liability) Group Health Mutual, Inc. ISO N Snelling Ave , St. Paul, Minn. (Group medical and hospital insurance) tA. 2-1-46 FINANCE—I Members of the INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE (Continued from preceding page) Ï-INIAND Tleinen Osuuskauppojeti Liitto, r. y. (TOL), Helsinki Suomen Osuuskauppojen Keskuskunta, r. I. (SOK), Helsinki Kulutusosuuskuntien Keskusliitto (KK), Helsinki Osuustufckukauppa, r. 1. (OTK), Helsinki FRANCE Federation of French Distributive Societies, Paris HUNGARY "Hangya" Cooperative Union and Wholesale Society of Hungarian Farmers, Budapest NETHERLANDS Cooperatieve Groothandelsvereniging de Handelskamer "Haka" G.A., Rotterdam Centrale Bond van Nederlandse Verbruikscooperatie, The Hague Federatie der Diocesane Bonden van Katholleke Coop. Vereenigingen. Utrecht NORWAY Norge Kooperative Landsforening, Oslo PO1AND "Spolem"—Union of Consumers' Cooperative Societies, Warsaw SCOXIAND Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society, Glasgow SWEDEN Kooperative Forbundet, Stockholm SWITZERLAND Union of Swiss Distributive Societies (VSK), Basle U. S. A. The Cooperative League of the U. S. A., Chicago U. s. S. R. Central Union of Consumers' Societies. Moscow O O O ORGANIZATION—6 Cooperative Insurance Companies serving members and affiliates of National Cooperatives (Continued from preceding page) Hoosler Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. Farm Bureau Bldg.. Indianapolis, Ind. Self Help Assurance Society 13 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. (Life insurance) Workmen's Mutual Fire Insurance Society, Inc. New York, N. Y. O O FINANCE—2 (Collective Enterprise of the Laboi Front;. Its whole structure was reorganized and concentrated—135 "Versorgungsringe" (supply rings) took the place of the local societies; about ten times that number, central finance, wholesaling, export and import, and production were organized in special subsidiary enterprises of the "Gemeinschaftswerk." The new organization included also the liquidated "receiving soci eties." Shortly before the Vllied invasion of Germany, the retail sec tion of the Gemeinschaftswerk served about 10 million registered cus tomers, who, in the whole, will be identical with the former member ship of the consumers' societies. The annual retail turnover of the Gemeinsrhaftswerk was between 800 and 900 million Reichsmark, that of the wholesale section about 250 million Reichsmark and that of the productive section approxi mately 150 million Reichsmark. Property Claims Recogni/ied It has been reported that the G. E. G. and some of the consumers' societies have now "reopened" as cooperative organizations. In terms of actual business and cooperative life, that may mean very little at pres ent. Bul it means one very important thing: that the claim of the expropriated German cooperators to their collective property has been recognized by the occupation authorities in broad principle—whatever the position a« to legalistic details may be But only the restitution of the cooperative property to the future German consumers' organization can lay the foundation for coopera tive reconstruction. The most important task of the actual rebuilding of the movement will be that of re-forming local nuclei of active co- operators and training them for democratic leadership. Although a number of the former cooperative leaders and officials are still available, many of them will be too old and too weary to take over fresh respon sibilities under new and most difficult conditions. Few Young Cooperators Among the younger generation there will be but few who know anything about consumer«' cooperation at all—under the Nazi regime there was no organized cooperative education and no consumers' co operative propaganda. To find these few, group them and add to the group« other potential active cooperators, to collect what remains of the old membership (the number will certainly be considerable—but then, most of the members were not much more than customers at the cooperative shopi, to restart the business, or keep it going, to repair damage, secure supplies—there are a thousand tasks, problems and difficulties. Some time must elapse before the cooperative apparatus of democratic control will be fully functioning again. lu that time of transition the struggling German cooperative movement can do with every bit of encouragement it can get from cooperators abroad. Outlook Hopeful For the long run, the conditions for cooperative growth in Germany are not unfavorable. But it is necessary to sow the seeds of cooperative internationalism—seeds of hope that is—in Germany now. The Inter national Cooperative Alliance has decided to send a delegation to Ger many as soon as conditions—and the occupation authorities—permit. There is no doubt that such a delegation can render a truly great service to the cause of cooperation in Germany. A Peek at NTEA Techniques The National Tax Equity Association is conducting an essay-writing contest among college students of the rank of juniors or better. The subject is to be "The Tax Privilege of Public Corporations and Co operatives, and Its Impact on Private Enterprise," and it is a very safe bet that the National Tax Equity Association wants the tax-exempt status of cooperatives abolished. The first prize is $750 or an equiva lent payment of college tuition, and there are second and third prizes of $300 and $100. The new twist in this competition, at least to us, is that there are also prizes for three college professors who, presumably, have acted as guide, philosopher and friend for the three student win ners. The faculty member who guided the first-prize man gets $100, and the others, $75 and $50. The prize-giving Association is obviously none too sure that either students or faculty, unprompted, would see the horror of leaving cooperatives tax exempt. Ergo, they make it worth the professor's while to look into the matter, come to "the right" point of view, and pass on that point of view to some impecunious stu dent with a facile pen. What does the American Association of Uni versity Professors have to say about this precious enterprise?—From THE NEW REPUBLIC, January 21, 1946. 22 CO-OP Magazine By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL Publicity Director. The Cooperative League WHAT'S NEWS With the Co-ops A brief who. what, when and where of significant co-op happenings for the information of cooperative workers, and others interested. Because of space limitations, chronological order will not be strictly followed and important items necessarily omitted from one issue will be published later. Expansion Seven new cu-ops in process of organi zation in Central Cooperative Wholesale area will include service stations, farm supply depots, locker plants, food stores. Six new rn-ops in region opened during pasi seven months. CCW negotiating leases for branch warehouses at Escanaba, Michigan and Wadena, Minnesota. Largest co-op supermarket with pre dominant Negro membership opened at \ltgeld Gardens Housing Project, Chi cago Weekly volume averaging around $7,500. Consumers Cooperative Association purchased Wolf Creek Oil Company, Wichita, Kansas; purchase includes 46 wells (with daily production over 1,000 ban els crude oil) and 12.000 acres unde veloped leases. This makes total of 436 wells owned by CCA—putting it in position to produce 25% of its crude oil require ments. Recent survey reveal» Puget Sound area of Washington includes farmers' purchas ing co-ops with annual volume of $2,693,- 000, ten urban cooperatives doing lï mil lion dollars annually. Cascade Cooperative Wholesale organ ized and began operations last month in Seattle. Working contractually with Pa cific Supply Cooperative, Cascade will »erve groceries, household goods to both rural and urban rn-nps. Organization Delegates to recent joint meeting of Eastern Cooperative League and Eastern Cooperative Wholesale voted establish ment of overall coordinating body for con sumer cooperatives in east. Board mem- hers of ECL and ECW authorized to ar range necessary legal procedures. Congress of Cooperative Union of Can ada voted to change from federation of individual cooperators to federation of provincial cooperative unions. Tax Front Recommendation to leave co-op savings untaxed was submitted recently to House of Commons of Ottawa by Canadian Royal Commission on Cooperatives. Based on eleven hearings held across Canada, re port takes into account present taxation policies of Britain. Canada and U.S.. fa vors tax exemption of patronage refunds made by any organization, recommends same treatment of mutual insurance or ganization? as of co-ops, full tax exemp tion for first three years for newly organ ized cooperatives, and continued exemp tion for credit unions. NTEA has indicated intention of either including mutual insurance companies in present attacks on cooperatives, or making them target separately later. Some sharp difference of opinion as to procedure on insurance companies apparent among NTFA-ers. Co-op Housing Government insurance on mortgages up to 95% of cost of cooperative housing is provided by National Housing Policy Bill introduced by Senators Wagnei (Dem. IY\.>, EUender (Dem. La.) and Taft (Rep. O.). Bill also provides for maximum interest of 3i% on loans to cooperative housing projects. Health Care Pelican Valley Health Center, Pelican Rapids, Minn., incorporated with 200 farm and city members. Hospital, to cost $100,000. will serve inhabitants of Pelican Rapids and farm folk in surrounding communities. Dr. Michael Shadid, founder of first co-op hospital in L.S. at Elk City, Okla., on organizing tour through Oregon, Wash ington, Idaho. Dozen new ro-op hospitals in process of organization as result of his work. One of them in Seattle, which will be first major city to be served by a co-op hospital. Co-ops and Labor 4s result of labor union interest in co ops, UAW-CIO members on strike against General Motors in Toledo. O.. stocked shelves, unloaded merchandise eight hours a day at Toledo Consumers Co-op as part of strike duty. Many spent strike fund vouchers at co-op, more than tripled weekly volume. Minnesota Federation of Labor went on record unanimously opposing proposed taxation of co-op savings. Round the World World's first Minister of Cooperation and Cooperative Development, L. F. Mc- Intosh, appointed for Province of Sas katchewan. Published series of bulletins reporting business volume of purchasing, credit and miscellaneous co-ops in Prov ince for 1944-45. SCOTLAND—Scottish Cooperative Whole sale, Glasgow, set aside $40,000,000 for reconversion, new plants and machinery, rehabilitation of war-damaged equipment. One hundred new co-ops set up in iso lated communities recently. Scottish co-ops did 40% of rationed foods business during war. JAPAN- General MacArthur ordered breaking up of feudal estates, urged "a program to foster and encourage the agri cultural cooperative movement, free from the domination of non-agricultural inter ests." Federation of Cooperative Associa tions of Japan established; will carry out (Continued on next page) •In the News- \ CO-OP WORKERS ON EMERGENCY MISSION. At Sikeston. Missouri, recently, two sons of Tenant Farmer Leslie Gaines, 9 months and 3 years, victims of infantile paral ysis, were sent home from the hospital because it was too crowded to keep them. Rural electric co-op linemen pictured here, and volunteer helpers, struggled with heavy mud conditions to put in mile-long emergency electric line extension to the Gains home to provide electrical heat treatments so the boys won't be permanently crippled. February, 1946 23 News about Co-ops (Continued from page 23) MacArthur's stipulations and set up schuuls for training cooperative leader ship ITALY—Joseph Catananetti, vice-presi dent of Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, and Monsignor L. G. Ligutti, executive secretary of National Cathulic Rural Life Conference, prominent Ameri can cooperators, visiting Italy to assist in reconstruction and réhabilitation uf co operatives there; will aid in reorganiza tion and report back on ho\v U.S. can help. BRITISH HONDURAS- -Credit unions at Jesuit mission stations in Punta Gorda and Baranco chosen by colonial Social \\elfare Officer as approved agencies for supervising cooperative reconstruction necessitated by hurricane which destroyed houses, plantations, mission rhurrhes. schools. International Trade 'National Cooperatives instructed by its directors to work with International Co operative Trading Agencj, London, on export of goods from United States. Na tional Cooperatives to place emphasis on those goods it normally handles for do mestic use, and on other items National to facilitate the export piogram by act ing as a clearing house and information center. Consumers Cooperative Association re ceived orders for 2,175,000 gallons of lu bricating oil for shipment to France Or der follow« similar shipment« to Sweden. Delegation from Scottish Cooperative Wholesale. Glasgow, visited L.S. and Can ada to discuss reciprocal trade agreements. Twenty trucks, presented to French co- POEMS of the Family Circle By James Peter Warbasse An Introduction "These verses were written for the intimacy of the family cir cle. They are part of a large col lection developed during many years. My children have urged that this volume should appear, and its printing is in response to their request."—from the Au thor's Preface. By the Author •'I have had so much fun writing these verses, with no thought of publication, that I want to encourage others to do likewise. ... To begin, one needs only an idea and the wording of it singing harmoniously in his mind I take this occasion to recommend the writing of verse as a recreation. . ."—Same. And a Poem— All That Is Good All that is good is got with pain, All that is lost is turned to gain, The sun shines forth between the rain And the clouds are a threat and a promise. This and Many Other Delightful and Moving Poems Special Limited Edition, Beautifully Bound, Retail, $2.00 Order From YOUR REGIONAL COOPERATIVE ops by International Freedom Fund, shipped from England in November. Fund tu tend total of fifty trucks, five to French Cooperative Wholesale Society, forty-five Lo local co-ops. Current Books and Pamphlets 24 CONSUMER COOPBKATIVF LEADERSHIP. Second edition Edward A Filene Good Will Fund, Inc 176 pp. $1.50 The second edition of this book covers - in a more comprehensive way—the same subject matter as the first edition. Among the topics included are: function of the oiganizmg committee, developing major policies, setting up and equipping the »tore, incorporation, taxe», insurance, schedule for opening, function of board of directors, and its relation to the man ager, functions of committees, and pro cedure at meetings of different types. An appendix gives information on useful buuks and organizations. The manuscript of this second edition has been checked by authoiities in most uf the regiunals, and by \. S. MIanne, director of the Cooperative Correspond ence School and author of A Manuel for Cooperative Directors. EDUCATION FOB RI RAL AMERICA. By Floyrt W Rpews 213 pp university ot Chicago Press $2 50 Report of the Conference on Education in Rural Cummunities, held at the Uni- versitv of Chicago, summer, 1944. Out lines the problems of youth and adult rural education, and suggests techniques and facilities which may be used to solve them. The book contains essays b} experts in the field of rural education from the Uni versity of Chicago, the National Education Association, Michigan State College of Agriculture, Tennessee Valley Authority, Michigan State Farm Bureau, Michigan State Junior Farm Bureau, and Farmers Union. With a chapter un "Economic Cooperation and Adult Education" by E. R. Bowen, General Secretary, The Co operative League. Mr. Bowen discusses the philosophy and methods of education in consumer cooperation, its principles, and the growth of the movement. The book represents an important docu ment in the literature of American educa tion, and should be in the library of every active cooperator, whether he is directly engaged in rural education or not. THE COOPERATIVE WATT—A METHOD OF WORLD RECONSTRUCTION James Peter Warbasse Special co-op edition $1 50 Available February 1. To be reviewed. U1ÏUAI, HOUSING. Reprint from the Con- Kressioiial Record. Available from regional education derailments le eacli 'Letter to Senator Wagner from John Carson, Co-op League Washing-ton representative, propos ing cstahlishment of a Mutual Housing Administration and urging federal gnaran tee on mortgage loans for such housing !Tseful for getting your community writing to Congress ibont presently pendum legis lation. RECREATIONAL AI VTKRIAL. 6-page folder The Cooperative League Free. New bibliog- lapliy of material« on folk dancing, games, puppetry song books plavs Ask your re giunals for it CO-OP Magazine INDEX 130 120 no BUSINESS ACTIVITY JANUARY 1945 = 100 • 70 60 50 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP 1945 OCT NOV DEC RTMENT OF LABOR JAN FEB MAR. APR MAY 1946 With the threatening debt-savings pile more than five times what it was at the same time after World War I. more persons than ever are wondering (if they are realistic) how long the inflation can stretch, how long the "prosperity" will last, when the next bust will come, what will set it off. In 1919 the stock market tumbled 8 months before everything else because of inside information about calling of foreign loans. The above trends will bear constant watching—will be carried forward as fast as data is available. THE TRUTH \BOUT COOPERATIVES. Rc print from the Congressional Record, avail able Lrom regional education departments 1^ eacli Letters to Jerry Voorhis from .Tnlin rai sou, JLeae-up Washington rcpre sentative, dusweims1 common criticism of cu-oiJB LojLK-einiiig- taxes, and explaining < o-ops' service to small business in com batting monopolies. Anti NTEA ammuni t ion SELF-SERVICE SELLING OF PRODUCE. National Association of Retail Grocers, 360 N Michig-aii Ave , Chicago, 111 48 pp Free rtesnihoi-, different partial and romplefe Relf-bervice systems coveiing1 packaging and pricing materials, display facilities, paek- age display and checkout methods for -=>ach si stem. AISUAL FRONTS. Libbey-Owen Ford GUb» Company, 1504 Merchandise Mart, Chicago, 111 3'? pp Free. If you are contemplating" building or remodeling, or ev^n if you're iust interested in the trends of modern store design, you will find this brochure fascinating Discusses theory of visual fronlfe, types of glass plating suitable to different kinds of service facilities and dif ferent purposes with fourteen arclntcc rural renderings of sample fronts CO-OP HOSPITAL. CATECHISM. Di Michael A Shadid Education Department, Pacific Supply Cooperative ( Box 1004, Walla Walla, Wash >. 24 pp 25c. Booklet ^on sists ot three paiis. 11 ) explanation of function of eooueiative hospitals for physi cians, ( 2 ) ABC of organizing and admin- jstering co-op hospitals, ','J) appendix with sample membership applications and ai"- tieles of incorporation, suggestions for ac counting procedure and financing BIBLIOGRAPH!. ON GROUP WORK. By Gertrud* Wilson and Gladys Ryïaiid Asso ciated Pi f>s ,'J4? Madison Ave New York r'ity 17 2^ <-ents Prepared at request of American Association for t lie Study of Group Work Tins new, comprehensive bibliography deals with leeieatioii informal tdiicatiun, adult education, child welfare youth leadership In two main parts "The Practice of Group Woik," and "Background Material Relative to the Insights of the Group Worker ' In the Periodicals CO-OP HOUSES, \rchitpctural Forum. Janu •n y 1946 Challenging 7-page feature re port with many pictures; and diagrams, of homes built In group of Chicagoland cu operators, including E R Bowen, execn- t ne focciet «y. The Cooperative League Material being reprinted in R^xll pamph let f01 m available soon TUB KIDS J,OVE IT. Bj S R Logan Readers Digest. January, 1946 Briefed from article b> same name in December 8 issue of Saturday Evening Post Story of co-op en terpnses run by students of Winnetka, 111 schools Classified Advertising The classified section of CO-OP Magazine is available to individuals or organizations to advertise equipment or other articles for sale or exchange or wanted, help or situations wanted, educational projects, or special serv ices to cooperatives. Bight reserved to refuse any advertising regarded by CO OP Magazine to be in conflict with co operative objectives or programs. Bates are 7c per word for one inser tion: 6c per word for two or more insertions. Minimum, $1. Abbrevia tions, signs, initials and complete num bers counted as words. First line in capital letters; no other display. Be- mittance must accompany order. Ad dress Classified Department, CO-OP Magazine, 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois. POSITIONS WANTED EXPERIENCED NEWSPAPER MAN NOW eaitinjr co-op paper will edit another publica tion in spare time or consider full time open ing. Write Box JT 343, CO-OP Magazine, 343 S Dearborn, Chicago, 111. FARMS FOR SALE______ 451 ACHES, ONE OF CENTRAL OHIO'S BEST farms, on U S Highway. Modern seven-room brick house, two tenant houses, one with hardwood floor0, four barns, one dairy barn 36 x 70 with 28 stanchions, wash room attached, cosl $12,000 in 1944. one barn 40 x 80 with grain elevator system, well tiled and fenced. $25.000 expended on im provements during the past eighteen months. Price $75,000, terms E. B Smith, 12 North .3d Street. Columbus, Ohio. COMMUNITY PLANS 65 COOPERATOBS OUTLINE THEIR GOALS in issue No .12 of The Commumteer, nuw off the press For news of intentional co operative communities as projected social Units for the good life, subscribe to The rom- muniteer, newsletter of the Rural Cooperative Commrmitv Council. New City 8, Rockland County N Y Send $1 for year's subscription (iniluding issue No 12) or 30e for single issue. Now Is the Time It is one of the illusions that the pres ent hour is not the critical, decisive hour. \^rite it on your heart lhat every day i« the Lest day in the year No man has learned anything rightly until he knows and feels that every day is doomsday. - Carlyle. Want Help? Use the Classified Column in CO-OP Magazine. More and more returned vet erans and others looking for em ployment in co-ops will be re ferring to CO-OP Magazine to get in touch with what is going on and to check for possible oppor tunities for service connections If you need staff members now, or are planning expansion that will soon require them, let your requirements be known There is good co-op help available February. 1946 25 a stimulating story about COOPERATIVE ADVERTISING IN ACTION This authoritative story by Dr. Mauritz Bonow, of Koop- erativa Forbundet in Sweden, tells the how and why of Swedish Cooperative adver tising — explains the opportu nities and advantages of Co operative advertising a n y- where. Eight-page booklet reprints of this well-illustrated, fac tually written account are available from the Advertis ing Department of National Cooperatives, Inc., 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4, Illi nois. Cost: 15^' including mailing. We are sure you will find this story both interesting and helpful. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. EDITORIALLY National Coordination Moves Forward INevvs of the decision to coordinate the functions of National Cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Association of Amer ica through, primarily, a common board of directors and a single executive, will have been received by many before this is read. In view of the significance of the move, both from the standpoint of co operative history, and from that of the importance to the future development of the cooperative movement, it will be desirable to many in the movement to have a record ropy of the formal resolution by which the action was taken. Most of the members of the boards of directors of the three organizations came together for a 3-dav joint conference. January 31 to February 1, on the general question of coordination. Aiter two and one-half days of the most exemplary group thinking and discussion that ever happened anywhere, the following was worked out, presented and adopted: Recommendation on Coordination "I. This conference agrees that the purpose of the regional associations in maintaining a national organization is extension of the Rochdale coop erative method of doing business in the procurement of consumers and vocational (production) supplies and services. We endorse and encourage the development of marketing cooperatives by farm producers and will seek friendly working relations with them. "II. This conference agrees that the national organization should have a single board and a single staff under one executive. "III. This conference recommends that National Cooperatives be the agency for carrying out, through departments or subsidiaries, the purposes intended. Among these purposes are Education and Promotion, Business Operations, and Finance. "IV. This conference recommends that Education be recognized as an essential function, and that adequate provision be made for financing it. "\. This conference recommends that the board of National Coopera tives be asked to appoint a committee at once to create the organizational and financial plans for carrying out the above purposes and that the com- ittee so appointed be asked to complete its work and report back as soon as possible " The executive committee of National Cooperatives was chosen to serve as the committee referred to in the fifth paragraph, and was asked to report on a recommended coordinated and expanded program to the annual meeting of National Cooperatives, April 30 and Ma) 1. To Help You Answer Questions In response to the news about this action, local leaders will be asked many questions : When will the reorganization be completed? Will it mean one organization instead of three? What will be the new name? Will there still be Co-op Con gresses? There are probably other questions. These are all sincere questions, and indicate active interest in the welfare and development of cooperative organization and service. The answers should be cooperative and sincere. However, the general answer to most of such questions is that all of the details of revision of organization structure, if any, and program and administrative policy are still to be worked out by the committee and still to be considered and passed upon by the boards. Questions of legal and operational procedure, still to be settled, will deter mine whether there will be any change in the number and type or types of corporate organizations to carry un the coordinated functions. Every altera tion made will be made in consideration of the need for more intensive co operative development and more efficient service. Suggestions will be wel comed from every earnest cooperator as we move toward greater cooperative advancement. i ï 1 r Bring CO-OPS IN ACTION To Your Cooperative Meetings with -OP MOVIES UP FROM THE EARTH The dramatic story of co-ops' expansion into the field of oil produc tion and distribution. Our newest film, produced by Tomlin films in (as Hollywood would say) "glorious technicolor.'' (16 mm., 55 min., sound) HERE IS TOMORROW . . . What co-ops are do ing throughout the U. S. An excellent documen tary film of how 2 « million families have built up the peoples business in \inerica. Produced by Documentary Films. (16 mm.. 35 min., sound) CONSUMERS SERVE THEMSELVES ... A vivid description of how members own and control their cooperatives and protect the quality- of their goods through consumer-owned testing kitchens. (16 mm.. 15 min., color: sound «r silent) For jurlhrr information on these or other co-op films, icrite to the regional for your area, or to THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE 167 West 12th Street New York II 26 CO-OP Magazine CO-OP v cuu cleaner feature specifications for Maximum Consumer Value CO-OP cylindei-type VACUUM CLEANER 1. Self lubricating motor—500 walls, 110-120 voll» AC or DC—requires no oiling. (Available with 32 volt motor at no extra cost.) 2. New type double sealed ball bearings. 3. Dual 8-blade fans for greater air volume, higher efficiency. 4. Toe-operated switches. One for turning the ma chine off and on; another for adjusting mntnr speed to high or low. High speed for general cleaning—low speed for use on delicate fabrics. 5. Extra large dust bag with convenient fabric strap for easy emptying. 6. Pressed steel cylinder coated inside and oui with baked enamel to safe-guard against rust. Finished in durable attractive hammerloid, easily washable. 7. Attractive polished cylinder ends and trim. 8. Easily worked snap clamps for convenience in re moving dust bag. 9. "Easy-slide" runners that also assure balance when cleaner i« set on end for removing du«t bag or for storing. 10. I nderwriters' approved cord. 11. Filter. Easy to change, economical. 7) CO-OP upright-type VACUUM CLEANER TWO SPEED MOTOR—Jiigh speed for deep, thorough cleaning-, low speed for daily "once-over" and for cleaning delicate rugs and drapes. ROTATING BRUSH, MOJOR DRIVEN—removable, adjustable, reversible. FLOOR LIGHT—operate«! b» an independent switch so il can be flicked on and off as desired. AUTOMATIC TILT DEVICE—makes stooping and bending unnecessary. By simplj pressing down the handle past the operating position the machine is easily rolled over rug fringes, small rugs or to the next room. EXACT NAP ADJUSTMENT—allows convenient and easy adaptation to rugs and car pets of varying depths. ATTRACTIVE two-tone hammerloid tan finish for long-lasting beauty. Take a tip from the competition: Even though deliveries on CO-OP Vacuum Cleaners continue to fall short of current de mand, the time to do the selling job is NOW. Production out look on CO-OP is as bright as on any other make; more favor able than on most. Order a supply ot catalog pages, with com plete data on specifications and attachments, from your region al TODA\. Get advertising mats from your regional too, and use them to advertise CO-OP Vacuum Cleaners in your com munity new spaper. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC o CO CO O ^ O S O 5 00 LLJ X ID LLJ Q_ CO Ü (J) O ? 0 l CO O (er* Ë CO O **. ° O ° * LLJ g (A £ o 5 ü -è O OL. CO LLJ 0) Z o LLJ O 00 00 CO COOPERATION and a better world These two new books, results of careful research and deep thought, are "required reading" for all students of cooperation, and for all citizens who want a world in which every person can live in peace and decent standards. The Cooperative Way /\ Method of World Reconstruction by James Peter Warbasse This is a forceful statement oi the author's belief in consumer cooperation as the "alternative way" to state-controlled society, and to capitalistic-monopoly of life's necessities. How this has already been accomplished in many instances is told in the story of cooperatives and their use by a hundred million people to solve the practical problems of every-day life. He points out the democratic influence of cooperation in the war-torn countries, and the part consumer cooperation can play in the reconstruction of the world society. Cooperative edition to retail at $1.50 The Cooperative Movement And Present-Day Problems by International Labor Office Food, farm implements, livestock, fuel, housing—these and many other basic necessities are discussed in this careful examination of the role different types of cooperatives can play in the work cf postwar rehabilitation and reconstruction. It is documentary, not attempting to lay down a plan for the future—this is left to the reader. It does, however, briefly describe cases where particular problems have been solve d by cooperative organizations, or where there are plans or projects in existence. Not to be read in one day, this thorough study should be invaluable to the serious thinker. Retail price $1.00 Order from Your Regional Cooperative An official organ of National Cooperatives, Inc., The Cooperative League of the USA, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America. Editor, Gîlman Calkîns ASSOCIATE EDITORS Wallace J Campbull C. J. McLanahan James L Proebstmg ADVISORY COMMITTEE Editors ...... . .. . . George H. Tichenor Educational Directois .E A Whitney Personnel Directors. . Herbert E Evans Sales & Adv'g Directors . Charles G Pool Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president ; Howard A Cow den, vice president: E R Bowen, general secietarj; L. E Woodcock, treasurer, Mary Arnold, Charles Baker, R N Benjamin, Perry I,. Green, A. J Hayes, I. H. Hull. Andrew P Jensen, Wm. Liimatainen, Frances Logan, A J Smabj, Thvight D. Townsend, J P. Warbasse NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC I H Hull, president; J L Nolan, vice presi dent; Howard A. Cowden, secretary-treasurer; A J Hayes, chairman; T. A Tenhune, asst secretary-treasurer; H S Agster, Charles Baker, R. N Benjamin, E B Chown, Leonard F Cow- den, Ralph Evans. J. A Geddes, J H Gervais, R. W Hogg, H. H Hogue, C S Jones. J. E Keltner, Laurie Lehtin, William Liimatainen, Jacob Liukku. M. G. Mann, Bruce McCully, Rob ert McKay, Robert Neptune, C C Palmer, R M Plerson, Boyd Rainey. W B Robins. William Sandeison. Jerry F Shea, R. J Scott, J J Sre mens, A J Smaby, W. E. Stough, George Urwin, L. E. Woodcor-h, J F Yaeger COOP'VE FINANCE ASS'N OF AMERICA Perry L. Gieen, president, Glenn S Fox, first vice-president ; J E Keltner, second vice-presi dent; E R Bowen, secretary, T A. Tenhune treasurer; Harland Alien, Charles Baker, William W Blaisdell, Andrew P Jensen, Arne Johnson Regional Cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America AIBERIA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 107 Revillon Bldg , Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FARMERS MUT. AUTD INS CD St Paul, Minnesota ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St . Oakland, California CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 1535 South Peoria St , Chicago 8, Illinois CONSUMEES COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St , Kansas City Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amarillo, Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madrson, Wisconsin EASTERN CO-OP LEAGUE AND WHOLESALE U West 143d St , New York 30. New York FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St , Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU MUTUAL AUTO INS CO 246 North High St.. Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St . Lansing, Michigan FARMERS COOPERATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh North Carolina FARMERS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P O Box G. St Paul. Minnesota FARMERS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenworth St . Omaha. Neb INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN. 47 S Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 9. Ind INDUSTRIAL ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St , New York 27, New York MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St., Winnipeg, Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St NE. Minneapolis 13. Minn PACIFIC COAST STUDENT CO-OP LEAGUE Berkeley. California PACIFIC SUPPLY COOPERATIVE P O Box 1004. Walla Walla. Wash PENNA FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSN 3607 South Derry St . Harrisburg. Pa SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATED COOP'TIVES Saskatoon, Saskatchewan UNITED FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY Duke and George Sts , Toronto 2, Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South Salt Lake City 4, Utah A Journal of Technical assistance and information for local cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members VOLUME 2. NO. 3 MARCH 1946 CONTENTS \our \pphance Planning Guide \\ hy Push CO-OP-Labelen1 Goods? By Andieu' Mailowe Let's Polish the \pple a Bit! Do \ou Mix Cosmetics with Shoe Polish? Spinglespangle Builds Cooperators By Esther Vleyet « Remembei the Display-of-the-Month Llub Helping \uu Save the Pieces ß-v Ruth M. Han&oii Let's Build an Ideal Patronage Record System ........ By U illiarn V Toi ma It's \our Cc-op School Pruject in Farm-City Cooperation Surplus Property for !\on-Profit Institutions Opinions expressed In signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations. Departments Coming Events \our Fact Book Page's ... . They've Moved Into l\< w Responsibilities T\ews \bout Commodities What's INews with the Co-ops Busines" Activity Chart Letters ... Current Books and Pamphlets Editorials PiCTURE CREDITS ' ovei Wurts pase 19 IFB (topi Andei&uii (bottom) rias-fc 24 Maurice Hudgv pase '38 Ellen JMdnty 16 CO-OP Magazine Is published monthly by The Cooperative League of the USA Business Manager, Giiman Calkins Editorial and business offices. 343 South Dearborn Street. Chicago 4 Illinois Cable address. COOPAM Entered as second class matter April 20, 1945, at the postoffice at Chi cago, Illinois, under the act of March 3, 1879 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 Coop eratives, Inc Subscription Rates One year. $2.50 ; three years. $6 10 or more conies in one wrapper to same address, $2 per year pel copy Single copy price, 25 cents Mailed anywhere without extra charge unsolicited manuscripts submitted at author's risk; should be accompanied by return postage Regional Circulation Managers. Jack Heino, CCW; Jean Johnston. Indiana; Dorothe MacKay. California; Donald W May, Texas; K M Mltcheli, Pacific Supply; Marftedant Peters Central States; Walter W White. Midland; W B. Robins. Utah; Doris Casamello. Eastern. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send old address label with new address to Circulation Manager. CO OP, Magazine. 343 S Dearborn St , Chicago 4, 111., and allow 30 days for correction of listing ..tffigHaa March, 1946 Your Planning Guide (or Charting Appliance Services First CO-OP Magazine supplement features the CO-OP Appliance Program! INCLUDED with this issue of CO OP Magazine is our first feature supple ment—prepared by the appliance mer chandising staff of INational Cooperative« and covering the problem of appliance merchandising at the local co-op level. fhi« supplement is particularly designed to acquaint managers and directors of local cooperatives with the advantages of appliance merchandising and to point out the problems which must be solved before such merchandising efforts can be suc cessful. An analysis is made of the major distributors of appliances which existed prior to the war, pointing out the good and bad features of each and showing how cooperatives, by diligent effort, can im prove appliance distribution and service. There are many reasons why it will be good business for local cooperatives to enter merchandising of appliance items. These are presented in detail in the sup plement. An attempt has been made, too, to point out the many policy decisions which must be made, and satisfactorily carried to completion, before an appli ance program can be successful in any area. Consideration of these is of such vital importance to success that we would discourage any appliance operation with out thorough attention to them. Further consideration of the policy mat ters outlined will continue to be the sub ject matter for many future articles in CO-OP Magazine Using the Supplement This supplement should be of consid érable aid to managers and directors in presenting an appliance merchandising program to interested members. It will demonstrate the wisdom for careful plan ning and immediate action. However, we wish to offer the following suggestions. If your co-op anticipates an appliance program, discus« the content of the ap pliance supplement with your regional. You will depend on your regional for much assistance in making your operation a success. Although strikes and reconversion prob lem« have slowed down the return of ap pliances to the market, it has given us in the distribution field a breathing spell - !•> get prepared to handle the require ments of members as fast as units become available. The delay on the other hand, ha« brought many problems, \mong these is the fact thai, with only a minimum of units available, it i« difficult for regional« to supply adequate stocks of merchandise foi proper merchandising efforts al the local level. With thi« condition existing it is especially important that careful con sideration be given to suggestions from vour regional as to when would be the most opportune time for your co-op to engage in an appliance program. This will give the regional an opportunity to supply you with an amount of merchandise sufficient t« pay ihe cost of operation in ill is new department. The writers of this supplement have endeavoied to demonstrate that co-op« can successfully merchandise appliances to the advantage of their membership -and that now is the time to piepare to enter this field' With careful consideration of ihe factors involved we feel confident that your appliance meichandising efforts can and will be successful. Since this is the first of what we hope will be numerous service supplements to CO-OP Magazine, we are particularly anx ious to obtain your reactions to the value of including such features in the future. If you should have problems in merchan dising or service which you think CO-OP Magazine should cover with supplements, v,e shall be happy to receive your sugges tions. Reprint« of the appliance supplement, which has been included in this issue, are The Cover Picture *». läSW»** These two beautiful chicks are typical of seven million chicks that were produced last year by 31 Farm Bureau Cooperative Hatcheries in Indiana. Cooperative dis ease control program has reduced total death loss during first two weeks from all causes to less than 3%. Purdue University reported 12 years ago that average death loss then was 25%. These chicks choose their parents carefully—from breeding farms operated by the Indiana Coopera tives. Through careful breeding and test ing, the egg laying ability of these Co-op strains has been raised until last year many flocks averaged better than 200 eggs per bird. available from your regional. They may be ordered bv the title, "Opportunities ii> a CO-OP Appliance Program." Place these brochures in the hands of the dirçi - tors and other kev people in your co-op for their review. In appliances, as well as in the many other CO-OP products, your members will expect your society to guide them in t).je selection of best values Now is the time t/> make plans to extend your service« lo this field along with the hundreds of other local co ops thai have formulated an c- tive CO-OP appliance program. Coming Events March 3-5—Meeting-, National Rural Ej'c- tric Cooperative Association, Washington. DC Mar 5—Meeting" of Board of Trustees of Rochdale Institute St Charles. Ill March 6—Beginning of Lent f Mar 6-8—Meeting's, National Co-op $di tor& and Educational Committees, St. Charles March 11-23—Appliance Service Sch iol, Pacific Supply Cooperative Walla Washing-ton. Mar 26-May 31—Food Locker Plant School, Ohiu State University Columbus. Ohiu April 3 it—Midwest Power ConferetyCP sponsored l>y Illinois Institute of Technology Palmer House Chicago April S-fi—Meeting-, American Academy oJ Political and tiocial Science Philadelphia April LS-10—Annual shareholders meeting Consumers Cooperatives Associated Amarillo Texas April ÏJ]—Easter Sunday April 23—Meeting of Steel & Building- Supplies Committee, National Cooperatives rinrago April 24—Meeting of Hardware & Jj>arni Supplie0 Committee, National Cooperatives. Chirag-o April 2 5—Meeting of Farm Appli ance Committee, National Cooperatives, Chicago April *26—Meeting of Home Appliance Committee, National Cooperatives, Chipa^'o Apiil 27—Meeting uf Grocery Cum nittet Nati onal Cooperatives, Chicago April 20—Meeting of Automotive Con nut- tee. National C u operatives, Chicago April .30—Annual Stockholders Meeting ÏS at) unal Cooperatives Inc Chicago Apr 30-May 1—Joint Meeting-, Boards ot Directors National Cooperatives Tlie Ob op erative League, Cooperative Finance A&scK'ia ti un of America, Chiefs u June ] 8-31—Annual Joint Staff Conference l o-op Editors. Educational Directors. Person nel Directors, Sales and Advertising Directors Culler Camp, Ldlie Geneva, Wis June 3"-i-July 6—Tenth Annual National Recreation School and Educational Dir etors Training- Institute Mission House College. Plymouth. Wis. July 6—International Cooperative D Äug 1-17—Co-ops & Labor Institut , at U nivei sitv of Wisconsin, Madison SPOÏ sored lumtly by Scliuol for Workers, U of VV and Rochdale Institute Aug 26-30—American Institute of Coop- nation Purdue University, Lafayette, ïnd Don't Slow 11 Oh, workman or scholar. Hang on to your dollar \nd do not spend it soon For every cent Unwisely spent Inflates the price balloon —EVERGREEN ^^^^«i MATERIALS PROM BUILDING MATERIALS ifAIC , HOUSE TOTAL COST OTHERS S5,200=II8; CO-OP 4,400=100:« CO-OP SAVED ~~ «ME OWNER / 000 Charts like these and those shown or the following pages are used by CCW fieldmen and other educational workers when presenting to groups the case for CO-OP merchandise and patron loyalty to it. Salient points are given in the accompanying article. March. 1946 5 FLOUR * OF KHOL QdOLITf * COOP PRICES AVERAGE 13 tO III 100-lb. SACK.... .50'to 05* SAVING 50,000 SACKSJ944 25.000 to 42.000 Large bristol board charts, 22"x28". can be group is small. \i a large membership meet! should a known fact that these items have very slight variation as to final use qualitj. The principal diffeience i- an individual a taste or developed hahit. For example, we know that CO-OP Baking Powder is aa good as the best alien brand— and 111 some lots better when tested rhemirally. We know from actual baking tests that torn the final baking results it is impos sible to determine whieb baking powder was used. Anyone questioning these compaiisous is invited to make like comparison^ in most any group of merchandise to he found in Co-op stores today. ^Wherevel possible, it is recommended that when presenting this story to local groups addi tional eomparisons should be included fiom the local co-op and the local com petitor stoies.) Building Material The figures on building material1- ai<" an overall of an actual case history from a member of the Cloquet Cooperative So ciety—an experience that is repeated over and over again in a larger or smaller de gree. Building supplies are not all avail able undei the CO-OP label. However, many items are, such as roofing, paints, insulation But here is a ease where all the mateiials were purchased from a co operative to build a complete family home. The actual lowest bids from private dis tributors veisus the cost from the coop erative was a difference of 1800 on a $5.200 home. This is savings in the male- iial purchased from the cooperative only. The labor cost, of course, in each case would have heen the same. Fancy Flour Before we compare the cost of the flour, we should explain the relative merits of a good general purpose flour. A good flour must contain above a certain minimum of protein, it must be above a certain minimum in watei absorption, il must not contain more than a i ertam maximum of ash, which is a veiy small percentage and used singly for these summary figures if the ng, two such cards, making a 28"x44" poster, be used. «ill be found in all flour. CO-OP Fancy Flour has this high standard of the best general purpose flours. It is not milled in one flour mill only. It is being milled according to cooperative specifications in several of the largest flour mills in the country. It is milled from the best wheat available like any other high grade floui It is milled like all other flours with the mosl modern milling equipment. CO OP Fancy Flour will produce as many loaves or pounds of bread per 100 Ibs. of flour as the best flour in the country. It might be pointed out that specialty flours such a^ cake flours that have added ingrediems such as milk powder and shortening are richer flours. We are speak ing of, and comparing, only good hard spring wheat flour milled and blended for general purpose family use. The question of a difference in price, therefore, needs to be explained. In the cooperative method of distribution, advertising cost is very low. the selling expenses are especially low, and the consequent pool purchasing of the many cooperatives through their own wholesales have created the actual difference in cost of flour to the coopera tive store and the lonsunier. This differen tial of SOe per cwl is an average differen- t'al that has been constant now for sev- eial years. This difference in cost is passed on to the store by the wholesale and usu ally directly on to the consumer. Here is a saving on flour that is not promised for the end of the year. It is an actual sav ing at the time of sale of every sack of CO-OP Fancy Flour Dairy Feed Because the prices of feed fluctuate rather rapidly, a fair comparison requires that we arrive at an average cost over a longer period of time. Therefore, an av erage was taken of weekly quotations over the entire period of the year 1944 for this chart It must be emphasized that the alien quotations are not the high average. They aie the lowrest quotations available to large carload distributors. On the other hand, in cooperative distribution there are only two prices; one being the ton load price h> truck and the other the carload price. Either of these two prices are avail able to all cooperatives, either small or large In compaiine quality, several factors need to be mentioned. First, the amount of each ingredient used. The various in gredients affect both quality and price. \t all times we are not aware of the amount of the high protein feeds which have the least fiber used in the alien biand° because of the lack of infoima tion they will give in this respect to the user. Cooperative feeds are processed and sold under open formula Not only the types of ingredients are listed, but also the quantitv of the ingredients. The chemical analysis test reports is sued periodically by the various state agri cultural departments show that CO-OP 207« DAIRY RATION AVERAGE PRICE 1944 AU EN, Per ton CO-OP SAVING 5757 53.45 4.12 = 1944 COOP Production 6,265 Tont Total Savinq,l944 75,185 Additional local figures should be obtained by "shopping" various competitive stores when it is planned to present this "CO-OP vs. Alien" product story to local membership groups. The more products compared, the better will be the story. CO-OP Magazine feeds have at all times remained in a very favorable position on these state re ports. In the merchandising of CO-OP feeds, advantage has not been taken of the short ages of ingredients in commercial feeds. The tendency of private mills to have drastic price increases when feeds are short have been modified by cooperatives. Neither have price ceilings been used as a minimum by the cooperatives. In fact, our cooperatives have endeavored and succeeded in maintaining feed costs at all times, at the wholesale level, below ceilings. Egg Mash The facts here are identical to those for dairy feed—identical as to quality and price structure. It may be further ex plained that the private manufacturer's brand on the package does not guarantee the quality or ingredient content of his feeds. The formula of mixtures will fluc tuate according to the market prices of the ingredients. If a certain high protein content ingredient that is desirable all the way around increases in cost, alien brand manufacturers are very apt to change the formula chiefly to maintain the pro tein content at a lower cost with another ingredient that may not be as satisfactory as the original mix. It can be pointed out that a coopera tive patron actually retains—saves—many- fold the amount of money that is usually distributed through a patronage savings refund on his daily transactions at the cooperative. Likewise, the purchase of CO-OP labeled goods by retail coopera tive buyers and of other goods purchased through cooperative channels becomes in creasingly significant when comparisons are made of quality, content, price and service. Proof Is in the Pudding The evolution of economical coopera tive procurement and distribution has proved that the distribution, the accept ance, and the consumption or use of any particular commodity, together with as surance (or lack of it) of high quality, adequate supply and fair price by contract suppliers, best determine the advisability of cooperative production. For instance, it could not be expected that progress would be made toward the establishment of a co-op cannery, cereal factory, coffee roast- ery, or any other production unit by pro moting the sale of "X" brand in that kind of goods. They could be achieved, how ever, through the building up of a demand and the recognition of the CO-OP labeled merchandise in that particular line. The proof of the pudding is in the eat ing. CCW distributed cooperatively over 50,000 cwt. sacks of CO-OP flour in 1944, over 106,000 sacks of CO-OP Dairy Feed, and over 66,000 sacks of CO-OP Best Egg Mash. The total sales of CO-OP commer cial feeds in 1944 was 634.000 sacks or 31,000 tons—this after only a very few years' operation of a CO-OP feed program. The CO-OP label has proved its sig nificance not only in what it can do in the future, but through what it is actually doing today. . . . Let's use it to the fullest possible extent. BEST EGG MASH AVERAGE PRICE 1944 ALIEN, Per ton s 66.97 = 107? CO-OP 62.80 = 100 SAVING 4.17 = 1944 COOP Productionx 3.326 Ton* Total Savinq,l944 13.869 The charts shown represent only a few of many different products where comparisons be tween CO-OP and alien brands will result in emphatic "Buy CO-OP" conclusions. A set of such charts, based on local price comparisons, should be part of every co-op's educa tional kit. They Did It—You Can, Too Remodel and Grand Opening They did a remodelling job recently at the Garfield Park Co-op in Chicago, and when they were done they decided to have a two-day "grand opening." Refreshments, souvenirs, and a door prize drawing were on the list of the un usual for patrons those two days. 2-oz. bottles of CO-OP soapless shampoo and a bar of CO-OP facial soap were given to each person at the "coffee center," after he or she had signed a numbered register with name and address. The lucky number on the register put the winner in possession of a $5 basket of CO-OP groceries. On top of that, the reg ister brought the Co-op a splendid contact list—for both mail and personal attention —and a count of the shoppers for the two-day celebration. Volume for first seven days of opera tion after remodelling reached an all-time high of $2,485. Business has almost doubled since the store "dressed up." Family Night Movies The Arcadia Co-op Oil Co., Arcadia, Wis., sponsored a series of Family Night free movie programs at six country school houses in its territory. Comedies, sports, travel, news, musical variety, and a co-op educational feature were shown. Propaganda Research The Long Island Consumers Coopera tive Association recently conducted a "Propaganda Analysis Workshop," studied seven propaganda techniques, from "name- calling" to the "bandwagon" device, searched newspapers for examples. To Use a Trade Expression— Let's Polish the Apple a Bit!! In other words, let's remember all that the trade mark CO-OP means to ourselves and our patrons and let's not be ashamed to shine it up and show it off to every customer. You've seen a fruit merchant rub an apple briskly on the sleeve of his shirt to make it shine above all the rest. In the same way a verbal polishing can brighten up our trade mark and let it stand far above all the rest. The CO-OP emblem stands for much to be proud of— Controlled Quality Truthful Selling Complete Product Information Better Service Consumer Ownership Democratic Control —to name just a few PLUS FEA TURES! Remember, only cooperative distribu tion can offer all of these many advan tages. Cooperation and the CO-OP emblem are things to be proud of. Polish up the apple and deliver some with every sale— with every service call.—W.A.B. March, 1946 Do You Mix Cosmetics with Shoe Polish? Listen in on Harvey and Mac as they talk over the merits of better displays "W7 HEW co-op food store manageis gel ** together nowadays, sooner or later their talk will get around to CO-OP Cos metics. Here's a report of what you might have heard had you listened in on Har vey and Mac. a couple of local managers with differing views: "This new shade-display card for cos metics is darned attractive, Harvey, but I'm not going to bother with more cos metics in my store." "How can you afford not to handle them, Mac!" What, with margins averag ing 30 to 33 per cent!" "Yeah, high margins, but slow turnover." Harvey, indefatigable, tried a nevi ap proach: "Where do you keep your cos metics, Mac?" "Over in the corner with the shoe pol ish, toothpaste, shaving cream and drugs." "Why don't you get them out in front?" Harvey asked. "Keep them clean. Keep them separated from the other items. Make 'em look attractive! Do you realize that cosmetic sales in the United States in creased from less than 300 million dollars in '36 10 nearly 800 million dollars in 1945?" "Sure, in drug and department stores," Mac countered. "But whoever heard of selling them in food store"{" Food Stores Pushing "Only about 69% of the chain food stores in the L S are handling or contem plating handling cosmetics. Look, Mac, Food Fair Stores, Inc., for example, has had thirty-four cosmetic departments for five vears in its super food markets, and is planning to open more. And, by the •way, did you ever wonder how to get young folks interested in shopping at the Co-op?" "What does this have to do with young folks?" asked Mac, a little cautiously. "Just this, Mac. Twenty per cent of all women customers in the 13-to-53-year age- group are in their teens. That's our big opportunity! We have items that girls and young women definitely want—good, reliable, tested items and at rea- =onable prices ! " "Sure, but Harvey, my daughter won't even look at a lipstick priced at le«s than This attractive wall-type Cosmetics Display Unit was planned by Helen and Harry Smith, County Line Consumer Co-op, Western Springs, Illinois, and built by Oscar Sunneson, CSC carpenter. The unit is located across the aisle from the store's two checkout counters where women can conveniently select the exact powder, rouge, etc., they want, and it is in direct view of both checkers. Manager Harry Smith has found no evidence of pilferage, cosmetics volume has skyrocketed 400% since installation of unit. a dollar. She says it's cheap and inferior." "That's where we've got an educational job to do. We have to teach the kids, and the older women, too. the truth about cosmetics and cosmetic prices. A few- years back the Federal Trade Commis sion published figuies showing costs and expense? of eight perfume and cosmetic manufacturing corporations with com bined annual sales totaling more than 22 million dollars. Believe it or not, adver tising expense represented 21 per cent of the manufacturers' sales figures, selling expense another 10 per cent, and net prof it still another 10 per cent. And these figures mark you, don't include anything that happens after the products leave the manufacturer." "Okay, Harvey. Maybe I should sell all of the various cosmetic items we have under the CO-OP label, but I'm not going lo put in a lot of time on them. If the »tuff is good, it will sell." "It sure will—after people get to using it and find out how good it i=. But folks are in a rut about cosmetics. They hear over the radio how beautiful 'Honeychile Cieme' will make them, or how lomance will come if they will only use 'Drop-a-Day Lotion!" It's 98% bunk, but it plays havoc with women's common sense. And women have common sense; it's just been dulled with all this advertising bosh. We need to wake it up with a good promotional and educational program." "Okay—sure—well said," jabbed Mac. "What have you done about it?" Harvey reached in his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded paper. "I think I can tell you," he replied. "I've got my report to my Board here, so 1 can give it to you in \-B-C order: Sel Cosnietirs Apart "We built a special case for cosmetics, near the check-out counter, so it could be watched by the check-out girls. We had this made to look as different as pos sible from other shelving. The inside was painied white: adjustable glass shelves were used; fluorescent lights were placed along the top and sides; and a scalloped wooden panel on the sides and top gave it a distinctive appearance. "You may not have room to do all this, 'Mac.' hut vou can try to keep your shelf or counter of cosmetics as distinc tive a» possible. Dress it up in some way, CO-OP Magazine with white paint or paper doilies, and if possible, try to have it lighted. Stock Complete Line "Consult the catalog page, to be sure you have all the cosmetic items. And re member the shade display card (see Com modity News, February CO-OP). This is very important, as it is from this caid that your women patrons will pick the shades of cosmetics that they will pur chase. The card should be set at eye level, and be kept well lighted. "It generally works best to keep face make-up items together, with lotions and creams nearby. Shampoos and deodorant credin can be included, but would be bet- tei on a separate shelf. Keep drugs, shav ing creams, tooth paste, etc., on a »eparate shelf, if possible. Careful Housekeeping "Wf keep our cosmetic display clean and »ell arranged V little time for dust ing, once a day, and a thorough cleaning, once a month, does the trick. And we also keep the labels free of large crayon marks. We use easily-erased pencils and mark the prices lightly on the items. 'W orneii don't want their lipsticks, pow- deis, or lotions all marked up. The labels are designed to look well on a dressing table, and large crayon marks or price slickers will reduce sales. "Women like to consult someone when picking out cosmetics. Have your check out girls well informed about all cosmetic items so that they can answer questions intelligently. Have them study the shades, and be able to suggest which thev think would be suitable." "Do you have much pilferage, Harvey?" Mac asked, as Harvey paused to catch his breath. "'l\o, the cosmetic shelving is too neai the check-out counter. Besides, we keep small items high up. out of ihe reach of small children. However, in some stores it might be well to keep lipstick, rouge, and even cake make-up at the check-out counter. "That reminds me of something I meant to sav before, Harv," Mac broke in. "I understand that Food Fair Stores found self-service cosmetic units didn't work so well, and that they are now putting in semi-self-serve units in about fifty of their stores." "That's right And for a large store, I'd recommend that type. They also learned that an all-glass display case showed the cosmetics to better advantage and hdd more customer appeal. Also, they were able to display small cosmetics items such as lipstick and rouge without danger of pilferage. If your store is large enough (Continued on next page) 3 Of THESE 60" LON6 FOR V PLY FACC -3-SIN6LB 40 W FlOURfSCeNT LTS.TOPE.2SW£S 6LASS SHELVES +1 EXTRA SHELF -3-MtTAL STOPS 6O"ION6 TO HOLD SHCLf BRACKCTS - ——''j'fLYViOOO BMK -1X8 FKAME rOP,CENTER,SIDES ——BOTTOM II" With these complete working drawings, the display unit pictured on opposite page can be made for from $30 to $40, depending on labor cost. Material needs. 2 sheets 4'x8'x hiring an expert photographer who gives us fine photographs to start with. 6. After the retoucher has finished the pictures, they go to the printer, who makes silver prints for us. A silver print is an inexpensive print made on a special paper from a negative reduced (or enlarged) to the exact size the picture will be in the booklet. 7. In the meantime, type must be set for the parts list and the legend copy prepared. The parts list has to be re typed before it is sent to the typesetter. The legend copy is typed and negative photostats are made (white on black). All of this copy must be checked thor oughly to be sure every part number and name is right. Page Make-up 8. Now, \ve dump the whole works in the artist's lap—silver prints, legends, parts lists set in type, and a complete layout of each page showing just where everything is to go. The artist mounts a silver print on a large cardboard, puts a transparent flap over it and fastens it down, then proceeds to carve out the leg end pieces, paste them into place and draw arrow« to the correct parts (we hope!). He marks off the page margin, pastes the parts list and page number on 'see fig. 4), and another one's ready for checking. Q. We fine-comb each page paste-up for (Continued on ne\t page) É ffewpwrara HOW IT EVOLVES—Fig. 2a is the same kind of a view as Fig. 2 on the opposite page, but of a different piece of equipment—just to show the varied approach to staging. Fig. 3 is the picture of the pipeline equipment parts after all staging "junk" has been elimi nated. Part of this picture, it will be noted, was used for the "paste-up" shown in Fig. 4, and part of it was used for another page — to allow more room for parts listings. Fig. 4 shows the combination of the photographic paste-up and the copy superimposed on a trans parent sheet. From this a photographic printing plate for the entire page is made. March, 1946 13 Help bring ADDED BEAUTY to Co-op Homes jpaiish • High quality and a wide margin are assured with all CO-OP household chem ical products. Produced by the Chemical Products Di vision of National Coop eratives, CO-OP High Gloss Polish is compounded for consumer satisfaction. • It applies easily, and imparts a brilliant lustre to lacquered, enameled, varnished, or painted wood or metal surfaces. ® While CO-OP High Gloss Polish is a year 'round product, spring cleaning time is an espe cially opportune time to promote it. A mass dis play of this item, with its attractive label, is sure to increase its sales turnover. • Order from your re gional. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. 14 errors, make corrections, then give the printer all the page paste-ups for one booklet—for example, the 8 pages of the 1/7 Little Giant \acuum System, isee December CO-OP). The printer now makes complete »ilver prints for the book let and these are sent or taken PDQ to the plant for checking. We require OK's from at least two key plant people —writ by hand. 10. We correct any errors the plant people found, then—swish—it goes back to the printer with our green light to put it on the press. Making plates, printing and binding, take two weeks to a mimth. Simple, isn't it.' \nd, then, remember to multiply this process by about LOO page« for Milking Machines alone. Thai's why it takes a little time and a good deal of dough to nidke these lists, hut we believe you'll agree that it'« worth it many times over, as a time saver and service simplifier. "Co-uptown" A-cutnin! A government-owned homestead which was transformed intu a cuuperative com munity by 84 person« who purchased the project for $250,000 during the thirties, Hermantown, in Duluth, Minn., is in the throes of cooperative expansion. A $40,- 000 co-op frozen food locker planl which will serve other nearb> communities as well has heen added to a co-op credit union and 1,0 op sture that doubled its patronage in 1944, jumped again in '45. Modern equipment will insure slaugh tering, rutting, packaging, fast freezing and frozen food storage under ideal con ditions,. Curing, smoking, grinding, lard rendering and sausage making facilities have also been provided. Not content with this new venture, Her mantown conperator= are already busy with plans for a complete gasoline service =tation. THE HARTFORD CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC. I Thoroughly Democratic Commercial Enterprise ANNOUNCES ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY The Hartford Cooperative was organized ten years ago by eleven men and women who associated to establish a modern grocery business on the democratic basis of one vote per member—net one vote per share. The Cooperative has prospered and now has 573 members whose capital investment is $10,390. Sales for the past fiscal year were $76.921 with a net profit of 3.4%. A I.33C/0 sales refund was paid to members on their last year's purchases together with 2% dividend on the capital stock In addition answering the claims that coop eratives compete unfairly without being taxed, The Hartford Cooperative paid, during the past year: Federal Income Tax State Corporation Tax Old Age Assistance Tax Unemployment Compensation Withholding. Cigarette, City Taxes, Filing Fees, etc. $484 80 60.27 43.92 107.56 101.io Total $803.71 YOU SHOP WITH PLEASURE AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU COME TO CO-OP FOOD STORE Farmington at Laurel Street Here is institutional advertising (run last year in the Hartford local paper) that does a triple duty for the co-op. It presents clearly the distinction between a cooperative and other types of business. It informs members and the public about the principal operation facts. It answers and explodes the false charges that co-ops are tax-free and irresponsible businesses. Every local co-op would do a service to its own program and the whole coop erative movement by running a similar local advertisement at annual report time. CO-OP Magazine Your Fact Book Pages THIS month's pages for your CO-OP Fact Book bring the total to 32 (sixteen 2-page leaves). With this many pages, a finding mechanism begins to be necessary. Hence, with this issue we include the first index—which is on the reverse side of the "Subject Classifications" page to the right of this column. Since a number of new pages will be provided before a new index page is published (June or July), Fact Book users should insert a blank notebook page following this index and list thereon the subjects contained in pages to be published in April, May, and so forth. Although not efficient for the long pull, this improvised supplement to the printed index will bridge the time gap till June or July. Heavier Paper With this issue, the Fact Book pages are being printed on much heavier paper, a stock that is very durable and that will withstand much hard usage. As space is available, we will include reprints (revised where necessary) of pages that have been previously published; thus all pages will be on heavy paper eventually. Delay on Covers There has been a heartening response to the Fact Book idea and service in the very material form of numerous orders for the Fact Book covers. Disappointing, though is the situation at the moment regarding the filling of these orders. We have had an order with a manufacturer for nearly a month as this is written, after having sought a supplier for two months previous to that. We are advised that because of the shortage of the ring mechanisms and the steel for mak ing them, it will be several more weeks before our covers are ready. As soon as we can get our hands on them, regionals will be advised, and all orders will be filled promptly. For those who "have just come in:" Fact Book pages are published in monthly groups in CO-OP Magazine. They will fit any standard 5"x3" six ring, loose-leaf binder. The covers to be furnished by the cooperatives will be strong, simulated leather, semi-flexible, with "CO-OP Fact Book" embossed in gold. Price will be $1 each. Despite the discouraging delay in securing the loose-leaf binders, we urge that all cooperators build this reference book. The basic data embodied on these pages can prove invaluable when the need is great. From the Banks of the Potomac EDUCATION—We believe in a unified national edu cation program. We believe that every dollar which can be spent for education and expansion, should be spent. We believe that Cooperative development throughout the country can be furthered only through a unified na tional education program. We believe that we, as Coop erators, should be conscious of our obligation to our local educational program and our regional education program, but we also believe that to promote regionalism and to fail in our obligations to a unified national pro gram is to fail in our duty to the Cooperative move ment.—From a resolution adopted by the Luncheon Club of the Potomac Cooperative Federation. Subject Classifications thumb-edge abbreviations PUBLICITY PUBLIC RELATIONS ORGANIZATION EDUCATION RECREATION FINANCE Reserve spaces for additional classifications {Index on Next Page) PROTECTION ADMINISTRATION O HÏS 5 2"- ° o o o o o o o <=> o o o o o o o eo tn \£ o o o c-i o i- ! r. c 5 ls*s; o « =»§' ... s 3 '£ O 0 I I i M £ 3-1-4« a . ZS £ « Sg j> SflgJ «(nOJOOrtrt-^w •"JouooHfet-fi, March. 1946 15 INDEX Business Men on Taxing- Co-ops . . . .PROT-1 Cartels ..... ....... ...DIS-4, 5, 6 Cooperative Emblem ......EDU-2 Department«, National .. .. ......... ORG-4 Directors co-op Finance Ass'n.... .. ORG-2 Directors, Co-op League. . ..... .... ORG-2 Directors, National Co-ops .... . ..ORG-1 Director's PledKe .... .. ......ADM-1 Editors, Regional . ........ .....PUB-1 Factories. Mills, Refineries. ..PF.OD-1 Fair Trade Pi-Ices ...... ..... ..... DIS-S [nsurance Companies Co-op ............ FIX-1 [nternational Cooperative Alliance . ORG-5 Labeling Policy ........ ......DIS-1 Members, IOA .......... .... .. ORG-5 National Board Members......... . ORG-1, 2 National Departments .... ... .ORO-4 National Office Addresses. Periodicals, Regional ..... Pine Tree Emblem ..... Pledge for Directors Production Cooperatives Public Speaking Helps... Regional Cooperatives . . Regional Volume, 1945 . Roclidale Methods .. Taxes and Co-ops. ......... .....ORG-4 ..PUB-1 . .EDU-1 .ADM-1 .. . PROD-2 .... .. PR-1 ....... .ORG-S ..DIS-7, 8 ...EDU-1 .. . PROT-1, 2 Volume and Members. 1945. ........ .DIS-7, 8 Index will be reused only e\er> 3 or 4 months. As new paKes are insritwl In Inteivtnlne months, individuals should list lilies and pate itltienct-s on a blank notebook pal;*: follox* ing this one o o o o o o in $ ™~ o **- a. IE «A t. 0> _D 0> 2 -o E 3 O ional Cooperative» 5 f. s "Î 1 B i es 8 f» ! s s v •£ a n -I O . £sl^ ê s 0 0^ 0 0 in e4" o o o o o o o » t^ ce o « -*• 0 0 0 0 o o 0 Ö 0 0 o c^ of oT " c W u : Jey •ï " In — i "^i O o o o co (-t <* o Öl M 00 n (D <* U U > rt rH 0 0 0 0 0 0 uf ^" ce M ce Ifî -»• r+ Ol *n <* M T* r-* <«• CC -** ce o * ce o Oi O ce o të" *o CM O e-> ce CD Oi Ci o CN ta .-t >i C |l3 ; °O ' >' -3 ° -J5 s llutfElIillÏÏ fill ! -*J-u|*^a^ôiSgS*-lS 1 i (n .05 -2P"_-i-s f*. "^ ö -, O •£ i-j J-O'-'^ÖX'^ ™ O t—*J.M j£O ^ E PH E 1 E S; O ^ ^ —— C-] C 1 1 t- S P" C- l 1 e^^ J W SP Jï o £ j= r S 0 o o o o o Let's Build an Ideal Patronage Record System Here's your chance to outdo Rube Goldberg and all the lesser lights of invention; the Equipment and Design Committee is out to lick the problem of perfect patronage records versus delays and inconvenience at the cash register. By WILLIAM V. TORMA Equipment and Design Department, National Cooperatives Vf/ILL YOU HELP solve the perennial problem every co-op has in the year-end-peak of adding and recording those patronage sav ings receipts? We now have a committee—consisting of K. S. Alanne (auditor), Laurie Lehtin (C.P.A.), E. Miller and Leo Kupias (accountants for years in one of the country's largest multi-store, multi-department rural-urban co-ops), Pete Egan (auditor with extensive rural co-op audit experience and representative of two of the country's leading register manufacturers), and the writer working on this problem. What to Keep in Mind The committee has relentlessly picked flaws in each other's ideas and gathered a considerable file of the flawless ones. We're getting close to the solution, but not quite. Perhaps your committee will find the correct system. Here are some considerations to bear in mind: 1. Our goal is to have a record of every customer's purchase— new casual customers as well as the steady, loyal ones. 2. Securing this information at the point of payment (on charge) must be fast and accurate so as not to slow down the service. This problem reaches its peak in a self-service food store with several checkout counters and thousands of transactions recorded daily. Consideration, too, must be given to such stores which may be units of a chain of six or seven food stores, a service station and a farm supply store located in various parts of the city or county. Such a co-op may also have delivery routes for foods, dairy products, gas oline and farm supplies. 3. A current weekly record of customer's purchases posted to ledger with each customer's total seems to be very desirable. This will afford a check on a) Names and addresses of new customers and follow-up check to see if they continued to buy after the first or second visit to the store. If not, a friendly phone or personal call by the organization manager, education secretary or manager will ascertain the rea sons for not buying. If valid and logical, the co-op's manager can take immediate steps to correct the problem. b) A similar check on steady customers who may suddenly leave the patron list of the store. c) Provide an active file of educational work on new patrons to bring them in as participating members. d) Finally, the very important point—the elimination of the year end rush of adding up the "mountains" of register and other evidences of patronage, of all sizes, shapes and descriptions— including some from A & P, Safeway, Sears. Wards, Gulf Standard and a lot of other tickets that somehow get thrown into that cigar box. Our committee has found that a solution to this problem in a type of organization suggested under point 2 will have in it all the elements necessary to solve the less complicated problem in a farm supply, tank wagon delivery, type of co-op where the unit sale is relatively large. How to Start To help you get started on your research—start out with a model 6053, 6064 or 6094 itemizing National Cash register. Each has a detail tape, itemizes departmentally by commodity lines or departments, throws out a cash register receipt which may have a perforated stub showing only the total sale. This is in addition to the customer's item ized receipt. Does this suggest something? Should each customer write his name and address on the stub? Most accountants say this creates a difficulty in sorting. Then let's give everyone a number . . . new customers having their number established at the time of final purchase on a double perforated card, on which he writes his name, address and phone number. The back of the card tells him about DISTRIBUTION—8 16 CO-OP Magazine co-op savings returns, membership, etc. The checkers at different counters and branch stores each have a range of numbers designated for new patrons so that no one will get a like number. Then, how are the checkers going to have quick access to the cus tomer number without measurably slowing down the checkout opera tion? A spindle type cardex style listing is suggested—so that new names and numbers can be quickly added or taken out and under the control of the checker and office. How about the register stubs? It is suggested that these be partially pre-sorted by number in 100's in divided chalk box or box similar to that used for red and blue points. Each day these boxes go to the central office for final sorting and posting on individual customer ledger cards, small or large (depending upon size of operation) combination bookkeeping and adding machine. This will give at least a current weekly recording of customer pur chase totals and thus eliminating weeks of adding at the end of the year. Now—Your Ideas! This is one system. We want you to study it—find its good and weak points—improve on it. There are others such as having a file of customer's purchase cards at the entrance to the store, having each customer select his own card, have the total of the sale printed on this card at the time the total is punched in the register for the itemized ticket. Checkers refile cards when not bnsy. Office periodically totals cards. What are the weaknesses and strong points in this system? What about customers that come in several times a day? Will they find their card there or will it still be at checking counter? If checkers select the cards, will it slow down the process of checking? Will these cards become frayed from excessive handling? How about stapling the perforated stubs to strips in the office and adding them later? Will this be an improvement over the present system? How about customers signing the stubs at the time of purchase, dropping them in a box and having the office sort them monthly, getting monthly totals? Worked Out Completely We've given you at least four methods to tackle, Don't submit your idea until you have had store manager, bookkeeper and others go over it. Work it out together until constructive criticism has brought out what appears to be the solution. Then, put it down on paper using actual register receipts, ledger forms, etc. (explained in detail) which can be inexpensively printed or secured from stationery and accounting supply houses. Once this problem is solved we can make virtually a 100% return of savings allocated to the customers who have contributed to those savings thru their purchases. It will cut costs thru purchase of only two or three models of registering and bookkeeping machines. It will give our educational committees measurable results in getting and edu cating new members into cooperative participation. It will produce many advantages to the cooperatives too numerous to mention. All ideas with the system worked out in complete detail should be mailed to CO-OP Magazine before May 15 so that final selection of the best system can be voted upon at the National Staff Conference in June. 99 "Tremendous importance "The much-publicized Chinese Industrial Co-operatives . . . did a tremendous and valuable war work by providing useful employment, in relatively small units, for uprooted refugees who would otherwise have been idle and destitute. Through the co-ops the refugees found dignified and productive escape from starvation and the National Gov ernment received hundreds of thousands of much-needed blankets and other products essential to the Chinese Army. It is noteworthy that "Indusco" capitalized upon a fundamental urge in the Chinese people to work together cooperatively. Finally this enterprise fell upon trou bled times. First, political strife developed between the Government and Indusco's foreign supporters, and next there was lack of capital because of inflation which affected every sort of industry. Yet Indusco unquestionably represented a successful experiment within its limits. In the industrial co-ops, built on a foundation of earlier co-operative enterprises of various sorts, there is a pattern which may have tre mendous future peacetime importance."—from "CHINA IN THE SUN," by Randall Gould (Doubleday & Company, Inc.) Q Public Speaking I. Outlines A. Full-length Speech I Attention Step—Get attention and direct it toward problem. 2. Problem Step—State the problem with which you are dealing. 3. Proposal—Offer your proposal to solve the problem. 4 Picture—Describe results of accepting your proposal. 5. Action—Appeal to audience for desired action on proposal. B. Brief Speech to Favorable Audience 1. State your point. 2. Malie it clear—by explanation, comparison or illustration. 3. Prove it—by additional illustrations, statis tics or testimony. 4. Restate it as the conclusion. C. Brief Speech to Unfavorable Audience 1. Information—Give facts, illustrations, etc., of undeniable truth. 2. Relation—Show how these facts support a certain conclusion. 3 Action—Appeal to audience to discard pre vious prejudice, accept conclusion and act upon it. (oxer) o o PUBLIC RELATIONS—I r o o o o o o March. 1946 17 Co-op Director's Pledge I pledjre to do my best for the cooperative that has elected me to serve in a position of honor and trust. 1 WILL: /bove all things be honest and diligent. P^ace the- interests of the cooperative above my own personal interests. Gi\e as careful attention to the affairs of the cooperative as I give to my own business. Give the necessary time to board meetings and other deliberations. Study the business and problems of the coopera tive, and the broader considerations that affect its welfare. Strive for continued and increased efficiency in the cooperative. Be prompt and attentive at all meetings of the directors so that there is no loss of valuable time. Do independent and careful thinking, express my honest opinion, and not be a rubber stamp. Be open-minded and a teamworker and realize that the individual views of board members cannot always prevail. Remember that the majority rules and that the minority must fall in line. Present the views of the board of directors to fellow members rather than my own, whenever I speak for the cooperative. Strive to keep this a members' cooperative and r.ot let it become a directors* or manager's cooperative. Represent the cooperative in its entirety and not just the members from my community. Do all in my power to have the cooperative con trolled democratically, including the election cf directors. •AD MINISTRATION-1 o Public Speaking li. Delivery Q A. Stand Up 1. Stand erect, comfortable, relaxed. 2. Radiate confidence. If you look like you're sorry you came, your audience wi!! be sorry they came. £\ B. Speak Up 1. Open your mouth. Your voice is a musical instrument and needs resonance. 2. Talk loudly and distinctly enough to con verse with a person in the back row. 3. Look into the eyes of your listeners. Watch their reactions and when attention waivers, pull it back. 4. Get variety in your voice—variety in pitch, volume and speed. 5. Be enthusiastic. Unless you sound like you believe what you are saying, your audience will never accept it. C. Shut Up 1. Follow an outline rather than wandering aimlessly. If you don't know where you're going, your audience won't know where you've been. 2. Quit talking before the Audience quits listening. (Prepaied by—Personne) Dept. Ohio Farm Bureau Cooperatives. Columbus. Ohio) PUBLIC RELATIONS—2 o o fire Exttngutsher Tips Different kinds of combustion take different kinds of fighting tools. Do you know which to use when? Prepared by the Safety Department of Consumers Cooperative Association, Kansas City, Mo. "TfcO YOU know that there are several types of fires? Do you know that using the proper kind of fire extinguisher on a fire may mean the difference between controlling a small fire or the spread of a small fire into a conflagration? Therefore, it is important before purchasing fire extinguishing equip ment to give careful consideration to the type of fire that might occur and then select a suitable fire extinguisher. To assist you in determining the type needed, we list below the three classes into which fires are divided: Class A Fires in ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper, etc., where the quenching and cooling effects of quantities of water, or solutions containing large percentages of water are of first importance. Class B Fires in flammable liquids, greases, etc., where a blanketing effect is essential. Class C Fires in electrical equipment, where the use of a "non-conducting" extinguishing agent is of first importance. It is a good practice to consult your fire department before purchas ing such equipment as they will inspect your property and then advise specifically as to the type of equipment you need. After the purchase of the equipment make certain that it is serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. It is always a good practice to tag each extinguisher showing the date of servicing and by whom serviced. Timely purchase of such equipment and adequate maintenance may repay you a thousand times. Common Types of Hand Extinguishers P Co-op Director's Pledge (continued irom preceding page) Welcome new ideas or "new blood" as a means of keeping life in the cooperative and the serv ice to the patrons at a high level. Do everything possible to inform memhers and patrons of established policies and programs of the cooperative. 'Be a good listener to the reactions of the mem bers and patrons as a means of better shaping the policies of the cooperative. Curb emotion and apply reason and common sense to all problems. I WILL NOT: S 24 gallon ^V Soda Acid O o 2J gallon Pump Tank 2i gallon Foam 1 quart Vaporiz'g Liquid 20-lb. Car bon Dioxide Dry (20-lb.) Compound Classifi cation A A A&B B&C B&C B&C Yearly Inspection Discharge Discharge Discharge Partly Discharge Weigh Cartridge Subject to Freezing Yes Yes Yes No No No Conductor of Electricity Yes Yes Yes No No No Stream Range 30-40 ft. 30-40 ft. 30-40 ft. 20-30 ft. 8ft. 14ft. Time of Discharge 1' r r 45" 25", 1* 40-45" Consider myself indispensable. Expect any special privileges because I ara a director. Become financially interested in any business or agency that has interests adverse to those of the cooperative. Interfere with the management, but will limit myself to the formulation of business and management policies. Approve the employment of close relatives of directors and executives in the cooperative. Discuss the affairs of the cooperative with em ployees, other than the management, unless delegated by the board of directors to do »o. Carry grudKes against other directors, the man agement, employees, members, or patrons. Prepared by W H. Dankers. Extension Economist, University of Minnesota ADMINISTRATION-2 0 o o o Working Toward Greatness ". . . The education of character is a process of training, directing, and enlightening the emotional constitution, including motive, incen tive, conviction, and will. . . . "Character is educated chiefly by contagion, by intimate association with character. Only in the intimate association of-'parents, teachers, or other associates, who feel deeply and strongly and who live their convictions, can a high quality of character education take place. . . . "A person . . . who tries to find his values, either of knowledge or of character, chiefly in his own direct experience, in his immediate associates, or in the current vogue of opinion, is condemned to medio crity. . . . "How then can one greatly increase the significance of his life? . . . By deliberately searching for and associating with fine and significant lives, in the friends we make, the social work we do, the entertainment we enjoy, and particularly in the books we read, we can create for ourselves environments of fineness, depth, and greatness, and gradually can come to be as thoroughly at home in such environment as other wise we would be with mediocrity. We can largely design the world we live in, and that world in turn will determine the quality of our lives. This way is open to nearly everyone."—Arthur E. Morgan 18 CO-OP Magazine It's Your Co-op School Rochdale Institute will become a great training school and cooperative college if co-op employees and membership work ers really want it so. Vf^ITH two advanced courses for coop erative managers, one for petroleum managers and one for food store managers, Rorhdale Institute launched its 1946 train ing program last month for the mammoth development task now confionting the co operative movement. What this year's instiuclion program is will depend very much upon what the employees and active member« of par ticipating cooperatives want in training tu improve their capacity fnr service and program extension. Rochdale Institute is designed and pio jected at piesent to supplement the train ing programs beinp, conducted by the va rious regional cooperatives, and to provide for possible economies and a top-notch faculty where persons from several region als need and want similar instruction at the same time. This process tan be ex panded a? it is desired, and it should be dune unly insofar as individuals and local group«* rail foi specialized training and supply the eager students. In addition to the two schools already held ihi» year, an Educational Director« Training Institute will be held in conjunc tion wilh the National Cooperative Rec- leation School, at Plymouth, Wisconsin, from June 23 to July 6; and an Insti lule on < o-ops and Labor will be held in cooperation »ith the School for Workers at the Lniversitv of Wisconsin, \uGiist 4-17. Tentatively in the planning for 1946. in case there are those who want it, is another 8-week "Comprehensive Course" in cooperatives—history and theory of co operation, economics, and fundamentals of co-op operation. Other courses are possible. It will be as much the national cooperative college oi America as rnoperators wanl it to be. I ocal leader« should advise with their regional educational people as to further needs. In this way only can needs be pooled and filled. They've Moved Into New Responsibilities D. A. Tapley, actuary, (Ohio) Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile and Fire In surance Companies; formerly assistant actuary, same. Ealph S Staples, president, The Coop erative Union of Canada. Was and con tinues as president of Cooperative Union of Ontario. f I ^ i Pictures on this page show most of the 88 co-op managers from seven regionals who attended two advanced training courses last month under the auspices of Rochdale Institute. The picture above is of one of the sessions of the one-week course for Farm Supply Mana gers held at Indianapolis under the supervision of Herbert Fledderjohn, Feb. 3-8. Below is the student body and faculty for the two-week Petroleum Managers course, held at Kansas City, Jan. 28-Feb 8, with Merlin Miller in charge. Students at the two schools came from CCA, Kansas City; CCA, Texas; CCW, Superior; Midland, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee. March, 1946 19 News About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability., specifications., distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities Automotive Supplies CO-OP Tires Tire production, like production of most war-depleted items, is behind schedule. The January schedule u as about 60% filled at the end of the month; the tube schedule was better, being 90% filled. Labor-management difficulties are the source of delays. When they are set tled, production will get under way again in full force. Oil Absorbent Thib is- a much-neglected product which deserves more attention. Its value around garages and homes is unquestioned. Its cost, under the CO-OP label, is very rea sonable Adequate quantities in most sizes are now available. Automotive Chemicals CO-OP Radiator Flush if a demand item in the spring. So are CO-OP Tire Paint, Chromium Cleaner, Black Top Dressing, and other CO-OP Automotive STEEL UPRIGHTS FOR SHELVING AND DISPLAY STANDS INCREASE YOUR SALES!! NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. 343 S Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois Shelving for storage and for display, in farm supply warehouses, service stations, and food stores, is described and illustrated in this eight-page order booklet. Chemicals. And this spring, your mem ber-patrons will want to prepare for long er, more frequent trips. Be ready to sup ply them \\ith all automotive needs. Road Maps Those orders for CO-OP Road Maps should b< mailed to your regional right away. Road maps are another item which your patrons will ask for. Power Meat Saws The new 1946 Biro Power Meat ba\\ is now available to cooperative food stores and lorker plants through your regional cooperatives. It can be obtained in the following models : Model 11—i HP. For small meat de partments and restaurants. Model 22—1 HP. For food stores and locker plants. Model 33—li HP. For large food stores, locker and processing plants doing heavy- duty processing Several deliveries have been made, and Co-op meat department managers are en thusiastic about the savins in meat cutting time, and the additional time thus allowed them for display, buying, and other meat department operating problems. Shelving Folder 20 Vdequate shelving is a necessity for good display. The folder, "Steel Uprights for Shelving and Display Stands," presents thoroughly illustrated information and specifications for various types of shelving. Farm supply warehouses and service stations can make excellent use of the adjustable type shelving described. It is easily adaptable to all kinds of merchan- dis", from batteries and feed bags to salt and canned goods Order numbers and assembly instructions are included in this eight-page folder which is available fiom your regional. Refrigeration Equipment The strike in the glass industry and truck drivers' strike in the St. Louis area account for recent delays in delivery of refrigerated display equipment. Both have now been settled and Hussman is leady to begin shipments of cases on order in a few v\eeks. Cooperative stores are urged to place their nrders for Hussman equip ment through their regional several months in advance of store opening dates to as sure delivery on time. In addition to the LI' self-service open CO-OP Magazine type dairy, cold cuts and fresh meat cases and the 7' Frozen Food cases illustrated earlier in CO-OP Magazine (.see Septem ber, 1945), Hussman has announced that they are in production on a new refrig erated fresh produce display unit with mirror back bar. Consult your regional equipment department for delivered prices on all Hussman equipment. Appliances News About Commodities «"»'••"'•'""" Vacuum Cleaner ÎH«*S f «WWW» Production News As production news is requested for the March issue of CO-OP Magazine, we are marking time—hoping for the end of the steel and electrical labor-management dis putes. By the time this goes to press (we hope ! ! ! ), appliances will be moving into local co-op stores. Groceries Promotion Kits Canned rorn promotional kits produced by National's Advertising Department are in the field at this writing. Pancake flour promotional kits are ready for the printer. These kits are the first of the series of six ordered by the Sales and Advertising Committee and the Grocery Committee. Designed to supplement regional and local promotions, the kits include a news paper ad mat, a display poster, a window streamer, and a photograph of a mass dis play of the particular product together with an instruction sheet for setting up the display. The third commodity to be featured in the series is CO-OP Evapo rated Milk, planned for April use. Sanitary Napkins Thib CO-OP product deserveb special merchandising attention. \ little added sales effort will result in faster turnover, especiallj desirable in view of the high margins involved. (Average retail margin is between 23% and 30%.) From a quality standpoint, CO-OP san itary napkins compare favorably with the best of other brands. Furthermore, CO OP sanitary napkins are available in both ",** «Holes Of two Catalog pages containing pertinent information about the product are invaluable to store managers. These are the latest from the Appliance Department. popular types of construction: the layer type (.similar to Kotex), and the fluff type (similar to ModessJ While individual preference as to type of napkin may in fluence a customer to some slight degree, prejudice resulting from brand familiarity has a much greater influence on actual purchasing habits. Brand preference is acquired largely through the power of sizeable advertising expenditures. However, cooperatives, and other progressive distribution organiza tions, have and are successfully promoting their own (private) brands. These private brands cover an exceedingly wide range of merchandise and include many items just as widely and thoroughly ballyhooed as sanitary napkins. In each case it is largely a matter of alert merchandising, applying simple techniques of display, ad vertising and promotion. For example, Sears Roebuck & Co. allots 73% of their catalog copy to their own brands (Cellu Fluffs and Cellu Ettes), and only 27% to both of the other brands thai they carry (Modess and Kotex). Sixty-eight per cent of their display copy is for their own brands, with 32% for the other brands. This same degree of com parative emphasis is carried out in their store displays. Sanitary napkins sell best from SELF- SERVICE displays, and that fits in per fectly with self-service grocery store mer chandising. Women are in food stores offener than in any other type of retail store, and are no more hesitant to buy sanitary napkins than to buy toilet paper or cleansing tissue. Twenty years ago sanitary napkins were strictly a drug store item, just as many food items now stocked by drug stores were exclusively food store merchandise. The new acceptance of place in the giocery store is not of much point, ex- (Continued on next pagej K...__mi This group of men attended the CO-OP Universal Service Training School January 14 through January 18, 1946. They are: (I. to r.) top row. Raymond Hetze!, MCW; Russell Edwards, CCA-Texas; C. C. Atchison, CCA; E. J. Motzek. MCW; R. E. Hintze, MCW; J. O. Frazier, CCA; O. B. Trotter, CCA; C. E. Cantrell. CCA; Charles B. Willis, CCA; Russell Bryan, CCA; Dewey Smith, CCA; (bottom row) Lee Van Vleet, MCW; Reed Veazey. IFB; Gerald Yokers, MCW; Lambert Wedin, MCW; Hercil Roberts, CCA; Charles W. Lee, Waukesha; Don Wood, CCA; AI A. Breske, MCW; A. A. Close, IFB; Max Eastus, IFB; H. H. Johnson. CCA; and J. L. Bass. CCA. March. 1946 21 News About Commodities A new label for a "new" product, CO-OP Refrigerator Cleaner and Wax, proved for its purpose as a cleaner and finisher com pound for porcelain and enameled appli ances and fixtures. Of particular interest to retail food stores are the following canned sweet potatoes, canned kraul juice, hothouse lettucf (leaf letturei, fanned carrots, carrot juice, and dehydrated banana flakes 'imported). Items previously removed from price con trol include canned sauerkraut, canned citrous juices and many of the minor spices. This exempting from prie" control means that at no point from manufac turer tu consumer is there any control of price nr margin of profit. Mark-ups and resulting price0 are to be determined by "competition.'' However, if prices get out of hand, as happened in the rase of fresh citrous, the commodity may again be placed under price control. In many of the minor items there is no provision for return to price control. Thus far, with the exception of the lun-away prices on fresh citrous, there has noi been any no ticeable price increases on staple items which have been removed from price con trol Does Food Spoil In the Opened Can? There is an opinion widely prevalent legarding canned foods which is entirely without scientific or other foundation: the belief that food left in an opened can will rapidly acquire poisonous properties. For some unexplainable reason, this idea excludes canned milk; it has long been customary to punch a hole in the can and, frequently without refrigeration, to u=e the milk until the can is empty. With product« other than milk, how- » 8 » HfUK? CO-OP Spot Remover, the "pony edition1 of CO-OP Fabric Cleaner, is convenient in size, economical in price. It was developed in response to a request from the regionals for this product in a smaller size. evpi, it is generally assumed that food will develop "ptomaines,'' or similar unde sirable characteristics, if left in the opened container. And frequently the food is cept that many store managers fail to do a few simple things to make it easy for the customer to buy. These few things are: 1 \dequate and convenient display. Quantities must be adequate to attract the eye, and distinctly grouped to in dicate package size (12s and 50s) and type (fluff and layer). 2 The location of the display stock must be convenient. \ poor location, either in relationship to other items, or inconveniently accessible to the shopper, will discourage ready sales. 3. V considerable portion of the packages should be pre-wrapped (.and priced). This saves time and eliminates any possible real or imagined embar rassment. (Note: CO-OP Sanitary Nap kins are available at a slight extra charge pre-wrapped. In a case of 48/12s, J5 are pre-wrapped.) Finally, seveial of the largest and most reputable retail organizations in the Unit ed States have a large public acceptance for the identical sanitary napkin under their own labels. CO-OP prices are com petitive; we have attractive and conveni ent packages; the rest is merchandising. The extra margin makes a little effort worth while. Price Control \nother group of commodities, mostly minoi food items, has been exempted from price control (effective January 28, 1946). Ever more popular, the CO-OP Water Bag, attractively lettered in red, will build a satisfying sales volume. 22 CO-OP Magazine transferred to other containeis, often of the same metallic composition as the can, and almost invariably less sterile. True, there are some foods which should be emptied from the cans into other containers, but not because of any danger as far as health is concerned. Cer tain Uglily-colored fruits, such as ber ries, may lose color if held in the orig inal tin container. \lso, certain acid prod ucts will develop a corrosive action if exposed in the presence of oxygen. These will corrode the container after a few days and the product will develop an astringent (puckery) flavor due to ab sorption of some small quantities of iron. The fact is. the can is the best con tainer for unused portions of most canned foods, if for no other reason than that the can is at least sterile. A dish or pan is more likely to have bacteria which will find the food a good environment for growth. However, the point of greatest importance is thai any exposed processed food should be treated as a perishable product. The nature of the container is of minor importance. Altseid Co-op Uses P.A. System He Asked for It Young man: "Your daughter has prom ised to be my wife, Mr. Smith." Mr. Smith. "It was your own fault. What else did you expect, hanging around here every night?'' F.B. Cu-u[j Reporter. It's Up to Us I know uf nu more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious en deavor.—Henry David Thoreau. The \ltgeld Gaidens Co-op, Chicago, is using a public address system, with loud speakers inside and outside the store, to entertain crowds of shoppers. On the second day in their nev. super market, the program included popular music, promotion of CO-OP best buys, and brief talks by community leaders, l Altgeld Co-op serves and is owned by the residents oi a large municipal hous ing project in the south part of Chicago.) Volume for the musiclad opening day was $2.000. with the meat department not yet in operation. Manager Bill Bowen re ports that when lines formed behind the rherkout counters, they weie noticeably less impatient when they had music to soothe them ! Altgeld has since installed its meat department—the first complete self-serv ice meat department in Chicago—steaks 'n' chops 'n' all. Phenothiazine Summer time is worm time for live stock. Phenothiazine I mixed with the salt for sheep, and mixed with the feed or individuallv fed to other animals) means more wool, meat, and eggs. This proved worm killer is indispensable to stock raisers. Water Bags CO-OP Water Bags are in volume pro duction. The greatly increasing popular ity of water bags for all outdoor activities assures a readj market for the CO-OP brand. Your immediate order to your re gional will prepare you for the summer demand Dairy Water Heaters Designs have been stabilized, and spec ifications have been sent to the Hardware and Farm Supplies Committee members. Discriptive literature is in preparation, and will be available before long. Production on the new model will begin as soon as the steel is available. Milk Coolers Limited production is anticipated in the immediate future, with a possible total volume of fifteen hundred units by mid summer. Spécification sheet0 and catalog I pages are now in process. During the steel strike, Altgeld's speak er system frequently called for contribu tions from patrons to help pay for baskets of groceries for strikers' families. 331 bas kets of groceries were supplied in this way by the co-op. They Learned About Co-ops A co-op bouth featuring a CO-OP milk ing machine and numerous othei CO-OP products was the center of attraction at the Koochiching County Fair last year at Little Fork, Minn. Cooperatives at Little Fork, Ray, and International Falls jointly prepared the exhibit which was high lighted by phonograph music over a PA system. Co-op book matches, pencils, pins and literature were distributed to more than 1000 visitors. Co-op movies enjoyed great popularity. TIRES i THAT MOVE in snow., rain., ice., or mud . . . COOP bar lug tires On clear pavements, they "ride easy"; on slippery ice or clay, they give maximum traction; in sticky mud, in loose sand, and in deep snow, they "take hold" and pull through. Built for traction . . . for safety . . . for endurance, CO-OP Bar Lug tires will win the praise of your mem ber-patrons. Order these sturdy, long-mileage CO-OP tires from your regional. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. March, 1946 23 Project in Farm-City Cooperation How Washington farmers are helping their city brothers develop efficient cooperative service A N unique example of ruial-urban rn operation, developing in recent months in the Pacific INorthwesi, is well-nigh a model for similar procedure« elsewhere. During the past 30 years many co-ops have been started in Western Washing ton; most of them are thriving today, in spite of the handicap of high freight rates on less-than-carlnad shipments of mer chandise from one or another far-away co-op wholesale. Moreover, manv of these co-ops are urban groups, and it was diffi cult or impossible For a farm co-op while sale like Pacific Supply Cooperative to serve them because of legal restrictions on the functioning of cooperatives set up under the agricultural co-op laws. A survey made last year uf the coop eratives in the Puget Sound area of Wash Three of the leaders in the development of Cascade Cooperative Wholesale are shown here examining the contract between Cascade and Pacific Supply Cooperative. Left to right, they are R. W. Hogg, of Salem, Ore., president of Pacific Supply, Charles Baker, general manager of Pacific: Addison Shoudy, president of Cascade. inston (shown in map below— approxi mately ihe northwest I of the state l showed a combined business volume of more than four million dollars, with one and a half million of this done by 1U urban co-ops serving 3,700 member fam ilies Some of these co-op« wanted to get k BELLINGHAM TONASKET O \ VANCOUVER ISLAND OMT. VERNON MARYSVILLE EVERETT ÖSNOHOMISH 0 MONROE SEATTLE POULSBO SILVERDALE BREMERTON PORT ORCHARD O RENTON OAUBURN o ENUMCLAW WENATCHEE O CHEHALIS ABERDEENQ OLYMPIAO Gray s Vi '——~ Harbor A new warehouse at Seattle, provided by Pacific Supply Cooperative, and a newly organ ized Cascade Cooperative Wholesale to supply groceries, appliances and other CO-OP goods through contractural arrangement with PSC, combined last month to launch a rapidly- expanding Co-op program for both urban and rural groups in the Puget Sound area of Washington, shown above. in line for appliance service», as well as other new co-op line« —for all of which they must have nearby and efficient wholesale facilities, both for distribution of the merchandise and for training and guidanc( of service personnel. Agricultural cooperatives in the Puget Sound area affiliated with Pacific Supply Cooperative did a volume of more than two and a half millions during the same period, the survey showed, and this threw light on a similar problem for the farm co-ops, \\hu also wanted to ^o places. Warehousing was not close by for them either; Walla Walla, headquarters of Pacific Supply, was 200 miles awaj in the southeast part of ihe state. It made sense, therefore when it was proposed thai PSC build a warehouse in Seattle, and that the co-ops in this area set up a wholesale which would contract with PSC for service and facilities. This would make il possible for all the co-ops, urban a^, well as rural, to participate in the control of theii wholesale services and at ihe same time to coordinate them for efficiency. Aftci much stud} and conferencing, the job was done, and the Cascade Coopera tive Wholesale began functioning in Janu ary. Leaders and many members of Pacif ic "uipply were anxious both to join hands with their fellow consumers in the cities and towns for the expansion of their serv ice0 into household lines, and for the bet ter service of their affiliated co-ops in the Seattle area. After the completion of the new organization, which is open to mem bership by any consumer purchasing co operative, a negotiating committee from Cascade worked out contractural arrange- 24 CO-OP Magazine inents with directors and management of Pacific Supply, and Pacific Supply pro ceeded with the Seattle warehouse. "Cooperation in this area moves ahead 10 years with the signing of thi= con tract," declared Cascade's President Ad dison Shoud} when it was announced that the arrangements had been completed. Cascade is incorporated under Washing ton laws, and will supply it" member co operatives throughout the Seattle area of the state with the full line of CO-OP mer chandise handled by Pacific Supply Coop erative and its member co-ops. Working closely with Mr. Shoudy and PSC General Manager Charles Baker on the new rural-iirhan plan were PSC At loiney Cameron Sherwood; Charles Laub, Mandel Neider and R. W. Gillum, of Cas cade; M. E. Dämon, Henrj Lotzgesell and R. \l. Hogg, PSC directors. World Problem The average American is eating 10 to 15 per cent more meat this winter than before the war, while the Englishman eats 25 pel cenl less, the Frenchman 40 per cent less.—Southern Patriot Science Humanises The development of the atomic bomb is merely the most recenl important step of that steady progression of science that is compelling man to become human He must pay careful attention to cooperation, education and the welfare of society if he is to thrive under the conditions thai sci ence imposes, [f we will let ourselves grow IN MEMORIAM Death came suddenly to jovial, 13- year-old "Charlie" Lee, who for two and a half vears has headed the serv ice department and service training program for National's Universal Milk ing Machine division. Speaking in Salt Lake City before a service school be ing conducted by the Utah Cooperative Association, he dropped over in a faint and was rushed to a hospital. He passed away four hours later, at 10:30 p.m.. without having regained consciousness. Charlie was in Salt Lake City after having completed a two week service men's training school for Pacific Sup ply Cooperative at Walla Walla. Wash ington. Hi= wile Ruth, had joined him in Salt Lake City, and the two were to leave soon for Kansas City. where he had planned to conduct an other school for Consumers Cooperative Association. Hi? son, Eugene, the couple's only child, had returned to San Francisco after having been with his parents on furlough. Homer Lee, a brother, is employed by Central States Cooperatives in Chicago. Few in cooperative circles could number friends among local coopera tive employees throughout the country CHARLES LEE as could Charles Lee, whose work with the Universal training school brought him into close contact with men from all regions. \ews of his death will bring a sense of personal loss to all these, and to all others who were privi leged to have known and worked with him. as thus indicated, the civilization of the atomic age promises to be the richest that history has known, not oni) with regard to material bount), but also in its cultivation and appreciation of the truest human val ues "—A. H. Campion \. < ; V-' in» I', ff" The trend is to modernization. Here is one of a series of designs for new cooperative service centers executed for the Equipment and Design Committee of National Cooperatives by Ellerbe & Co., of St. Paul, Minn. Latest data about structural materials and plans and service equipment is being supplied regionals by National's new Equipment and Design department. March, 1946 25 By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL Publicity Director, The Cooperative League WHAT'S NEWS With the Co-ops A brief who, what, when and ' where of significant co-op happenings for the information of cooperative workers, and others interested Because of space limitations, chronological order will not be strictly followed and important items necessarily omitted from one issue will be published later Must significant event of the past month, and perhaps of several years, was the joint meeting of the boards of direc tors of National Cooperatives, Inc., Coop erative League of the USA, and Coopera tive Finance Association of America. Closeted for three days with but one question before them—"How to coordi nate most effectively the work of the con sumer purchasing cooperatives"—the di rectors brought out a recommendation that there be created a unified national or ganization, to include cooperative busi ness, education and finance activities under a single board of directors and a single executive. (See report in Febru ary CO-OP, page 26.) 40 New Co-op Hospitals A great surge of organization is under way in the co-op hospital field witb 25 cooperative hospitals already chartered in Texas and others being organized in Ore gon, Washington and Idaho, South Dako ta and Minnesota. First cooperative hospital in US, The Community Hospital at Elk City, Okla homa, was organized in 1929 but it took Hospital Council of AMA sixteen years to recognize it. Inspired by success of Elk City, co-op hospitals were organized at Amherst, Texas; Moreland, Oklahoma; Hardtner, Kansas, and Two Harbors, Minnesota. Last year the Texas state legislature, impressed with South Plains Cooperative Hospital, passed a law providing for spe cial charters for cooperative hospitals. Already 25 charters have been granted and in more than a dozen communities organizing campaigns are under way. Dr. Michael Shadid took a leave of ab sence from Elk City to assist in organiza tion work in Pacific Northwest where sev eral communities are in active campaigns for membership. At Leola, South Dakota, and Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, plans are being made for modern cooperative health centers to serve community needs. Half Billion Retail Business Taken together, cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives are one of America's big busineses. But it is big busi ness owned by the users of that business. Statistics collected for the first time on retail business of cooperatives affiliated with National revealed more than a half- billion dollars of business in 1945. The figures, including some estimates, reported by regional managers, totaled $571,306,- 317. There are no earlier figures in that field, so no basis of romparison is avail able. Wholesale business of the 20 affiliated regionals increased more than $25 million during the year to a total of $177,966,775 —a gain of 16.6 percent. Membership in the local cooperatives increased 165,000 during the year, bring ing the total individual membership of affiliated cn-ops tn 1,336,714. The 4,034 cooperatives affiliated with the 20 regionals own and operate a total of 4,746 retail outlets I in many instaures the rn-op op erates several stores, service stations, farm supply depots or other branch outlets). Tn the seven years for which statistics are available, the business of regional members of National has increased nearly four fold. Wholesale volume, 1939 through 1945, is as follows: 1939 $48,338.1)01) 1940 58,800,000 IQ41 ...... 83,000.000 1942 ......................... 105,488,000 1943 .... .. . 124,389,000 1944 ........ .. 152,523,000 1945 ... ................ . 177,966,775 The wholesale and retail volumes, mem bership and number of outlets of each of the affiliated cooperatives will be found in this month's Fact Book pages (see page 15). New Wholesale in [Northwest The Cascade Cooperative Wholesale, a new consumer cooperative regional organi zation, ha= been established in Seattle to serve both farm and city consumers. The wholesale was organized with the backing of Pacifie Supply Cooperative which is also opening a new warehouse in Seattle lo serve the vocational needs of farmer members of cooperatives. < For data on procedures used, see page 24.) On the International Front Lord Rusholme. general secretary of LATEST AFFILIATES: Pictured here are the headquarters of the two newest- regional members of National Cooperatives. Farmers Union State Exchange, shown in the top picture, is located at Omaha. Nebraska, and serves 275 local cooperatives in Nebraska. Below is the main office building of the Alberta Cooperative Wholesale, at Edmonton. Alberta, with 135 local member co-ops. 26 CO-OP Magazine Cooperative 1 mon of Great Britain, elect ed President uf International Cooperative Alliance at rrrem meeting of Central Committee ol ICA in Zurich, Switzerland, •ilbin Johansson of Sweden and N. C. SideroA of IjSSR were elected vice presi dents. Murray D. Lincoln, president of Couperative League of USA, was elected as one nf eight member« of the Executive Committee. The 1 nited PS a t i o n o Organization invited the International Cooperative Al liance to serve as a permanent economic consultant of the Economic and Social Council of 1 [\O. Action brings to Eco nomic and Social Council the experience and advice of cooperatives in 35 countries representing 75 million family members. \nother organization joined CARE—the Church Committee on Overseas Relief and Rehabilitation of the Federal Council ot Churches of Christ in America. This brings to 24 the number of groups jn this cooperative relief agency (see CO-OP, Dec. '45. page 1). CARE l the Cooperative for American Remittances for Europe) signed a con tract with War Assets Corporation. Febru ary 11, for purchase of 2,8UU,UUU food packages for distribution to war-torn lands. Shipments to designated individuals and groups expected to begin within a few weeks. A new cooperative news agency, Kyodo, patterned along lines of the Associated Près?, has been organized in Japan with approval of Allied occupation forces. Latest and longest international ship ment of CO-OP lubricating oil from the CCA's Coffeyville Refinery went to Johan nesburg, South Africa, for distribution by Boersake, a farm cooperative. An international exposition, to be staged by the National Institute of Cooperation, was announced for Havana, Cuba, in July, when natural and manufactured prod ucts grown and made by cooperatives from all over the world will be exhibited. And Round About Cooperative hospital and medical insur ance offered b> Croup Health Mutual fnc and Group Health Association uf Minne sola covered 39,034 person? at end of 1945—an increased membership of 72.9% for hospitalization and 65Vi for medical care. Addition benefits were voted by both groups at annual meetings. Consumer Distribution Corporation, or ganized b> Edward A. Filene Good Will Fund several years ago and inactive dur ing the war, was re-established, with of fice» at 4 Sloan Street, South Orange, INew Jersey. Present plans include estab lishment <>f three stores to serve as "pilot plants" for experiment» in merchandising. The Connecticut Federation of Labor, at its recent annual convention in Water- bury, endorsed the Consumer CoopTa- tive Movement as "a democratic organiza tion for furthering the consumer interests of AFL workers in Connecticut" and urged affiliated organisations to investigate the possibilities of cooperative store« and enterprises throughout the slate. INDEX 130 120 no 100 !*se^~?7~ 90 80 70 60 50 BUSINESS ACTIVITY JANUARY 1945 = 100 / FACTORY^ - EMPLOYMENT % x A PRODUCTION INDEX 130 120 no 100 90 80 70 60 50 JAN FEB MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP 1945 NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB MAR. APR. MAY 1946 Reference to the chart in the last issue will emphasize the disparity developing between the economic forces represented by these graph lines. This chart, It should be noted, is more than a barometer of economic weather. It is a picture of big business and big gov ernment operating primarily in the interest of profit for the few and holding up the people in the process. When stock prices are on the increase it means things look rosy for indus try. When, at the same time, production and employment are on the decline, even though the people clamor for goods, it points to a sit-down on the part of management more than to strikes by labor. The strikes are welcomed (even forced) while capital anticipates and waits for higher prices. RS Co-op Week Sirs- I am much interested in A National Co op Week. 1 feel that such a week could drama tize on the national level to very good ad vantage, our entire coopei alive enterprise and T am convinced that the state councils and associations would t ooperate most heartily Such a week could do seveial important things It could center the thinking1 of the people of the nation, for that Particular week, upon the cooperatives in the United States Through nation wide advertising1, radio and presb releases theie could be a nation-wide coverage carrying1 a wealth of information to the people There could br national rec osiiition of tins week at least by the Sec reiary of Agricultuie and as many gover nors of states is could be Peisuaded to do 00 [ behebe a great number of the clergymen ol the United States- throiisli the Federal Council of Churches tlie Rural lafe Confer ence of the Roman Catholic Chuich and the Jewish Sotial Action Group, would recognize this week and preach sermons on some phase of cooperation The clergymen rpsponded very \\ell in Kansas at oui state cooperative meet mg last year In addition to tbe publicity angle, the various lof al« and retrionals could use tins week as a speci al week of merchandisi ng displays membership drives, and what have you, to rivet the attention of local commu nities upon their business. The opportunities o f such a week are al- most limitless and it seems to me it would be- very appi opriate for one of the national organisations, or all of them combined, to work out the details of a National CO-OP Week and then must all nur publications to KTV e it wide announcement Chas. A. Richard Executive Secretary Kansas Cooperative Council Tnppka, Kansas Cutting the Knots A large part of the discussion« of dis putants cume from the want of accurate definition. Let one define his terms and then stick to the definition, and half the diffeiences in philosophy and theology would come to an end and be se^n to have no real foundation.—Edwards. March, 1946 27 Current Books and Pamphlets Of all the thines which man can do or make here below, by far the most momentous, wonderful, and worthy are the things we call Books!— THOMAS CARLYLE. SHOULD PRICE CONTROL BE RETAINED? By Harold G. Monitor, and Karl T Schlot- terbeck. Brookings Institute, Washington 6 D. C. 43 pp. 50 cents Scholarly investiga tion of the following questions • What causes inflation ? What happened during: 1919-20 ? What are the prerequisites for effective price control? What are the besl control techniques9 Objective and well con ceived study of the problem. IDEAS PORTFOLIO OF PRACTICAL SUG GESTIONS FOR MODERNIZING BUSI NESS INTERIORS. Armstrong Cork Co , Lancaster, Pa Free Folder for collecting leaflets and clippings on modernizing store interiors Insertions (also free) on the fol lowing topics are available from the same company food store ideas, model restaurant better bakery shops, model meat market HOW ADA7ERTISING IS WRITTEN—AND Why By Aesop Glim. McGraw-Hill. $1.75 Much of the material in this little book has appeared in Printers' Ink, whose readers hailed it as extremely useful One may dis agree with the author on some points, such as attributing hig-h levels of employment to good advertising, but where the author stays in his own technical field, he is sound Anyone who creates advertising, even that in the local Co-op bulletin, will find this work of help. Includes information on psy chology of copy writing headlines, lay-oiil and illustrations copy building, copy Policy special techniques There is some generalized discussion, of interest primarily to the pro fessional, but this—like the rest of the book —is written lucidly so that it will be help ful to anyone interested in tkp subject Throughout the bonk the author poses help ful sample problems, but much can be learned even if the reader does not have time to "do the lessons " COOPERATTVE COMMUNITIES AT WORK. Henrik Infield Dryden. $3. Cites experience with rural cooperative settlements in Mex- iro, Palpstine, Russia, and other countries Suggests an International Office of Coop erative Ecsettlement, to train men and women for rehabilitation through rural co op settlements, and to help finance such rehabili tation HOUSING IN THE UNITED STATES— PROBLEMS AND POLICY. Catherine Bauer Reprint from International Labour Review. lOc Outlines different kinds of planned housing projects, and building practices now in operation, and analyses them as to adequacy from point of view of e^o- nomic, social and civic, aspects of housing SWEDISH COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE SO CIETY'S ARCHITECTS* OFFICE. 148 pp. $S 50. First put out in 1935, but available in this country for first time since war began Collection of two hundred photo graphs, architectural renderings and archi tects' floor plans and detail drawings of many kinds of distribution and production facilities, cooperative apartment houses, servicing equipment An extraordinarily beautiful job and valuable For anyone re sponsible for building, remodeling or re- equipping THE CHALLENGE OF THE ATOMIC BOMB. Supplement to Nation of December 2*5 1045 20 PP. 15c, mimeographed equiva lent, free. Both available from the Nation, 20 Vesey Street, New York City. Addresses delivered at 3 day forum on "The Challenge of the Atomic Bomb," conducted by Na tion Associates Speakers include Henry de Wolf Srnyth, physicist, Princeton Uni versity; Ivan A Getting, MIT; Victor Weisskopf, England; Helen Gahagan Doug-- las, meinmber of Congress, and Freedom Fund sponsor; M J Coldwell, MP, Can ada, Walter Millis. Stuart Chase and labor, industry veterans representatives and oth ers All speakers are authorities on their aspect of the problem, and it makes an instructive and readable sequence Fine introduction to a disctission series on the problem. COOPERATIVE SWEDEN. 14 pp. 29 illus trations lOc Introduction to all phases of the Swedish cooperativp movement, with PX cpllent photographs LIFE IN THESE MARITIMES. Series of broadcasts by Extension Department, St. Xavier University Available from the Department, Antigoiiish, Nova Scotia, Can ada 2c each These six leaflets are part of the For Study and \ction series No 1 "Extension Takes to the Air"- No 2 "Is Confederation to Blame?", No 3: "Are We Overtaxed ?", No. 4 "Is I-afe Possible in these Maritimes?", No. 5 "The Key to Propres«", No 6. "Scientific Knowledge and Planning", "No 7 • "Our Greatest Weakness ' Good discussion material for advanced groups, primarily for Canada, also for exceptionally well-informed groups in U S Most of the leaflets have a set of excellent, discussion questions, indicating fundamental problems pertaining to com muiiity economics and the co-op's role in the community TAXATION OF COOPERATIVES. By Thomas K Ford Editorial Research Reports lOc Wholly unsolicited, uncoached and impar tial presentation of facts about Co op tax isstie as seen and jud^ed by a competent j ourn allst. Mr Ford's statements are not necessarily endorsed by the cooperative or gauizations of which he speaks or which distribute hib copy. However, both because of and m spite of the fact that his remarks are unsponsored, he has made a worthy con tribution to the comment and analysis on- the subject, f Available from "National Asso- ciat)on of Cooperatives ) CORPORATION INCOME TAXES AS AP PLIED TO CO-OPS. By R Waynp Newton. National Association of """o operatives. 5c Reprint of presentation by Mr Newtnn be fore the National Tax Association ( not NTEA) of the basic nature of income tax from the btaudpoint uf both profit corpora tioiis and cooperatives WORKI'N G WITH NEWSPAPERS. By Ger trude W Simpson National Publicity Coun cil, 130 East 22 Street, New York 75c A seasoned journalist with experience in many kinds of public relations work has presented here a very valuable '-ruide book for local organizations on the procedures for getting publicity in the local newspaper Analyzes tlie local paper and why it can use certain kinds of material and not others Explains how to prepare to ha\!e something tu pub licize, and how to get along- with the news paper staff. AMERICA AND THE NEW WORLD. Sym posium consisting of the Muriels Lectures for 1945 at Ohio Wcsleyan University Nor man Anteil, Hans Kohn Bernard Pares, Maxwell S. S te wart, Robert Aura Smith, if-; The Quincy Co-op Folk Dancers, Quincy, Mass., pictured here, are performing a two-fold service. First, they provide the opportunity for artistic self-expression by the participants. Second, through supplying beautiful entertainment at various gatherings, they take the name and services of Quincy Co-op before many people who otherwise might not hear of it. Last summer the group appeared before numerous festivals, including the Co-op Summer Festival at Fitchburg, Mass. Leader and accompanist, Kaarlo Lindewall (extreme left in picture), is manager of the United Cooperative Society of Quincy. Organized in 1904, the co-op is the oldest consumer co-op in the East, has 500 members, annual volume of about $150,000. 28 CO-OP Magazine Where to get it Some literature will be mentioned in these columns which may not be in the libraries or literature stocks uf local ur regional cuoperativeb—espe cially publications of a technical na lure not exclusively related to co-ops. TSo items will be knowingly listed, however, which cannot be provided, either on a purchase or loan basis, by The Cooperative League literature de partment through the regional coop trativeb in mubt cases. ( Exception : Where source is mentioned in con junction with item listed.) If you wish only to consult the par ticular publication, check with the nearest public library. If you wish to own it, check with your regional co op ; if they cannot supply it, write the Literature Department, Coopéra tive League, 167 "W. 12th Street, ^e^ York 11, N. \. Charles [glenart, Joseph H Ball Abingdon Cokesbury Press '•Kl 50 Analyzes factors governing American relations with Gcr many, Japan, three Allied poweis. Southeast Asia, and the emerging new world PIPER TOMPKIVS By Ben Field. Double- day $2 50 This novel about a boy from a conservative Connecticut farm community we list before reading it because of the in auisitivKiiKfeb it inspires—will it praise or condemn man's inherent cooperativeness, will it be consistent in its picture of rela tionships, motives, «•'ommunities, economics, policies etc Cooperators should read for enjoyment and enlightenment, they should also i ead to \vatt-h the f lo w of KUggcstiun and implication for our fellowmen A para graph on the jacket of "Piper Tompkms" says • "The transition from an individualis tic farm boy to a noopprat.ive industrial worker is not an easy one and Piper had a hard time at first He wasn't much inter ested lu union», or sluwdowns, or the other workers in the shop, and it took more than his friendship with Scotty, the shop steward, and his love for Lucy, Scotty's daughter to make him realize that there i» such a thins as a brotherhood of man ' Maybe this is a fine story, maybe not Many t-ooperators ougiit to know—first-hand, and be able to advise accordingly. THE PATROV AND THE LOCKER PLAN.T By Nancy K Masterman Reprinted from Quick Trozcn Foods. No charge 8-pag-e presentation of data fioni n stiuly of lucker plant experience in New York state by the Research Committee on Food Processing and Storage, Cornell University Valuable ma terial for co-op« opprating or planning food storage plants. CHRISTIANITY AM> WORK—A Study Course in the Ethics of Occupations. By Bensoii Y Landis and James Myers Federal Council of Churches 25c (diF^nuut« on quanti tifO Challenging analysis of vocational opportu mties and philosophies in the light of Chris tian ethics Numeiuiiy references to cuop eratives m tlie discussion of economic and social methods and motivations, and to va nous books and pamphlets on cooperatives A splendid pdiK ational piorc for use with church groups as well as individuals Books Received LOCKER PLANT ACCOUNTING. By V C Patterson Reprint (P 56) fioni Quick Frozen Foods. No charge Numerous illustrations and detailed explanation of record keeping for food locker plants Wheels in His Head. By M. M Musselmmi Whittlesey Ho List; S3 50 Just good laugh material You-ean't-take-it with-you stuff Public Opinion. By Walter Lippmann Peli can Books 25c Whal public opinion is, how il is formed, how it works how it can be more effective Patterns of Culture. By Ruth Benedict Pc hcan Books. 2&c A new light on the rela tions between individuals and society. You and Music. By Christian Darnton. Pelican Books S5c How music is niade, how it has evolved, huw different kinds are related The last three books above are the first in a new "Pelican" repnntmgs of impor tant non-fiction by Penguin Books Cnc In the Periodicals MASSACHUSETTS' DESIGNING WOMEN7. By Walter Carey. Magazine Digest, Dee. 1S45 Fascinating story of 15 membei producers' co-op, which puts out materials block printed by hand Although its members are more interested in living- the full life than in making- money, the co op is A success fi nancially. PRO/EN FOODS: a NEW HORIZON. Through study and report by editors of Business Week on the trends, opportunities and prob- blems in the frozen food and food lorker serviees February 2 issue. WHAT'S BEHIND THK ATTACK ON THE CO-OPS. By Paul Greer. The Nation, Janu ary 12 Staff writer on St Ixmis Post Dispatch ukes apart the anti-co-op cam paig-n and shows it up for the selfishness it really ifc Now in reprint form from Co-op Eegionals, 75c per 100 Splendid an- swei material for co-op critics on main street Classified Advertising The classified section of CO-OP Magazine is available to individuals or organizations to advertise equipment or other articles for sale or exchange or wanted, help or situations wanted, educational projects, or special serv ices to cooperatives. Right reserved to refuse any advertising regarded by CO OP Magazine to be in conflict with co operative objectives or programs. Rates are 7c per word for one inser tion: 6c per word for two or more insertions. Minimum, $1. Abbrevia tions, signs, initials and complete num bers counted as words. First line in capital letters; no other display. Re mittance must accompany order. Ad dress Classified Department, CO-OP Magazine, 343 South Dearborn Street Chicago 4, Illinois.______^^^_^^ COMMUNITY PLANS 65 (»OPERATORS OUTLINE THEIR GOALS in issue No. 12 of The Commnmteer now off the press For news of intentional co operative communities as projected social units for the good life, stlbscrifoe to The Com- muniteer, newsletter of the Rural Cooperative Community Council, New City 8, Bockland County, N Y Send $1 for year's subscription (including issue No IS) or 30c for single issue Surplus Property for Non-Profit Institutions rlPHE Surplus Property Administration, reports Ludwig \nderson, recently took action tn enable educational, public health and other non-profit institutions to ac quire surplus federal property at reduced prices. There are two kinds of non-profit in stitutions within the meaning of SPA Regulation 14—educational and public health—and these mav buy surplus fed eral propertj at a discount of 40 percent belrm "fair value." "Fair value" is de fined as the lowesl price charged anj other trade level for the same type of merchandise. Most likely to be helped amongst coop eratives by this provision are cooperative health organizations. These may be in stitutions alreadv in operation, or in the process of formation. Regarding procedure for such gruups Mr. 'Vndersun offers the following suggestions' "The presenl unsatisfactory policy of handling government surplus has per mitted the -crapping of commodities after a reasonable effort has been made to dispose of it through normal channels. Because of this transient character of the opportunity we would strongly advise new organizations which are not yet read} 1o purchase supplies to file an estimate of its future needs with the State Depart ment of Health or the proper agents uf the Federal Security Agency, in the hope that adequate supplies will be allocated to that area and set aside for future de livery." To qualify for discount purchase, pub lic health, educational and cooperative (hospital) institutions must have been held exempt from taxation under section 101 of the Internal Revenue Code. Mr. Vnderson suggests that organizations in formation or others that have never filed a tax report should obtain a ruling on exemption from the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Copies of a 20-page bulletin. "Non-Prof it Institutions and Surplus War Property," can be obtained from the [nformation Branch, Surplus Property Administration, Railroad Retirement Building, Washington 25, D. C. Want Help? Use the Classified Column in CO-OP Magazine. More and more returned vet erans and others looking for em ployment in co-ops will be re ferring to CO-OP Magazine to get in touch with what is going on and to check for possible oppor tunities for Service connections. If you need staff members now, or are planning expansion that will soon require them, let your requirements be known. There is good co-op help available. March, 1946 29 The most obvious, my dear Watson . . is frequently the last observed A ï •- i Gad, sir, it shouldn't take a Sherlock to convince us that rust preventive is here to stay . . . here to fill a most impor tant farm need, and here to build sales for the alert mer chandiser. Think of the millions of dol lars of farm equipment lost each year to rust ! And think, too, how one easy application of T.O-OP Rust Preventive keeps idle ma chinery rust-free for a year and longer, even though the machin ery is entirely exposed to the sun, rain, and snow. CO-OP rust preventive Order from your regional now. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. 30 EDITORIALLY ..... Big Job Done—Big Job to Do The final recognition of the International Cooperative \lliance as a con sultative agency in the I nited (Nations Economic and Social Council is a mighty achievement for cooperatives and all men of good will —and a tribute to the «plendid groundwork done at San Francisco by Wall) Campbell, How ard Cowden and Stanley Sindelka. Its enormity is excelled only by the op portunity and challenge it presents to cooperators everywhere to strive for cooperation between natiors. and thus for more lasting peace. The real test uf the Lnited Nations as a tool for world welfare arid peace will be in the extent to which the Economic and Social Council and its sev eral sections inlluence the polic\-making of the Assembly That in turn will depend upon the strength with which organizations represented there will voice the real wishes of the people. l\o other agency has greater potential for assembling a people's dictum on the world community and its business than the ICA. If we have the deter« mination to do it, a concrete proposal of one person or a group in a single local society, put into resolution form, can rail for support (and get it in proportion to merit) in similai foim from countless other local, regional and national cooperative groups. Thus the pronouncement of an ICA repre- sentative to United Mations agencies can be the voice of a fourth of the world speaking. Cooperators need not have a predominance of the world's wealth or busi ness volume in order to be heard effectively; whenever we have chosen an objective that commands the enthusiastic loyalty of the world cooperative movement and i« a proper agendum for I 1\O consideration, a credulous hearing will be imperative It remains only for cooperators to think and plan deeply, then act. What Are You Building? Many will recall the story of the men who were quizzed by a passerb) as to what they were doing; one said he was chipping stone, another was earn ing his daily living, while a third was huilding a cathedral. There are many times when the humdrum routine at the co-op store, or in the board or com mittee meeting may seem a bit dibcouraging—until we recall that all of our little chores are stones gradual!) being fitted together into a glorious edifice —a Cooperative Economy for Mankind. CO-OP Magazine What*s Your Number? No, we're not referring to your Social Security Number, Army Serial Number, draft number, etc., etc., in these times of number-con scious modern America, . but to those four little figures below your address on the magazine •wrapper. They tell a story vital to you. If your code number is 4602, your subscription ended last issue, but this complimentary copy of CO-OP is yours as a reminder to fill out and mail your order. If your number reads 4603, this is your last issue. April CO-OP, however, may be sent to remind you to renew your subscription if you have not done so, but don't count on it if you don't want to skip any copies. If your wrapper number is 4804 or 4605 (expiring in April or May, re spectively), expiration is not far off Why not jot down your name and address on the subscription blank in this issue, now, and drop it in the mail today, •while you are think ing of it? A file of CO-OP takes on added value with the passing of time, . . . especially, if you have a complete collection. Its convenient cover- index keeps any topic at your finger-tips. You'll refer to it again and again for ideas and suggestions on cooperative operation, for facts and figures on the cooperative movement. Particularly, don't miss a single issue for pages for your Fact Book! Since the December, 1945, number, •when these information-covered pages were first printed, there has been an enthusiastic response that increases by the month Tools of the trade! Your trade . . . the pro motion, organization, and operation of cooperatives! That s what these pages of up-to-date cooperative data for pocket-size, loose-leaf notebooks are. Take advantage of CO-OP's spe cial group offer Five or more sub scriptions, sent together, are only $2.00 for one year, $5.00 for three years. Invite four or more of your fellow co-op -workers or friends to become CO-OP readers and sub scribers, and save up to 20%. Single subscriptions are $2.50 for twelve months, $6.00 for three years. Send your order through your regional if you can. or direct to CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dear born Street, Chicago 4, Illinois. May we suggest that you fill out the subscription blank in this is sue now while it is fresh in your mind? —The Publisher Up from the earth "I just came from the income tax of- ice, wise guy!" " OUR NEWEST FILM— 16mm SOUND & COLOR— 55 MINUTES .. certainly enjoyed Up From the Earth. We wish you could produce two or three such each year. —from a Philadelphia Cooperator ~——•—•f It's an impressive story, this "Portrait In Oil," showing cooperative expansion into the field of oil production and distribution. An ex cellent film to drive home the fact that Co-ops are becoming a potent factor in our national economy. Available for purchase or rental. For further information write to the Regional Cooperative nearest you, or to THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE, 167 West 12th Street, New York llr N. Y. V) NATIONAL COOPERATIVES In c. 143 SOUTH DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO 4 ILLINOIS • TELEPHONE WABASH 7680 To Local Cooperators : Just a word of caution. The time is short; the planning program should begin immediately,, We feel sure that you will agree to the opportunities for membership service in the field of appliance merchandising. This manual contains a summary of some of the helpful suggestions now available. With this kind of assistance from your regional and from National Cooperatives, we are confident you can make an ap pliance program work for your cooperative . Just at present, no manufacturer knows exactly when he will be allowed to resume appliance production nor Just what materials he will be able to use. These are only temporary factors, and need not stand in the way of planning your program. Your CO-OP suppliers will be in as favorable a position to supply you with merchandise as any other manufacturer or dealer. Do not let overeager salesmen stampede you into placing "blind" orders for appliance business, Plan CO-OP now and be ready to go CO-OP all the way when appliances hit the market. Cooperatively yours, a General Manager who... l why... 2 how ... u what .. 4 where . 3 when .. D PART II SUPPLEMENT TO PRINTED IN U S. A AP 277-45 VOLUME II NUMBER 3 CO-OP M agazme MARCH 1946 WHO merchandises appliances effectively I II • . r PUBLIC UTILITIES Good service and a driving sales program with a pseudo consumer interest used to mask the primary motive of build ing increased load and consequently increased profit. The interests primarily served by public utilities are those of the absentee stock holder and the financier. Excellent mechanical service and good fi nancing aid their program. Many non-merchandising utilities offer excellent dealer assistance offsetting his weak points and getting his job done. Rural coverage of utilities is usually good where lines exist. DEPARTMENT AND FURNITURE STORES Some personal contact sell ing on appointments made in store. Push combination deals. Offer little or no service in most rases. Financing is usually good. Not generally looked upon as big producers, they are adjusting their pic ture by enlarging departments for appliances and establishing local branch appliance stores. Rural coverage is usually non-existent. They are in business for the benefit of the owner and the stockholder. PRIVATE DEALERS Usually offer fair to no service depending on size of outfit. Not always financially responsible and many times fold up or move leaving former users to search for their new services. Financ ing is usually through discount contract firms which are good but ex pensive. Private dealers are usually untrained in selling and therefore have weak sales policies. The private dealer is in business purely for himself. Definite profit seeking motive leads to many "price-deals" and general breakdown of confidence. Except in rare cases rural cov erage is non-existent. who 1 MAIL ORDER COMPANIES Excellent catalog coverage in rural areas sells demand items but lack of adequate service organization and lack of persona] contact in selling specialty lines holds down their sales volume. Because they have proven that appliances can't be sold with out service and personal contact they have opened many stores and placed men on the road to begin where the catalog leaves off. Financ ing is done through subsidiary company adding to the profit and sales story. The primary interest served is again that of the absentee stock holder and the financier. T «T '«L** *u* R. E. A. CO-OPS Vary with area but usually operate as a service agency to members with little merchandising activity. Strive to assist members in obtaining best usage of electricity from a service and effi ciency standpoint. Assist local dealers of recognized quality appliances to fill the needs of members. The R. E. A. sympathy with our program should materially assist our efforts, because it is designed to serve the farmers' needs. Rural coverage is excellent. Get in touch with the R. E. A. cooperatives in your area. O'! COOPERATIVE APPLIANCE SERVICE CENTERS Ex- cellent rural coverage and the interest in the patron- member from the service standpoint makes the coop erative the natural leader for the future appliance busi ness. Service facilities usually good. Confidence of members is already ours. Financing can be arranged cheaply through credit unions or through regional. Will increase scope of business interest to assure permanence of service to members. The co-op operates for the bene fit of the entire community. This is your place to make your contribution in the appliance merchandising field. May we show you why and how? WHY should Co-ops enter appliance merchandising now a. $96O million postwar rural electric market predicted by U.S.D.A. \ -* Intensified activity in R. E. A. program calls for electrification of over 5 million farms and rural homes in next 15 years. R. E. A. mem bers know advantages of cooperation and are sympathetic with our aims. electric refrigerator U electric range 75% 56% radio m 92% 70% W 10% urban rural urban rural urban rural Relatively low per cent market saturation in rural areas. Farmer is in a better position to buy than at any time in last 25 years. Higher prices on farm produce and lack of available equipment has resulted in accumulated savings. dairy water heaters why. . 2 home freezer box New and improved equipment developed and new uses found for the electrical servant on the farm. The farmer's cheapest "hired-man". electric range, refrigerator electric fence controller WHY should Co-ops enter appliance merchandising now why. 2 b 6O million appliances .. . accumulated demand /K, * L To replace equipment worn out or ob- To help outfit over 5 million new fam- More savings accumulated in last 3 soleted by new developments. ilies started during war years. than in any 10 previous years. , 1 High employment level expected to con tinue for many years. c. increased acceptance of CO-OP label Calf Meal—CO-OP 3rd choice in 12 Dairy Feed—CO-OP 1st choice in 9 Poultry Feed—CO-OP 1st choice in 12 • I Feed Concentrates—CO-OP 2nd choice in 4 • in Poultry Cod Liver OU—CO-OP 1st choice in 5 Gasoline—CO-OP 4th choice in 12 H • HHH Lube Oil—CO-OP 10th choice in 23 • H Axle Grease—CO-OP 5th choice in 9 • • HI Kerosene—CO-OP 5th choice in 9 I Fly Spray—CO-OP 6th choice in 12 CO-OP Data from unbiased consumer re search in Pacific Northwest area by Cowles Publishing Company shows CO-OP brand a leading choice in many lines far surpass ing many nationally advertised brands. In addition to the over-all industry picture other considerations more pertinent to CO-OPs would include: I • By being ready to move as soon as possible, we can start on the same potential basis as all dealers since the war has curtailed ap pliance production and the promotional and training programs of established distributors. We have, also, the advantage of a contin uous contact with our patrons during these war years. A progressive appliance program will increase your sales tre mendously—and on high margin items—and with the existing co operative organization. A horizontal expansion with little organiza tional expense or effort compared with the starting of new coop eratives. O* Our patrons will need the guidance of CO-OP-trained buying counsellors to lead them through the maze of claims and counter claims that will be thrust upon them in the predicted "sellers-mar ket". To justify the confidence of our members we must be prepared to anticipate their needs and offer the best available buy. We have a unique opportunity to do just this in the appliance field NOW! HOW can we start our plans Start your plans with action. Appoint a man to handle the program who has the ability and the "know-how" to get the job done. This neces sitates a membership meeting to make an official decision to organize the program and board action to appoint the manager and assign the responsibility—actions which are absolutely essential to the success of the program. Having taken these initial steps, the next thing to do is to analyze the local situation and consider the various factors involved. Notify your regional of your action. They can help you. Make a sur vey of your members' appliance needs . . . perhaps take some pre- delivery orders. With assistance from your regional fieldman, choose the location for your appliance service center, facilities and warehouse. Added information on location problems appears in another section. Also make plans for store layout and displays when appliances arrive. Publicity is very important. Publicize all official actions and decisions by every available means (newspapers, meetings, direct mail letters, etc.). Let everybody know you are going into the appliance business. It's to their benefit to know. Policies on personnel payment, merchandising, servicing and financing should be carefully studied and recommendations made for board con sideration and action. To establish an effective policy on personnel payment, a study should be made of plans used by other organizations to determine which is best suited to your own merchandising program. Many good plans are in use and each has features worth consideration. In situations where part-time efforts of members or other departmental employees are used, in developing the appliance program, special financial remuneration may be indicated. The merchandising policy will necessarily be different from that used in selling feeds, fertilizer, petroleum supplies and similar continuous-sup ply items. Each appliance must be sold solely on its individual merits. The customer must be "resold" each time he buys an appliance article regardless of how many he may have bought previously. This calls for a more personal approach to the merchandising job. Co-ops, with their intimate relationship with their member-patrons, have an excellent op portunity to do this type of merchandising at its best. how. 3 Set up a complete and efficient service department. This requires a full line of equipment and adequate facilities to maintain and repair all appliances sold; il requires trained personnel also. Prepare to render complete installation and instruction services with a follow-up system to check on the performance of items sold. Service has been much neglected in many instances. The co-ops have this opportunity to prove their ability and their interest in serving their consumer-patrons. Financing is divided into two phases: financing of the store, stock, fix tures, equipment, etc., and financing consumer purchases. Three good sources of financing are: local credit unions, your regional wholesale and discounting notes at the local bank. Regardless of what plan or method is used, it is essential to have adequate facilities to handle the business volume expected. There should be no open accounts; all pur chases must be secured by a sales contract. Make arrangements for hiring and training gales and service personnel before going further. Specialized personnel is a must. The amount of training and the number trained will necessarily depend on the size of your business. However, for even the smallest appliance program, it is necessary that at least one man be available who knows all the technical details of every appliance line handled. The salesmen should be able to answer any questions concerning operation of appliance, service facil ities and prices. With these actions taken, you are well-started towards the actual busi ness operations. You can, therefore, determine your inventory require ments from the results of your member-needs survey. A few points in considering inventory: The inventory must be complete. The store which displays its full line of appliances invites the customer's interest and inspires his confidence. The dealer, then, should display at least one model of every type of appliance he carries, and as many extra models as his volume and space warrant. He should be ready to give immediate delivery in practically all instances; a maximum delivery time of three to four days is allowable in certain cases. The appliance store with the most complete selection and the quickest delivery stands to gain by that much. I Arrange for delivery, installation and demonstration of appliances and place your initial order with the wholesale to protect requirements in case rationing is necessary. »You are then well-prepared for your grand opening and the entrance of your co-op into a new field of service to your member-patrons. Play it up big. Your regional and National Cooperatives can help you. They have many facilities for that purpose. WHAT can we expect from our Wholesale and National to help do this job what 4 Quality manufacturing and careful purchasing Board of Directors of National meet to Expert engineers design quality fea- Raw materials are fabricated into parts formulate policy on appliance distribu- tures into every CO-OP appliance. by trained workers. tion. Parts are carefully inspected and as- Rigid tests on all products for perform- Appliance experts form a committee sembled by skillful fingers under close ance and long trouble-free service. to discuss products and recommend supervision. sources. Advertising and sales promotion pieces I K '«** -1* Personnel training . . . sales and service :i 'I V Typical advertising pieces, news releases, hand books, etc., carefully prepared catalog pages— sales manuals—service manuals—customer mail ing pieces—user books—commodity information bulletins—news releases—advertisements—all form a foundation on which better co-op-patron relationships can be built. t Class in session. Co-op Universal Milker sales and service Water system demonstration to group. Co-op manager's school students study pulsator repair. school on water systems. f ,t I Co-op food store manager's school session of Rochdale Institute Yes, experts from every branch of engineering, advertising, manu facturing, education and management are working to perfect the products that back up the CO-OP label and to bring the story to every patron-member throughout the U. S. We stand ready to assist you in starting, presenting, and building your local appliance program so that your CO-OP can join the many successful organ izations serving their members through their appliance service center. Technical assistance in choosing the best location for your center, architectural service to lay out the store, display service to suggest best uses of available space, and management guidance in the formulation of policies and financing requirements—all are available through your regional cooperative. Without your use these services will accomplish nothing—we urge you to consider and act at once. Join the swing to co-op merchandising. WHERE should we locate the appliance store where 5 u j _J _J jrica L tlHUU JLJ • — __l The most important thing in deciding on your store location is to de termine which location is most adapted to the area in question. Three general area types are recognized—the central shopping district in a city, the neighborhood shopping district in a city and the rural com munity. Analysis and experience has shown these divisions to be different enough to require separate consideration. CENTRAL Shopping District Characteristics: A large floor traffic. Much of the sales are in over-the-counter items. Space and display facilities of the highest order. Intense seasonal promotion campaigns with specialized crews of pros pect hunters, home demonstrator salesmen, and in-the-home sales closers. NEIGHBORHOOD Shopping District Characteristics: Much salesmanship and demonstration done in the home, usually all functions of getting prospects, demonstration and sales closing done by one person. Main items are larger appliances—washing machines, refrigerators, ranges. Considerable investment in demonstrator samples. Not so much display space needed. RURAL COMMUNITY Characteristics: Store should be in area frequented by women. Near to other CO-OP buildings if possible. Appliances should be in separate department. Adequate display space and show window area are necessary. Demonstration facilities are essential. The importance of locating the central shopping district appliance store in the appliance shopping area lies in the desire of the customer to compare different appliances. Good competition helps build good business. The neighborhood appliance store, because of the merchandising meth ods employed—home selling and home demonstration—does not re quire so much effort at display in the store. The major emphasis is sufficient demonstrator units and salesmen. The CO-OP appliance store in the rural community must be in a loca tion convenient to women, preferably near other CO-OP buildings. However, the appliance department should be kept distinct from other CO-OP departments. If volume does not permit a separate building, the appliance section should be partitioned off from the other goods, whether groceries, hardware or petroleum supplies. In planning display space and show window area, make attractiveness and "home-iness" the theme. Have as much space as possible and don't overcrowd it. Because customers always like to see or hear the appliance in action before they buy it, it is necessary to have adequate demonstration facilities in the store and, with some items (washers, radios), in the home. Whatever the area, plan your store location and facilities with care. It will have a decided effect on the business volume you develop. WHEN should we get started when .. 6 if we could turn back the clock we'd like to say srarf yesterday but since most of us did not start yesterday the best we can say is 1% AM I BLUEPRINT FOR ACTION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 these tasks we have yet to do Membership meeting to start action and make initial decision Board action to assign responsibility for program and choose manager. Advise regional of decisions. Manager starts survey of appliance needs of members—perhaps some pre-delivery orders. Decide on location for appliance service center with help of regional fieldman. Make arrangements for training manager. Make plans for store layout and plan arrangements for display when appliances arrive. Publicize all actions and decisions through all available means (news papers, meetings, letters, etc.) these we have done DATE these tasks we have yet to do 8 Board action to establish policies J. Personne/ payment 2. Merchandising policies 3. Financing policies (both own and customer) these we have done DATE 9 10 11 12 13 14 Make arrangements for hiring sales and service personnel. Make arrangements for training sales and service personnel. Arrange for delivery, installation, and demonstration of ap pliances. Analyze survey results so far obtained and determine in ventory requirements. Place initial orders with wholesale to protect requirements in case rationing is necessary. When these are done you are ready for your gala opening and the entrance of your CO-OP in a new field of service to your members. when all the tasks are checked and done you'll be in the appliance business. For local co-ops •71 ' ^ CO-OP UNIVERSAL Just three years have passed since American and Canadian cooperatives purchased the Uni versal Milking Machine Company. Today, CO OP UNIVERSAL offers a rounded program— for dealer and dairyman—that cannot be matched by any other manufacturer. 1. Completeness of line. Only CO-OP UNI VERSAL manufactures a complete line of milk ing machines : standard pipe line milkers, short tube milkers, portable milkers of both floor type and track type, vacuum pumps and vac uum systems. Whatever the need, the CO-OP UNIVERSAL dealer has a milker to meet it. 2. Exclusive features. Only CO-OP UNI VERSAL has the Calf-Nose claw and Calf- Nose inflations—features which have raised performance records of machine milking to new high levels of efficiency. Further, CO-OP UNIVERSAL milkers have the advantage of low vacuum operation. 3. Cleaning and sterilizing equipment. Only CO-OP UNIVERSAL adequately meets the dairyman's need for modern cleaning and ster ilizing equipment. Automatic flushers are avail able only through CO-OP UNIVERSAL deal ers. New CO-OP Electric Sterilizing Water Heaters—unique in design and adaptability - have been introduced. And CO-OP Solution Racks, too, have been provided. 4. Reputation for quality. The CO-OP label, on dairy equipment as elsewhere, is as surance of quality that farmer-users every where have learned to respect. 5. A service program that works. Local dealers, regional wholesales and the CO-OP UNIVERSAL factory have united to build a service program which has established new standards for farm appliance servicing. From servicemen's training schools to user educa tional materials, the program has been de signed with vision, carried through with en thusiasm. 6. Prices and margins. Cooperative pro duction brings CO-OP UNIVERSAL equipment to dealers at extremely favorable prices—per mitting margins for added service to users that competitive profit business cannot approxi mate. 7. Expanding opportunities. New CO-OP UNIVERSAL products are in the offing. Re cently developed, and soon to be available, is a complete line of CO-OP Electric Milk Coolers . . . cooperatively designed and engineered to meet the dairyman's need for efficient and de pendable milk cooling equipment. Success of the CO-OP UNIVERSAL program rests firmly on a foundation of thorough-going cooperation among users, dealers, regionals, and manufacturer. The record of the past three years shows the combination is unbeatable. As competition tightens in the months and years ahead, our unity will prove of even greater im portance and benefit. Notional Cooperative«, lncx UNIVERSA IlKING MACHINE DIVISION, Waukesha, Wis. I i € M 9 i u i & £ Q) *• ! « s l g ? ^ n U tß i2 u .& u g 3 III l |a ^ e §5 à « ^ « S e GO O i' (See -V. (Substitute figures from co-ops in your vicinity for those helmv and try this advertisement in your local newspaper.) 0*1 tlte, ßansielkeaalr" 1945 Savings Made for Members by a Few Midwest Co-ops Burlington, Colorado Clark, South Dakota Badger, Iowa Beloit, Kansas Sully, Iowa Bertrand, Nebraska $7,200* 39,000 14,435 51,767 30,000 8,483 * Figures from 1945 Records. Thousands of co-ops, all across this country, are giving back mil lions of dollars to their patrons—returning buying power in cold cash. This money will keep cash registers ringing up and down the Main Streets of America as it goes to buy shoes for Johnny and Mary, a new dress for the Missus, new tires for the family car, perhaps a new stove, or any one of a thousand-and-one other things. Co-ops are community builders, home-owned enterprises that tend to arrest financial erosion, the draining-off process which siphons an undue portion of wealth from where it is produced to a few metropol itan centers. Co-ops are good citizens, being "of the people, by the people, and for the people," and incorporated under the laws passed by the elected representatives of the people. They're build ing the kind of America our boys and girls have been fighting for. REMEMBER: CO-OPS Are Community Builders See Your Local Co-op for More information (Substitute your co-op name for above line or gel several co-ops to join as sponsors.) An official organ of National Cooperatives, Inc., The Cooperative League of the USA, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America. Editor, Gilman Calkins ASSOCIATE EDITORS Wallace J. Campbell C. J. McLanahan James L Proebsting1 ADVISORY COMMITTEE Editors .................... George H. Tichenor Educational Directors.............E. A. Whitney Personnel Directors......... ..Herbert E. Evans Sains & Adv'g Directors. . ..Charles G Pool Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president; Howard A Covvden, vice president; E R. Bovven, general secretary; L. E. Woodcock, treasurer; Mary Arnold, Charles Baker, K. N. Benjamin, Perry L. Green, A. J. Hayes, I. H. Hull. Andrew P Jensen, Wm. Liimatainen. Frances Logan, A. J Smaby, Dwight D. Townsend. J. P. Warbasse NATIONAL COOPERATIVES. INC. I. H. Hull, president; J L. Nolan, vice presi dent: Howard A Cowden, secretary-treasurer; A. J Hayes chairman; T. A Tenhune, asst secretary-treasurer; H. S. Agster, Charles Baker, R. N. Benjamin, E B Chown, Leonard F. Cow- den, Ralph Evans, J A. Geddes, J. H. Gervais, R. W. Hogg, H. H. Hogue, C S Jones, J E Keltner, Laurie Lehtin, William Liimatainen, Jacob Liukku, M. G. Mann, Bruce McCully. Rob ert McKay, Robert Neptune, C C. Palmer, R. M. Pierson, Boyd Rainey. W. B Robins, William Sanderson. Jerry F. Shea. R. J. Scott, J J. Sie mens, A. J. Smaby, W. E. Stough, George Urwin, L. E. Woodcock, J P. Yaeger. COOP'VE FINANCE ASS'N OF AMERICA Perry L Green, president; Glenn S Pox, first vice-president; J E. Keltner, second vice-presi dent: E. R. Bowen, secretary; T. A Tenhune, treasurer; Harland Alien, Charles Baker, William W Blaisdell, Andmv P Jensen, Arne Johnson Regional Cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America ALBERTA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Box 97 Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FARMERS MUT. AUTO INS. CO St Paul, Minnesota ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St , Oakland, California CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 1535 South Peoria St, Chicago 8, Illinois CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St., Kansas City. Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amarillo. Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison, Wisconsin EASTERN CO-OP LEAGUE AND WHOLESALE 44 West 143d St., New York 30. New York FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St., Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU MUTUAL AUTO INS. CO. 246 North High St , Columbus 16. Ohio FABM BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St.. Lansing. Michigan FARMERS COOPERATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh, North Carolina FARMERS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P O. Box G, St Paul. Minnesota FARMERS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenworth St , Omaha, Neb INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN 47 S Pennsylvania St.. Indianapolis 9, Ind. INDUSTRIAL ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St., New York 27. New York MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St., Winnipeg. Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis 13, Minn PACIFIC COAST STUDENT CO-OP LEAGUE Berkeley, California PACIFIC SUPPLY COOPERATIVE P. O. Box 1004, Walla Walla. Wash. PENNA. FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSN 3607 South Derry St , Harrisburg, Pa SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATED COOP'TIVES Saskatoon, Saskatchewan UNITED FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY Duke and George Sts , Toronto 2, Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South, Salt Lake City 4, Utah n i G A Z Ê Journal of technical assistance and information for local cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members VOLUME 2, NO. 4 APRIL, 1946 CONTENTS Setting Up Service Shops .. 3 By J. C. Hammond How Should Co-op Appliance Salesmen Be Paid? 6 By James I. Blackburn Liven Up Dull Meetings with Movies 8 By Caroline Vleyer Vppliances, Magazines. Music—in a Food Store Q By William l Torma New Store Layout Diagram. Ida B. Wells Cooperative 10-11 Modern Merchandising Brings Record Business 15 Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of tilg authors and not necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations. Departments Letters .. .... 4 Coming Events .....__ 4 News About Commodities . ..... _.12-1S Equipment and Design Notes 14 What's News with the Co-ops _ 16 Current Books and Pamphlets .17 Business Activity Chart ....... 18 Editorials _ 18 Chat with Subscribers 19 Tliej've Moved into New Responsibilities ....... .19 PICTURE CREDITS Fronl Cover, Wurts, pag"e 5, Stailey pag-e 6, I FB., past 8, 1FB. pag-e 15, Wurts CO-OP Magazine Is published monthly by The Cooperative League of the USA Business Manager Gilman Calkins. Editorial and business offices, 343 South Dearborn Street Chicago 4, Illinois Cable address. COOPAM Entered as second class matter April 20, 1945, at the postoffice at Chi cago, Illinois, under the act of March 3, 1879. 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 Coop- eratnes. Inc Subsciiptioii Kates One year, $2 CO, three yeais, $•> Single copy price, 25 cents Mailed anjwlieie «itbout extra cbaipe TTnsoZipitf-d manuscilpts submitted at aiithm's nsk, Rhoiibl lie acpom pamed bv letinn postage Regional Circulation Managers. Jack Heino, CCW; Jean Johnston. Indiana; Dorothe MacKay. California Domlil \\ Ala^ Texas, It AT \TitrheII Pi-Citlt, Sunplv; Jean C.roiei Central States AA'altci A\ AA'nite Midland. AV B Kobins, Utah, Dons Casamello, Eastern CHANGE OF VDDRESS Send old addiess label n ith new address to Circulation Wanagci CO-OP Magazine, 343 S Dearborn St., Chicago 4, 111., and allow 30 days for correction of listing „^gBfc Letters Need Leadership Dear Sirs Recently I read with interest of the ex periments in cooperative housing" ventures, including- consumer coopei ativee I believe that pooperativep are nup nf the best ways of insuring1 economic democracy and that international cooperatives will eventually in sure a lasting peace I want to do what I can to help We can contribute money but it takes trained and experienced leadership to make these coop ératives a sucoess I wish we mie-M Iiavo some of this in the South Unfortunately, in this area at the Pi esent time the land prices are out of reason. The Fanair Fed eral Credit Union got land previously and expect to build some 400 houses for their members, maybe by fall Lydia Allen DeVilbiss Miami, Fla. On German Co-ops Dear Sirs The article on "German Cooperatives and World War II" bj Dr Hasselmann is very interesting for people who are familiar with the former German Co-op organizations, but somewhat too abstract for outsiders I think the whole problem ean bp Tirouerht to a rom- mon denominator The German people—as far as the Middle Class a,nrl the Working CJass are concerned—is educated in and con scious of the factor of cooperative buying If they are given the opportunity uf u?ain becoming members of their former Co-ops, they w ill more than ever, stick to these organizations and for such obvious reasons as lack of distnbution, overcharging ol' prices, black markt;t etc Since the organizations themselves were not eliminated, but only the political leader ship, it should not be too difficult to get the Co-ops m working condition along the hnes tr- ey were operating before the advent of Nazism The more help these organizations receive from outside with goods, difficult to obtain in Germany the easier and mucker will be their recovery aiid full resumption of t heir opérât mas r.) Julius Kclmelein New York, N Y Come Again? Jobber, vacationing in the country ; "What will you farmers do \vith this enormous peach crop ? " Farmer: "Well, we eat what we can, and what we can't cat we can. Then \ve eat what we can. Jobber : "It's the same way in busi ness. We sell what we ran ^ell and what \ve can't sell we cancel." — Elkhorn ( W is. ), Cu-up A ews. NEW... for store and home keeps porcelain and enamel CLEAN and SPARKLING cleaner CO-OP Refrigerator Cleaner and Wax really fills the bill! Packaged especially for sale and use as a household appliance cleaner, this CO-OP product has been tested and approved by co-op users. Housewives delight in keeping their beautiful modern appliances spot less and gleaming, and they will be pleased with the way CO-OP Clean er and Wax does this job. It's a handy item for the store, too . . . for cleaning porcelain or enameled fixtures and equipment. And if your store handles CO-OP appliances, you'll find this cleaner ideal for keeping display models sparkling and attractive. When you next order from your regional, be sure CO-OP Refrigerator Cleaner and Wax is on the list NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. Coming Events l April 18-10—Annual shareholders meeting. Consumers Cooperatives Associated. Amanllo, Texas. April 21—Easter Sunday. April 23—Meeting- of Steel & Building Supplies Committee, National Cooperatives Chicago. April ^3-24—29th annual meeting- of Cen tral Cooperative Wholesale, Superior Wis Preliminary meeting's» English and Finnish April 23 All delegates, 24th. ApnJ 24—Meeting uf Hardware & Farm Supplies Committee, National Cooperatives, Chicagro April 25—Meeting of Farm Appliance Committee, National Cooperatives, Chicago. April 26—Meeting- of Home Appliance Committee, National Cooperatives, Chicago April 27—Meeting- of Grocery Committee National Cooperatives, Chicago April 29—Meeting: of Automotive Commit tee. National Cooperatives, Chicago April 30—Annual Stockholders Meeting National Cooperatives, Inc., Chicago Apr. 30-May 1—Joint Meeting, Boards ol Directors, National Cooperatives, The Coop erative League, Cooperative Finance Associa tion of America, Chicago May 8 12—Annual Convention, Credit Union National Assn , Cuna Mutual Insuiance Society and Puna Supply Cooperative Hotel Loraine Madison Wis May 1O—Annual meeting Kansas Coopera tive Council Topeka Kans June 11-1.-* — Annual meeting American Country Life Association, East Lansing, Mich June 18-31—Annual Joint, Staff Conference, Co-op Editors, Educational Directors, Person nel Directors, Sales and Advertising Directors. College Camp, Lake Geneva, Wis. Jtuic 18-21—Meeting of regional coopera tive Youth and Recreation Directors in con- 3unction with National Staff Conference, Col lege Camp, Lake Geneva, Wis June 23-July 6—Tenth Annual National Recreation School and Educational Directors Training Institute Mission House College. Plymouth. Wis July 6—International Cooperative Bay Aug 4-17—Co-ops & Labor Institute at University of Wisconsin, Madison Sponsored lointly by School for Workers, U of W , and Rochdale Institute. Aug. 26-30—American Institute of Coop eration Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. Oct 6-13—Firsl Postwar Congress of the International Cooperative Alliance Prague, Czechoslovakia We Want Your Picture "Une picture is worth 10,000 words." Help CO-OP Magazine save space in reporting on success ful techniques used by local organ izations. We want live pictures—• lots of 'em to tell graphically how your staff or members, individually or together, do various merchandis ing, administrative, education, or ganization and other jobs. Credit will be given the photug rapher. if von send us his name. \n attached stamped envelope will return to you any prints we may nnt be able m use. Address Edi tor, CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dear born St.. Chicago 4. 111. CO-OP Magazine A Three-Fold Program for SERVICING CO-OP EQUIPMENT A Farm Service Shop plan, being put into effect by Ohio cooperatives, is part of their program to follow through on sales of machinery, appliances or other equipment with the best possible maintenance service. By J. C. HAMMOND Farm Machinery Division. (Ohio) Farm Bureau Cooperative Assn. JT IS a strong conviction with us in Ohio •*- that before we can be a significant fac tor in the distribution uf such items as farm machinery, farm and home refrigera tion, water systems, household appliances, milking equipment, etr., we must train and equip ourselves to give complete serv ice on these items—not just the minimum of service that purchasers are likely to expect, but every possible attention and adjustment that will add to the equip ment's effectiveness for the patron. For this reason, Ohio Farm Bureau Co operatives are going all out for what we rail a Farm Servire Shop program. The policy of providing service on equipment sold is. of course, not spectacular or un usual. We intend to go further, though, than to assemble, check and adjust items sold. We expect to be prepared to install equipment, or apply or erect goods that need such attention after delivery. Instead of simply selling our patrons paint, for instance, we will also put it on their build ings -and with the latest and most efïï cient equipment—the spray gun. Witli roofing for the barn or hen house will go complete installation. Fence will be so'cl as rertain lots fenced! Tools and Personnel Needed We are sure that we can save co-op patrons considerable time and expense by being properly equipped with tools and trained personnel to do these jobs, and that the work will have been more satis factorily dune. And there is a lung list of such services to be provided. To accomplish all of this, three things are essential, and we are at work on all three : 1. The local cooperative must ha\e proper service shop space—a special build ing for the purpose, or adequate space for ihe shop in other buildings. Many of our cooperatives are already arranging for such facilities or have them in operation. Upon request by the local, our regional planning department helps with the de signing of building layouts—for eithei new buildings, or old ones being remod eled (see "Planning from the Ground Up," by Carl R. Frye, CO-OP Magazine, Sept., 1945), and assist? with the purchasing of building materials and equipment 2. The service shnp must be properl) equipped. For this purpose we in the re gional office provide the locals with a sug gested list of necessary equipment for dif ferent kinds of servicing, and assist in the purchase of such items. 3. To provide the proper service for various kinds of equipment, the local co op must have trained personnel. This is probably the most important, and at this point we are making increasing emphasis. Training schools are the method, and the plan that has been used for some time on farm machinery will be used similarly on refrigeration, water systems, milking equip ment, and household appliances. Conducted by a staff of competent me chanics from the personnel of the Farm Bureau Cooperative Association, and spe cialized instructors, the Ohio farm ma chinery schuuls are held periodically and for very short sessions. Two days is the maximum, and only one or two topics or implements are covei ed in each "school " Class enrollments are held low so that the laboratory or workshop type of instruction can prevail. While a number of school sessions is thus required to cover the en tire line, close and thorough application is achieved and full considération is given to all vital points. These are: 1. Primarj consideration is given to the analysis of the farmer's needs. High- pressure selling is taboo. 2. All phases of setting up and operat ing of the new machinery are covered. T 3. Emphasis is placed un servicing equip ment before delivery. Many service calls could be avoided if equipment were prop- erlv assembled, checked and adjusted before it leaves the co-op and the pur chaser thoroughlv instructed on the proper care and operation of it. 4. Training includes instruction in the keeping of proper delivery records, care uf service shop equipment, stocking and classifying of repair parts Emergency Service, Too 5. The importance and methods of ser vicing equipment in the field or on the farm is stressed. Often it is of great im portance to get a machine into operation again at the earliest possible moment 6. Reconditioning, the old equipment is covered—for two reasons. The trade-in is an important problem for every dealer in implements. And, in many cases, the old but sound piece of equipment, recondi tioned, will serve the patron just as well as a new one- -and make him a better friend. The importance of this user-wel fare policy is not minimized in our courses. Such is the approach to equipment ser vicing in Ohio. Much is yet to be done; we hope to keep ahead of the supply of goods in our preparation to care for them. It is imperative. All phases of setting up and operating new farm machinery are covered in the continuing series of Farm Machinery Schools conducted by the (Ohio) Farm Bureau Cooperative As sociation for service men in its member local co-ops. Emphasis is made on proper servic ing of equipment before delivery and thorough analysis of real farmer needs. April, 1946 How Should Co-op Appliance Salesmen Be Paid? Summarized here are the various methods in general use by business organiza tions for compensating salesmen, with the advantages and disadvantages of each. By JAMES F. BLACKBURN Appliance Distribution Manager. National Cooperatives l\ the past the main method profit busi ness has used for paying appliance salesmen is that of straight commission, with or without a drawing account. The result was a large volume of sales, but with low average earnings for salesmen, a large turnover of sales help, and "high pressure salesmanship.'" The trend today is lu pay a salary plus a commission, which places a greater re sponsibility on the retail dealer in the number of salesmen he hires and the amount of aids and training he gives hi« salesmen. Selecting the best method of compensat ing salesmen is vitally important to the successful operation of any appliance dis tribution program. The problem does not lend itself to hard and fast rules to be followed b> all regardless of local circum stance«. The essential thing is that, in determining policies, sufficient informa tion shall be at hand to give adequate consideration to the various rboires avail able. Here, in summary form, are the various methods in use and a brief discussion of their relative advantages and disadvan tages. 1. Straight commission 2. Straight commission with drawing account 3. Straight salary 4. Salarv and commission 5. Combination of any of the above with a premium on individual appli ances 6. Combination of any of the above with a bonus (any one of a number of factors—net margin, sale0 over quota, etc.) Factors to Consider The following factors should be con sidered in fixing methods and amounts of compensation : 1. We want a certain maximum pei cent for selling expense—within cer tain limits 2. We want adequate compensation —considering each individual's ability and efforts. 3. We want to build a stable salec force. 4. We want to have a flexible sales force. 5. We want proper attention to each appliance. Some Common Rates Percentages commonly paid to retail salesmen on certain appliance^ lange as follows: 1. Commissions of from 5"c tu 25"c on vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, washers, ironers. 2. Commissions oi from 5% to 15% on household refrigerators, radios, oil burners, stoves (gas, electric). Because uf the better value in tu-up appliances and the membership of coop eratives, the per cenl of retail price paid to Co-op salesmen can be less than the average in the appliance industry. The total dollar earnings, however, can be more because less effort will be needed 1o obtain a sale under average conditions. Straight Commission 1 Straight commission meets our fac tor number I—givec us a certain pre determined percent. 2. The factor of adequate compensa lion may or may not be met. depending on the number of salesmen hired and the percentage paid, although each man will be compensated in accordance with his ability and efforts. 3. \s to a stable sales force, the straight commission method has not built it in the past. 4. Flexibility of sales force could be achieved, although generally straight com mission plans have been used to promote the specialized selling of a particular ap pliance 5. Proper attention to each appliance is unlikely; the salesman generally gives highest attention to a single appliance. SFMMAHY: Straight commission does not give salesmen adequate compensation because of the tendency of retailers to hire more salesmen than are justified, which results in an unstable sales force Straight Commission With Drawing Account 1 Brings us close to the percenlage we want and gives a more stable sales force by increasing security For sales men. Straight Salary L Ma} bring us way out of line on sales cost percentage. 2. Does not reward each man in ac cordance with his ability and effort, un less it is carefully adjusted and meticu lously administeied to fit specific needs. Appliance service managers from local Indiana co-ops are shown studying the mechanism of the new CO-OP refrigerator. This service training school, held at one of the Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative's warehouses, is being duplicated at numerous points by most of the regional cooperatives in the United States and Canada. Recognizing the importance of an adequate service program for the successful distribution of appliances, including both the "know how" and adequate service equipment, many co-ops are participating in the service training program in preparation for the great demand for CO-OP equipment. CO-OP Magazine Salary and Commission Salary and commission seems to be the best plan thus far to give us a balance for all our factors Salary and Commission And Premium This would seem even better, especially as to proper attention to each appliance. Salesmen's Earnings Appliance salesmen in the pasl have earned from «500 per year to $10.000 per year, but the average probably ha= been about $100 per month worked. We insert per month because the turnover in employment of salesmen has been enor mous. Sales volume of the average salesman has been between «0,000 and 115,000 per year, which has given him small earnings if his commission was 109" and n°t too gieat earnings if it was ]5%. There are some retail distributors of appliances who have a 5% or 6% selling cost but whose salesmen sell a $50,000 to $60,000 volume annually, and, thereby, earn much more than the average ap pliance salesmen. Cooperative appliance salesmen should sell much more volume than the aver age appliance salesman and earn con siderably more money and, at the same time, save the customer a considerable sum on a percentage basis. Suggested Method Salary Pius Commission Plus Premium seems best. 1. Figure a fi^c base, selling with sa lary and commission. 2 Pay a premium on those appliances which are the mosl difficult to sell or on which there is a high margin on a low priced item; for example, vacuum clean ers need to pay better than a 69e selling expense as more demonstration and time are usually spent in effecting a sale Amounts 1. $20.00 per week plus 4fc 2. $30.00 per week plus 3% 3. $40.00 per week plus 2% \\l of the above will give a b'~/( sell ing cost on $1,000.00 volume per week. 4. Plus premiums to be decided upon. The foregoing program will give a very flexible arrangemenl with maximum re sults from sales personnel If you want to take a chance on a man about whom you do not know too much, you can put him on 1820.00 per week plus lcc If you want to get a man you are sure of, you might wish to put him on $40.00 per week plus 2°1 Products, which are difficull to sell and are relative!) new items pay the most percentage with the combination of sa The Cover Picture The attractive eating place pictured on the cover is the cooperative cafeteria at 40 East 40th Street, New York City, one of 10 such in the eastern metropolis. Coop- erators vacationing or otherwise visiting in New York should include in their itineraries these thriving self-serve restaurants op erated by Consumers Cooperative Services. CCS now also operates three modern food stores in different sections of the city. lary, commission and premium, but as that product becomes easier to sell the premium is reduced. With this arrange ment, you automatically get reduced sell ing expense as products become easiei to sell, without changing your base com pensation structure. Compensation Methods The methods and amounts of compensa tion will vary From region to region and according tu the type of appliance setup. But in most cases some extra incentive in the way of a commission on sales should be paid. This might be as low as 1%, where an employee is paid primarily for other duties. Care must be taken not to create a situation where other functions or duties are neglected. Combinations What arc some of the combinations we might have where appliances are sold? 1. Separate Appliance Store, it least one man full time. Maximum selling expense ]0C6, including the appliance department manager if two or more people are employed. 2. Full Apphanc" Department. \t least one man full time Method of compensation same as ^Jo. 1. 3. Full Appliance Department. Two f i more men. Method of compensation Recommended Method of Compensation—Salary and Commission —Salary plus overwrite to department head of \°!c or 2% depending on salary. 4 Display of appliances within an other business, employees receiving their main compensation from other business. Appliance Compensation—1% or 2% or 3%, depending on condi tions *i Remember that the method of com pensation is important. It can well mean the difference between a good or pool job being done. On a commission basis, special training in cooperative principles, ownership and merchandising policies must be given in order to remove all pos sible clanger of "high pressure" methods. If straight salary is resorted to, a careful control must be established in order to assure initiative and keep selling costs in proper proportion. Co-ops do not have to have, and should not have, as high a selling expense as independent appliance dealers. Community Benefit The Glencoe Co-op Oil Co.. Glencoe. Minn., is showing proof that patronage refunds it issues to members are helping everyone in the community. As with many co-ops, refunds are paid with checks that are different in ap pearance from other checks. The co-op examined the endorsements un all re turned refund checks recently, and found 25 different types of business in Glencoe had cashed them : Groceries, meat markets, hardware, drug and clothing stores; machine shop, soft drink and beer parlors, restaurant, hospital, liquor store, competing oil sta tions ; Jewelry, dry goods, produce, auto sup ply and farm implement stores; insur ance company; lumber, coal, plumbing dealers; telephone, trucking, power firms; grain elevator, tile factory, county treas urer. Five Little Words There are five little words. I'd have you to know; They are: "Pardon me," "Thank you," and "Please. Oh, use them quite often wherever you go; There are few words more useful than these. These five little words are filled with a power Tbat money or fame cannot give. So commit them to memory this very hour And use them as long as you live! ! Salary Week $,!U III] $30 00 $•10 00 Com of 4 3 Sales $400 400 400 Earning^ $.16 DO 42 00 48 00 Cost "o so 10 ï 120 Sales ÎCTJO 600 coo Earnings $14 no 48 00 52 00 Cost °0 7 3 n Saies «1000 1000 1000 Earnings $60 00 60.00 BO 00 Cost % 6 0 6 0 CO In and Out Mama Skunk was worried hecaiise she could never keep track of her two chil dren. They were named In and Out, and whenever In was in, Uut was out, and if Out was in, In was out. One day she called Out to her and told him to go out and bring In in So Out went out and in no time at all he brought In in. "Wonderful!" said Mama Skunk. "How in all this great forest could you find In in so short a timer' "It was very easy," said Out. "Instinct." —Illinois Credit I'nion frpws. April, 1946 Liven up Dull Meetings WITH MOVIES By CAROLINE M EVER Films Department. The Cooperative League TV/f OT1ON picture» are excellent in planning successful membership meetings and other co-op get-togethers. They can be informative, inspirational, or just entertaining—in any event a picture, if it is a good picture, will help make otherwise dull meetings more palatable to the majority of people and generally the success of a meeting depends in good part on the attendance it gets. Films are being used increasing!) by schools, training agencies, big business, etc We cooperators could use more movies than we have; we could use those we have to greater advantage; and we could make use of films from other or ganizations to a greater extent lhan most co-ops have done. Avoid Bad Showings One great difficulty in any showing of films outside of professional theaters is the amateur presentation which the film often gets. This is one reason for the poor utilization of the movies which we do have and thr fact that people are not particularly interested in obtaining other films for use. Too often local coopera tives have inexperienced operators who do not know how to show the film proper!). Too often the operator ha» not run the film over before showing it to get proper focus, to check running time, etc. People are accustomed to professionally shown movies, and an inept presentation isn't going to make them enjoy a picture, re gardless of how good the Him itself is. So, the first thing to check on when you plan your next film showing is the actual mechanical details. Be sure you have a sound projector for a sound film. Check the current to see whether or not you will need a conveitor. Run the film over before showing it. Try to gel a long, nanow room for your showing. and be sure to place chair« so that no one will casl a shadow on the screen and all seats will have a good view of the screen. Publicize the meeting and the film well in advance, and »tart on time. After you have checked on mechanical details, plan how you are going to inte grate your film with the rest of your program. Perhaps you are having a busi ness meeting and want to spice the pro gram with a film showing. Instead of simply throwing the film on the screen as soon as the last business report is fin ished, it is wise to have someone who is familiar with the film introduce it briefly, telling what it is about, and if possible tying it in with some aspect of the local situation, or ai least pointing out features which will be of particular interest to the group. A group of coop erators, for instance, would find differ ent points of interest in L P FROM THE EARTH than would a group of chemistry students looking at it from a technical viewpoint, [f you want the film to leave anything with the group, it i« always wise to plan for a discussion period after the showing. The chairman should attempt to anticipate questions which may be asked COMBINE PUBLICITY WITH PLAY The Knox County Farm Bureau Co-op. Vincennes, In diana, has combined publicity and public relations with its recreation program. The Co-op baseball team, pictured here, "talks CO-OP" when it goes out for some good fun, whether or not the players have any time actually for discussion. Bet it's hard to keep the subject out of conversation with those uniforms. and to provide himself with material which will help to answer these questions. There are a number of good co-op films which can be used to advantage in many lypes of co-op meetings. LI P FROM THE EARTH is our newest film and one which a number of cooperators have not yet seen. It is an impressive picture to show at an annual meeting, for example, and will really give the members a feeling of be longing to a movement that is really go ing places fast, for no co-op storv is more impressive than that of our rapid ex pansion into the field of oil production and distribution, and this film portrays it dramatically. L6 mm sound and color with a running time of 55 minutes. For New Members HERE IS TOMORROW', perennially one of our most popular films is a good picture to use for new member meel- ings, for it will give your new people a broad picture of the scope of the coop erative movement in the United States and the multiplicity of the activities which co-ops carry on. We have posters, flyers, and discussion guides available for HERE IS TOMORROW, and we ad vise all groups showing the film to re quest enough copies of the posters and flyers to advertise the showing well in advance and sufficient discussion guides to pass out to each member of the au dience. The pamphlet, HERE IS TO MORROW (lOc) should also be provided. V sound film which runs 35 minutes. CONSUMERS SERl E THEMSELl ES is a good Him to accompany your showing of HERE IS TOMORROW. It is short U 5 minutes) and gives an excellent pic ture of one of the many phases of co-op business covered briefly in HERE IS TO MORROW. In CONSl MERS SERVE THEMSELVES you see the consumers running their own co-op food stores and watch how the quality of the goods sold in those stores is protected through the consumer-owned w holesale's testing kitchen. This picture is available in color, either sound or silent. LET'S COOPERATE is a silent film which can be used to good advantage in your junior co-op meetings, for new groups, or for new members. It tells the story of the students of the Pine Mountain School m Kentucky and ihe cooperative which they started theie. More than a number of our other Hlms, it stresse« the basic idea of the cooperative movement, the Rochdale principles, etc. This film is also in color and has a running time of 35 minutes. About Sources For information about these or other co-op films, write to your nearest regional or to the Cooperative League, 167 West 12th Street, New York 11. Theie are a number of good sources for other films to show al co-op meet ings. The following listing will give you a briet idea of some of the sources which might be of particular interest. Farm Credit Administration in your district is an excellent source for good, (Continued un page 15) CO-OP Magazine ApplianceSjMagazineSjMusic are part of expanded food store plan for Chicago co-op —see layout drauiiig on next page— By WILLIAM V. TORMA Equipment & Design Department, National Cooperatives P OR several years the Ida B. Wells Cooperative, serving the residents of an 1,800-famil) housing project on Chi cago's south side, has operated in a very crowded basemenl store on the project site, averaged $1,500 a week, and shown a stead} 3% to ¥?c net income Recently a brick garage building, 100 ft. x 173 ft., across the street from the project's administrative building and so cial center, burned. Adjacent to the prop erty is a National Tea supermarket, and one block away are Kroger, \&P, and Jewel supermarkets The membership recognized the oppor tunity, decided to purchase tbe garage building, which has as potential patrons in addition to the project residents two to three thousand families residing within the four blocks outside the project. Something INew 4dded The designing services of Central States Cooperatives were called for. and studies were conducted both with member« and directors of the cooperative and with out side authorities. Finally, it was decided to expand the types of service as well as space and patronage. The store repre sented by the drawing on the next two page» is the result. In the new store there will be space for periodicals, books, phonograph records, drugs, cosmetits, candy, self-service dairy, meats, and frozen foods. There will be a restaurant, bakery, and an education of fice. Later on the second floor will be offices for doctors, a dentist, an attorney and other professional services. Toward the back of the store there will be a model kitchen and a home appliance department. To the rear will be a serv ice department, and nearb), because of their direct relation, will be the appliance closing room (for consultation on comple tion of purchase transactions), the cred it union office and the management of fice. There are four reasons for this ar rangement- 1. The appliance display, though ideal in appearance for the front of the store, would conflict with the checkout traffic flow and lane« of the food store service, and appliance selling would be difficult. 2. Receiving and shipping of heavy ap pliance item« would interfere with store traffic if the appliances were in the front. 3. The closing room and credit union office must be near the appliance display. 4. Appliance selling requires more quiet, leisure!) atmosphere than foods; this arrangement accomplishes this while at the same time drawing from the vol ume traffic of the food store, the model kitchen, and the displays at the end of the produce department. It should be pointed out that such an arrangement is not impossible in smaller spaces. 30 ft. x 85 ft. or 50 ft. x 100 ft. could include a similar appliance depart ment; arrangement of all departments, of course, would have to be scaled down. Re gional design departments will advise with local groups on plans for this or other types of stores. No! No! There's a ready market for the new s**, COOP pressure saucepan . . . four-quart size . casserole type with short dressy handles . a handsome serving dish for on-table use . extra heavy cast aluminum . easy to clean and polish positive steam pressure seal . . . gravity-operated pressure release opens at 16 Ihs. pressure . . . equipped with cooking rack for most efficient use . . no parts to get out of order The CO-OP Pressure Saucepan brings canning-time efficiency to daily meal cuoking. It utilizes the same quick-cooking prin ciples of larger size pressure cookers, and makes possible the preparation of tastier more nutritious meals in far less time than open-pan methods permit. Demand for saucepan-size pressure cookers has increased rapidlj as housewives have become acquainted with their utility and efficiency. The CO-OP Pressure Saucepan, incorporating features carefully developed for maximum convenience and user satisfaction, is your appliance committee's selection for best meeting this demand. Stock CO-OP Pressure Saucepans . . . and watch sales bring sales. Place your order with your region- al without delay. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, me. April, 1946 -*-N Ih l ri' -a" J 1 !! r"" M t A r H— 1 L 1 U CO 0 U.LR \M£ n rn D DE "T h r o r, |u,M3 V64L Erc| ^ — ^ /î ^ J /ÎE: A~T O E i — i U AHO PT 1 ' fe ' - O " j COlO CUTS 1 C 0 1. D M CO,D cor, | er /t -r - Ue _ . e \ \ r. n l R A v / K ^ \ \ D L n •> i <*. ï i v o-J "J ll a " 1 / L. t \ -" \ ' rv 1 A O 1 ^ 3 /D «t> 5 E NT ft "IHC.E- r>T^ r r r- "> Uj Q. 10 STORE AND FIXTURE LAYOUT - IDA B WELLS CONSUMER CO-OP P E R. 5 H l A/ C. R. D -CHICAGO, I LL BY IV V TOR/VIA - EQUIPMENT f^ DE SIGN DEPT-NATIONAL COOPERATIVES CO-OP Magazine April, 1946 (See comment on page 9) II News About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities Appliances Production News Here we go again with some plain and fancy guessing as lo when you might ex pert certain appliances. Although the steel strike is over, it will be 60 to 90 days before the steel materials get to line fabricating factoues. Tins mean«, in most cases, »low production between now and June. Following is information on specific appliances: Vacuum Cleaners a—c;hipmentf of the upright cleaner are still going forward slowly b -Cylinder type rleaners were shipped in March Washing Machines a—Small quantity of the Model 17 were shipped in March b New model CO-OP washer now ex pected the end of Vpril; two months later than previously announced Domestic Water Heaters Slow delivery Refrigerators a—First carload shipments in March b—Second schedule in April and third schedule in May fwte« Radios a— First shipments of 5-tiibc table mod els lasi of March b- Consoles and combinations in June or July Home Freezers Franklin shipments being made on the 8 and lo-ft sizes Food Mixers Schedule disrupted \o shipments until July Pressure Cookers a Shipments being made on 16-qiiart cooker at rate of 4,000 per month b Shipments on 4-quart pressure sauce pan started in March Gas and Electric Ranges a Shipments in March and April under A-B brand name b CO OP brand about July Electric Roasters New CO-OP design made but no pro duction expected before July Small Appliances No definite information Farm Supplies Water Bags They are in production under the CO OP label. They are in demand by your This new complete-line milker folder shows a variety of types of machines and of equipment to be found in no other brand. CO-OP farmer-patrons will find the interestingly-written, and well-illustrated two-color folder absorbing and informative. member-patrons They are available from your regional. Order= placed immediately will be filled in time for the seasonal sum mer demand. Milk Filters Milk filter discs are essential for sani tary milking procedures And CO-OP Milk Filler Discs are your guarantee to y nur dairyman-patrons of thoiough, effi cient, and rapid milk straining for milk of Crade A quality. Help them meet the increasingly rigid sanitation requirements with CO-OP Milk Filter Discs. Groceries Spring Display Nov\ is the time to display your clean ers and waxes and similar products. The household cleaners, waxes, and polishes under the CO-OP label are proved Con sumer and dealer values. They merit spe cial attention during the spring cleaning months of April and Miy -and they will pay for that attention. Tobacco Package \ more convenient and more durable package has been developed for CO-OP smoking tobaccos. The new pocket-sized ' ll-oz.) package is made of sturdy card board with a hand} opening flap. Replac ing the wartime all-paper package- this new container is being used for packaging both the Honey Mild and the \romatic blends. The new package is easier to display, 100. either in mak'ng use of the display carton or in an anging your cigarette and tubacco section. Lse display? and ssy a good word now and then tn encourage vour pipe-smoking pîtrons to give their own CO OP brand a trial. That Flour Order The provisions of WFO 144 as it affects the flour industrj 'there are other provi tions applying to mixed feed maiufac- turTs) are briefly as follows: L. Prohibits millers from producing any flour on or after March 1 consist ing of less than 80% by weight of the cleaned wheat fium which the flour is produced. 2. 'No distributor shall, except for ex port, accept delivery of flour in any quantity which will cause his inventory to exceed a 30-day supply based upon his average monthly receipts of flour in the six preceding calendar months. 12 CO-OP Magazine News About Commodities 3. Each person subject to the order must provide his supplier with a cer tificate on or before delivery of the wheat showing the quantity to be re ceived and certifying that the receipt of ihe flour will not increase his inventory beyund the quantity permitted by the order. The nurmal rate of extraction of fluiir from wbeat is from 65 to 1ï°'c During the war years British flour has called for 85% extraction. This new 80% extraction automatically eliminates ihe production of farina and cake flour, since these two are both products of shori extraction. Semo lina and Farjna production might be fitted into the program if some magician can devise an acceptable long extraction proc ess for these products. Flours produced in conformance with the order will be bleached and enriched. Previous levels of enrichment will be maintained in conformance with WFO 2. Less vitamin additives will have to be in corporated into the flour since the highei extraction will leave a larger portion of natural vitamins, etc., of the wheat keinel in the flour. The ne\\ flour will be identified by a statement on the package or bag to the effect that the product has been milled in accordance with the government order. Also, any manufactured products, such as macaroni and spaghetti, shall be similarly identified. Millers of advertised brands will discontinue their brands for the dura tion of the order, and substitute other brands and labels. The industry as a whole is not following anv uniform practice with regard to continuance of pre-order brands. CO-OP Q ^ ^^ p =Xi-V~^_ ^^™^^ iir^r —-—'.£•* "** Plf. First of the grocery promotion series from the national office was the CO-OP Canned Corn program. Including a mass display poster, window streamer, instruction sheet for setting up the mass display, and an ad for local and regional newspaper use, this first kit proved successful and well worth while acording to reports from regionals and local stores using it. sets, punched and fitted for all ordinary- makes of automobiles, are available from your regional cooperative. Supplying CO OP Brake Lining sets to your member- patrons will aid in the safe driving cam- Brdke Linings paign, as well as adding to their cars' With the nationwide interest in and Performance and safety, promotion of traffic safety, drivers are in creasingly conscious of the necessity of dependable brakes. CO-OP Brake Lining Battery Cables National Cooperatives' Automotive De partment is negotiating agreements and de veloping specifications for a line of CO OP battery cables. Watch this column for further information. CO-OP Mufflers Another automotive item on the way is the CO OP Muffler. There will be fur ther information on the progress in this line in future issues. Bicycle Tires Most recent addition to the CO-OP building materials line, the CO-OP re-roofing shingle is in full production. You can order it and promote it as a top quality product. An automotive service nov in develop ment which should prove very worthwhile to local stores and service stations is the CO-OP bicycle tire program. Bicycle tires are constantly in demand—are a good item to handle. Think ahead on this pro gram and be prepared to submit your order as »oon as the tires are available. Building Supplies Building Supplies You can obtain building materials from your regional in quantities reasonably suf ficient for your needs, by planning in ad vante. The building material situation is «till tight, but is looking better. If you plan ahead and get your orders in early, your chances of getting delivery on sched ule are good. April, 1946 13 Design Service Stations Cooperatives operating service stations will want to secure from their regional an 8 x 10" photograph of the recom mended CO-OP Service Station design, to gether with basic blueprints showing small, medium and large stations. These emphasize large merchandise display space for automotive accessories and electrical appliances. Detailed working drawings and speci fications of the plan selected bv your co op may be secured for you b> your re gional through National Cooperatives T. F. Ellerbf and Company, architects, are collaborating with National in providing this service at a nominal fee In writing to your regional, specify the size of lot, and on which corner of the highway or street intersection the station is located, designate which are the main and auxi liary traffic arteries ancl indicate what retail units, such as faim implements, locker plant, food store, feed mill, are contemplated as later additions. Watch for announcements in forthcoming issues, of uniform structural materials display equipment and signs for service stations now in the planning, design, and engi neering »tage of development. Cooperatives pondering the next move in expansion, will find very helpful the aihcle entitled ''Planning from the Gruiind Up" (Co-op Magazine, Septem ber, 19451 by Carl Frye, Planning and THE CO-OP electric water-heater STANDS OUT for efficient and trouble-free performance The CO-OP Electric Water Heater is designed for long and efficient performance with a minimum of maintenance service. The extra large heat ing units, because of their' greater radiating surface (each unit has over 100 square inches of surface in contact with the water), operate at a lower temperature than do the smaller units of most water heaters. These larger elements do not burn out nearly so often, and on those rare occasions when they do need repairing, they can be removed easily from their shell without drawing the water from the tank. These factors alone materially reduce maintenance costs. In addition, the cold-water-intake-bafHe casting at the bottom of the tank removes to allow easy and thorough cleaning of calaum deposits from the tank. This is an especially important feature in hard water areas These features, plus the high quality materials and construction built into the CO-OP heater at our own factory make it a long-lasting and practically trouble-free appliance—a fact of value to the local co-op service department, as well as to the consumer. As an appliance which provides hut, clean water, always on tap, and which brings savings in time, energy, and money to consumer-users, the CO-OP Electric Water Heater is an ideal item to start off your appliance program. It will build goodwill and acceptance for your entire appliance line. Many of your member-patrons want, need, and plan to buy an electric water heater. For efficient, economical, and dependable service, stock and sell CO-OP Electric Water Heaters and give them the assurance and satisfaction of CO-OP products CO-OP-made. ORDER FROM YOUR REGIONAL, NOW NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. Development Division of Ohio Farm Bu reau Cooperatives A set of 15 photostated prints can be secured on loan from youi regional cooperative showing various Ohio service units developed in accordance with the principles outlined in Mr Frye's ar ticle. Store Blueprints Co-ops planning new or expanded sell- service °tore« may »ecure from their re gional, un loan, a set of 20 blueprints showing interioi layout« of various sizes and types of self-service food stores de veloped by the Equipment and Design Departmenl of National as an additional service tu the layouts provided by the regional. Many of the plans inrlude self- service frozen food, fresh and cold meat, produce departments. Write to your re gional or ask you co-op fieldman for a loan copy. Trends in Design Also available on loan from your region al headquarters or fieldman is an interest ing looseleaf binder with fifteen 8 x If) phutugraphs of the uniform exterior de signs for service stations, food stores, lock er plants, and farm supply units. In cluded in the binder are several illus tration" of trucks, trailers and gasoline transports, showing proportion of trim to body rolor, location of CO-OP identifica tion and auxiliary lettering. All illustra tions emphasize the Ivory and Fürest Green uniform Co-op color scheme. These illustrations are also available from your regional in a series of kodachrome slides. National Cash Registers Purchasing of cash registers for all its regional and local cooperative outlets has been arranged by National Cooperatives from the National Cash Register Company. All requisitions for cash registers, whether ^ CO-OP A good package for a good tobacco. . . . A stronger more lasting construction and material make this package greatly super ior to the all-paper wartime job. 14 CO-OP Magazine ;.* ï • MODERN MERCHANDISING BRINGS RECORD BUSINESS. This interior view of the Greenwich Village supermarket of Consumers Co operative Services. New York City, shows the modern, attractive, convenient store arrangement that makes patrons enjoy shopping at the Co-op. Only a bit over two years old. this store wound up 12 months of business on March 30. 1946, totaling $339,000—a $45,000 increase over the previous year period. CCS will open a new com plete market in Riverdale section of New York City late this spring, reports Food Store Department Manager Ellis Cowling. it be for service stations, food stores, gen eral merchandise stores, farm supply warehouse0 or other types of retail out lets, should be made through your region al to National Cooperaiives. Each region al equipment department has information on the type of register most suited to your needs. Deliveries are still indefinite, bul all cooperatives contemplating expan sion or in need of new registers are urged to place their orders now. It now ap pears that our supplier may be able tu deliver a considerable portion <>f back orders on model 6053 registers in May 01 June. Orders for these and other mod els of National cash registers designed to meet your co-op's specific needs can be placed with your c<~>-op fieldman. Burroughs Office Machines ^ plan similar to that on cash registers is available for local or regional require ments of adding, calculatini, bookkeeping, and many other office machines being pin chased from the Burroughs Adding Machine Company by National Coopera tives. Here again the supplier's back log of unfilled orders is so large that cooperatives will do well to send in their requisition to the regional office now for later delivery. Orders for specific needs should be placed with co-op fieldmen, who have data on best models for co-op needs Movies for Meetings (Continued from page 8) rent-free sound films. You can find out the headquarter? serving your par! of the country by writing to the office in Wash ington. Among the films available from the Administration are the following 16 mm reels: FINANCING FOOD FOR FREEDOM ( Running lime 9 minute?) A fast-mov ing motion picture narrated by Lowell Thomas, which surveys the needs of ihe Food-for-Freedom program and outlines the part production credit associations are taking in it. THE LAND TO HAVE AND TO HOLD (Running lime 15 minutes) Shows how long-term farm mortgage cred it is able to assist young farmers to be come farm owners and old farmers to pay off their debts systematically. FRUITS, l EGETABLES AND COOP ERATION (Running time 25 minutes) Shows how i imperative associations le- ceive, process, pack and market fruits and vegetables. It also points oui the jobs which can be tackled with a good chance for success by a small group of farmers ]usl starting a cooperative. DEmDRITIOM (Running time 20 minutes) — Shows modem dehydration plants in operation preparing foods for war-lime use. 41so suggests new possi bilities to the housewife in the prépara lion of food for the family. Brandon Films, 16UU Broadway, is an other source of good films on a low rental basis. Some of the newest puhlic affaiis films which Brandon is featuring at present include: LESSON'S IN LIUN'G (Running time 22 minutes- Rental, .«2.50) This film =bows how a school project in British Co lumbia revitalised a community by giv ing the children a part in community life WHEN ASI4 SPEAKS 'Running time 19 minutes — Rental, «2,50) War hat opened up vast potentialities in Asia, po tentialities which, with professional and scientific assistance from the West will in peace develop to an unforeseen extent. Southeast Asia holds those ra» materials which are keys to world power The film shows these potentialities and points out how they can best be developed. Other sources which have catalogues of 16 mm films available for distribution on a loan or rental basis include: Castle Films. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City; Ideal Pictures Corporation, 26-34 E 8th St.. Chicago 5; Post Pictures Corp., 723 Seventh 'Vve., New York 19; Y MCA Mo tion Picture Bureau, 347 Madison 'We., l\ew York 17 Nu-Art Films, Inc., 145 W. 15th St. April, 1946 15 By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL Publicity Director, The Cooperative League WHAT'S NEWS With the Co-ops A brief who, what, when and where of significant co-op happenings for the information of cooperative workers, and others interested. Because of space limitations, chronological order will not be strictly followed and important items necessarily omitted from one issue wiu be published later. Federal Council of Churches reaffirmed its approval of the cooperative movement at the largest conference in its history in Columbus March 5 and 6. Adopted unanimously by full session of the council, resolution is as follows: "We are convinced that all Chris tians recognize the higher ethical value inherent in the cooperative as over again«! the competitive motive, and that as cooperation is emphasized and com petition subordinated we approach moie nearly to the teachings of Jesus. We therefore encourage the extension of cooperative techniques and other simi lar means of bringing about economic justire and brotherhood." Truman Supports Power Co-ops President Harry S Truman pledged full support to rural electric cooperative« in a message to National Rural Electric Cooperative Association conference in Buffalo, March 4. "The part which cooperatives and power districts have played m the progress of rural electrification in America during the past decade warrants a feeling of real pride," said Mr. Truman. "Your record of accomplishments has confounded your critics and exceeded the most optimistic predictions made in your behalf in the early days before you proved yourselves. "Millions of rural families in this big, resourceful country still do nol have elec tricity. Lntil they get it, you will not have discharged your full responsibility. So long as you keep working on the task at which you are now engaged, you will have the full and active support of this nation. The Administration will provide every possible aid.' Regional« Report Progress ASSOCIATED CooptKAin ES> of California reported patronage refunds totaling $20,- 872.00 on ils wholesale volume of $272,- 861.00 in the past fiscal year. A drive is underway to raise $105,000 to finance a new warehouse and larger inventories. AC is aiming at a sales goal of $625,000 for the current fiscal year. FARMERS LNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE (St. Paul) reported a record breaking year in 1945 with sales topping the 14 million dollar mark. Combined net sav ings for the year were $1,640,000. Murray D. Lincoln speaking ai the Exchange's annual meeting urged the rapid develop ment of cooperatives to "provide a more equitable distribution of good« and serv ices without destroying democracy." FARM BURE« COOPERATIVE ASSOCIA TION l Ohio l at its annual meeting in Co lumbus received reports of a 25 million dollar volume in 1945 compared with 22 million for the previous year. Total as sets increased more than ten times since 19S8, jumping from $710.000 to $7.500,- 000. FlVE COOPERATIVE INSURANCE COMPANIES serving Minnesota and Wisconsin area under joint operations boosted total assets over 2 million dollar mark as of December 31, 1945. The five cooperatives served more than 70,000 policyholders and reported combined premium income of $1,504,323, a gain of 51% during the year. Five companies are Cooperative In surance Mutual and Looperators Life Mu tual. Milwaukee; American Farmers Mu tual and Cooperators Life Association, St. Paul; and Central Mutual Fire, Superior. MAMTOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE re ported a banner year in 1945 with new sales high of $2,621,000. Eighteen new local cooperatives joined Wholesale in 1945 to boost total to 105 cooperatives with combined membership of 27,000 families. FARM BUREAI COOPERATIVE INSURANCE. COMPANIES with headquarters in Colum bus, Ohio, served nearly i of a million policyholders in 1945. Farm Bureau Mu tual Automobile Insurance Company re ported. 174,326 policies in force at end of year. Farm Bureau Mutual Fire Insur ance Company reported an increase in coverage of 25%. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company boosted its insurance in force by 24% to total of «130.0.^6.000. International Front Biggest news of the month was action taken by FMITED DATIONS» organization meeting in London, inviting the Interna lional Cooperative Mliance to become a permanent consultant to the Economic and Social Council of t NO. Only other or ganizations granted such status are the World Federation of Trade Unions and the American Federation of Labor. * * * Even before final action could be taken on organization of an international coop erative petroleum organization, Consumers Cooperative Association started shipments of oil to cooperatives of three countries. Large shipments were to the coopera tives in SOUTH AFRICA, supplementing previous orders to Sweden and France. * * Cooperatives in Norway were once more hitting their stride after severe privation during INazi occupation. 112 new coop eratives with 10,800 new members were admitted to Norwegian Cooperative League during the year. Ai close of 1945 there were 222.000 members of cooperatives in Norway. Rationing and .shortages of food cut total cooperative wholesale busi ness down to 50 million crowns as com pared to 62 million in last pre-war year. * * * Monsignor L. G. Ligutli reported after a two months tour of cooperatives in Italy for Freedom Fund that "a strong cooperative movemenl can act as a bul wark against the revival of Fascism in Italy." During Ligutti's visit there, three lead ing cooperative groups, the League of Co operatives, the Confederation of Coopera tives and the Liberal Lnion, formed joint wholesale in Milan which will serve as sole agent for foreign trade with other cooperatives. Central Committee for cul tural relations was alsu organized to pro tect cooperatives in Italy and to handle cultural relations with cooperatives in other countries. Monsignor Ligutti urged that L. S. cooperatives provide litera ture, films and traveling scholarships to help rebuild cooperatives and coopera tive unity in Italy. * •» •» Presidenl of the Republic of COLOMBIA and three cabinet minister« issued a de cree endorsing the Inter-American School of Cooperatives and supporting future steps to implement the cooperative law of 1931 under which the National Su- perintendenl of Cooperatives w*as ap pointed to promote teaching and develop ment of cooperatives in Colombia. Signing the decree were President of Republic of Colombia Alberto Lleryas Camargo, Minister of Foreign Relations Fernando Londono Y Londono, Minister of Finance Francisco De Paula Perez and Minister of Labor Adan Arriaga Andrade. *» * * Other members of Executive Commit tee of International Cooperative Uliance not listed lasl issue are: Willy Serwy (Belgium), F. Neilsen (Denmark), T. H. Gill I England I, Marcel Brol (France), J. Charbo (Holland), Neil S. Beaton (Scotland), and J. Huber (Switzerland). Monsigrior L. G. Ligutti, executive secretary of National Catholic Rural Life Conference and zealous worker for cooperatives, flew +o Italy recently to help with reconstruc tion, brought back encouraging reports of widespread co-op activity there. 16 CO-OP Magazine Current Books and Pamphlets Of all the things which man can do or make hern below, by far the most momentous, wonderful, and worthy are the things we call Books' — THOMAS CARMTUE. JVORTH STAR COUNTRY By Mendel L( Svienr. Duell Sloa,n and Pcarce $3 A living chronicle of the country of our middle-north . . . Minnesota, Wisconsin, and upper Michigan. Not an unimagina tive histor) of dull events and duller dates but a sensitive stor) of people taming the middle border Explorers, traders, mis sionaries, and later, plowmen, lumberjacks, stone-masons . Scandinavians, French Czechs, and many more . . . 'followed the North Star" to the land of lakes and great forests. They groped for democracy, and oui of their struggle came «me of the mosl progressive communities in the nation, and its outstanding cooperative region. The voice of the north countrymen is heard in North Star Country in excerpts from their diaries, letters, newspapers, songs, jokes, folklore, conversations ... all skill fully interwoven in the artistic prose ol Meridel Le Sueur thai reads like the poe try of Whitman, Sandburg or Benet.—R.G. MSKT TURN CANADA. M. J. Coldwell. CCF. 200 pages $1 BO Nol all that is "left" is "bad": This is a minimum conclusion for any reader of this volume. The author is the leader of Can ada's "left-wing" political party, the CCF —Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. His book is a report of economic, political and social progress in the province of Sas katchewan, where the CCF is in "the sad dle'', and a picture of things that might come in a CCF Canada. CCF leaders have done some thinking about the relations of government to the economic life of their nation. They em phasize cooperation and public ownership of industry and business as a means to ihe end of greater security and more de mocracy for Canada. Coldwell shares with Laski, head of the British Labor Party, the conviction that government cannot be divorced from the economic life of a nation, that political democracy is dependenl upon social secu rity and economic democracy. To the United States, the Saskatchewan experi ment is as significant as that of current England. This book is an invaluable con tribution to our understanding of a nation turning to the left, and an injunction to dispel the fears of such a step—fears en gendered by lack of information —G. G Books in Brief THE PROCESS OF PERSUASION. Clyde R Miller Crown Publishers 41 fl Fourth Ave , New York 16, N Y 234: pases $2 To he reviewed TEACHING COOPERYTION IN THE SCHOOLS. Brief Presented to special Pduna- tional committees of the Canadian provincial government by representatives of Cooperative organizations in Manitoba, with an appendix containing some representative opinions on \alne, pla Reprints at 10 eent> each from the Carnefrie Endowment 405 Wcst 117th St , New York *37, N Y or the Geological Society, 419 Wpsi 117th M, New York 27, N Y FREEDOM FROM WANT; THE INTERNA TIONAL ASPECT. By Edward Charles The Royal Institute of International A flairs 542 Fifth Ave New York 19 N Y , 25t A discussion of the economic side of the At lantic Charter \\H\ DO \\E >EED NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE? By Eriiesi P Bua,b M D , chair man The Physicians Forum Reprinted from Ethical Frontiers" by permission The New Yurk Society for Ethical Culture NOW IS THE TIME TO TKE\ ENT \ THIRD WORLD A\AK. By Kirby Faze $1 111 the paper-bound edition, complete and unabridged *f>2 50 in the regular cloth-bound volume Published by Kirby Page, La Habra Calif Factual presentation from a religious stand- DoJiii of the f-aiisps behind war and the steps, for Iheir prevention EDITORIALLY ..... Okay- Mit,. Calkins and Jim Proebsting have both insisted on shorter editorials. All right, we'll try. S'pose you know it's a lot tougher to put a multi-point theorem or analysis into one paragraph than into six. We'll try, though. With this sentence, we've finished effort number one! What's Wrong Department We've heard more than one so-called reason advanced for nominating only as many persons for co-op board membership as there are places to be filled, but here's a new one to us: If you nominate more than are to be elected, those who are not elected will be hurt! We think of a lot of questions in re sponse to that, and as we meditate on the big job rooperatives have to du. the answers tend to become cynical. In many co-ops as well as many other organizations, members are loath to participate simph because they are sel dom given the burden of making choices. If they go to a meeting, their only responsibility is= tu sa) "Aye!" Why nut put this question on your discussion group agenda sometime: "What reasons are there for more nominations than positions to be filled? What reasons against? What kind of nominations? Why? What kind of electi ons ? Why ? ' Let us have reports of some of the discussions, please. In the Periodicals Movie Propaganda CO-OPS .SWKI.I, INTO BIG BISIMSSS——And Vested Interests Rub Their Eyes Christian Science Monitor, March 5 Full 8-corumn pa?e plus several lar^e cuts FAKM CO-OPS, OPA FOKTING I^J)E- PBN'DENTS OT'T OF BUSINKSS. National Petroleum News, March 20 1946 This and two other article3 in same issue exhibil the prejudiced and apprehensive tiews of bip: oil men aboul erowine: co-ops and the misgnided bootlicking of journalists who ought tu know better THE "COOPERA'mE MOMSMKVT" ANT) I'ME "COOPERATIVE METHOD." By Wroe Alderson Proeressiie Grocer, March, 1946 Alderson is consulting1 economist for the Na tional Association ul Retail Grocers He par ries and thrusts his economics lor NARG satisfaction "Whom So Proudly We Hail 7/ Psychologists will puzzle over what it is that makes retiring clerks, unas suming mechanics, peace-loving farm ers, care-free soda jerks and "hope less" rich men's sons become heroes in the heat of battle. Industry, too. must seek the reasons. For these qualities of courage and quick think ing, of initiative, ingenuity, adaptabil ity and leadership, were not brought forth out of nothing in the birth of war. The seed must have been there, dormant. Is it possible lhat we have been blind to potential greatness, in the men who worked at the bench or desk next tu us, unaware of its existence or of how to bring it out? —Robert J. Marshall, in Cities "Service," July, 1945 An interesting project in adventuresome research and consumer education for local co-op groups would be for members to bring in reports on propa ganda found insidiously tucked away in the movies they see from time to time. Many documentary shorts, comedies and newsreels are now loaded with indirect preachments for this and that and the other. Much uf it is not in the real interest of the general welfare, and though it would be out of order in most cases for the cooperative ab an organization to take a stand on such issues, they rould well be discussed by co-op groups in the light of their principles and objectives, and the individuals, taking stands as such, would have equal or better effect. Publicity and Activities Needed As cooperatives "grow up" by building a staff to take care of most or all of the operation duties, there is less of such work to be done on a volunteer basis by layman members—work that was a rallying point and thus a morale builder. Furthermore, this, together with the increased numbers of mem bers, reduces the effectiveness of the "grapevine" method of publicity. News about what's guing on and what's planned doesn't get around unless it is systematically disseminated. Hence, to avoid the accumulation of a variety of disgruntled, uninter ested and disloyal members, the big, efficient, prosperous cooperative, as much as the struggling little one, needs more and more publicity, and more and more membership activities. The greater amount of publicity is needed about the greater services to keep members from being suspicious and rritical. or indifferent and inactive. The greater amount of activities (and these ma} be recreation, meetings, social affairs, sports, special interest groups) tu re capture the fellowship and intimate acquaintance factors that served to unif) the smaller membership through volunteer operation of the business, and thus build and maintain a militant large membership through community of interest and understanding. Moreover, these association functions can be in themselves unique publicity mediums through announcements, exhibits, etc. Two of the greatest needs of many local cooperatives todaj, aside from modern efficient operation, are publicity and membership activities. You can make a co-op without them, but you can't make it much. 18 CO-OP Magazine C/iat With Subscribe rs tf EKE'? one happy outlook in these days uf high living costs and infla lionary threats and trends . . . CO-OP Magazine has been able to lower its price! A one year subscription now costs you $2, and three years are onl) *5! Our introductory trial offer (not good for renewal ) is now 7 months for $1. Grow ing circulation permits production eco nomies which we are glad to pass on as savings to you. This reduction in rates comes at an opportune time for those whose subscrip tions are running out soon . . or this month. We are reminding and urging you lo tend to this small but important mat ter of renewing your subscription righl no» while it's on your mind, so that you won't be without CO-OP Magazine when you'll expect it How can you tell whether the calamity of CO-OP no longer coming to you monthly will befall you or not? Well, if you'll look at your magazine wrappei, it'll appear something like this: John A. Smith 1234 W. 5th Street Sioiix. Minnesota 4604 That little number in the last line is your clue to whether your subscription will end soon. The "46" refeis to the year, and the last two digits to the month. Here's the possible sad story, depend ing upon what your code number is; 4603 \our subscription ended last month, but we've sent you another copy because we thought you just overlooked re- subscribing, and yon won't want to miss an issue . . especially, the Fact Book Pages. It's an inspiration to the CO-OP staff to receive those fine letters many of you have been writing in appreciation of the idea of informative facts aboul coop eratives printed on replaceable pages for [jcjcket-siœ notebooks. Thanks. 4604 This month is your last issue of CO-OP. But you have time tu re-subscribe and gel your May cop) on time . if you do it NOW! 4605, 4606. 4607, etc., etc.. It's not too earl) for you to think about renewal. Magazine subscriptions have a wa) of be ing put off again and again by busy peo ple until they are forgotten and it is too late. The best thing, is to renew while you are thinking about it . and that is this verv minute. We're hard at work contacting «riters in the cooperative field to bring you the benefit of their experience and knowl edge. Here are a few of the absorbing article» planned for the coming months: "Federating for Local Co-op Efficiency," "The Cooperative Movement and Health," "Labor and Local Co-op Relations," "Housing and the Co-op Job "Cential- i/ed Purchasing." Sound interesting and too valuable to miss, don't they? To be on the safe side, renew A our subscription today. Sign of the Times "AXho's waiting at this table? ' de manded the irate customer. "Uoii, ma dam," said the bus) waitress, "until your lime conies." They've Moved Into JVeiv Responsibilities Waldemar Petrell. CCW merchandise researcher. Was buyer for Cooperative Trading Co., Waukegan, 111., for 13 years before leaving for service. Lloid W. Clark, public relations direc tor in Iowa for Consumers Cooperative Association. Former newspaperman, promoter of cooperative advertising; has been in advertising department of CCA dev