The source of this uncorrected OCR text may be viewed in the DjVu format at: http://fax.libs.uga.edu/HD2951xC776/co40 or http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/ugafax/HD2951xC776/co40 in this issue: TEXAS HAS AN AIR CO-OP ARCHITECT ON CO-OP HOUSING Chicago's Pattern for Co-op Development SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS IDEAS THE GOOLIBAH TREE SONG P1 O (p O ui T» ~» M ^ ^. a CD VI JHk (t T should suggest the co-ops ust PERIOD PLAN rather than live year plans fharle* F Case Maple Lodg'f Chanta iQua New Fork Help, Please Co-op Shrme! Dear Sirs Inclosed you will find my check for a thref year subscription to CO-OP Magazine T see the Publication is still sending; out Fad Book Coverw for the three-year subscriptions, please include one with this subscription T consider CO-OP Magrazirie one of the most instructive and best trade publications T have fvei had the erood fortune to sub scribe to T am looking" forward to the day when the cooperative movement can sup]tort a dailj publication In the April 1st, 1943, issue of tlie Coop erative Builder, in the Readers Think column, they published my idea for a Coopérative Dear Sus T would like 'further information cm Co ops " Here at the University of North Care h n a we are tiying to form a consumer coop erative. At oui first mppting last we^k wr h ad m ore t h an 100 enthu si ast ic persons— married student-veterans and townspeople We shall try to organize a buying club this week wit U thr ultimate goal of a co-op grocery store In my every letter directed north of the Masoii-Dixon Line T must include this mes «age and plea There are no co-op whole salers in the Southeastern region—the region that has the greatest social need for »on siimei cooperatives Thomas WrDarie 119 King Street Chapel Hill Norih Carolina The South Calls! Dear Sirs I enclose a check foi $2 to renew my sub scription T wish T knew someone here interested ac tively in co-ops Whenever T se*1 reference to established stores in other cities T write any CO-OP fLjZe^- • • Advertisers are going all out this year, the biggest buying spree in history. They're using their most lusciously enticing bait. At Christmas time it was, ''Give her Swoon Perfume—the gift that'll make her devastat ing, alluring, irresistible, ad naseam!" With the coming of the New Year it is, "Resolve to keep her soaked in Fume Per fume—it's perfectly suffocating!" At the risk of attracting the ~ame criticism, CO-OP Magazine would like to offer a New Year's resolution. You'd expect it to be, "I resolve to read CO-OP in 1947, and to get other coopéra- tors to subscribe!" But our rec ommendation is more embrac ing than that. We would suggest that every cooperator resolve that, "I will help to promote cooperatives! . to correct defects in our economy such as soaring prices, prospsct of depression, unem ployment, etc. ... to encourage co-ops elsewhere by making my own an example of successful operation . . to assure success to my organization by working with other co-ops and my re gional!" Of course, an implied, part of that resolution is that you'll use CO-OP Magazine as a tool in your ef forts to build cooperatives. Get others to sub scribe—read it yourself—and re new your subscription when it expires. CO-OP is changing over to a new coding system on its maga zine wrapper as advised by a reader. (The 4812's or Dec 48's terminated last issue; the 4701's or Jan 47's, this month; while the 4702's or Feb 47's end next month.) CO-OP Magazine has a New Year resolution too—not just to continue publishing articles of help to cooperators, but to im prove them and increase their number! Circulation Manager fiiends in that location and tell them aboul the stoie and its ideals Your maga?ine is inspiring, but rather tech nual for a beginner Can you suggest somt elementary literature [ could obtain on the movement and the earliest steps of orgamza tioii. such as a buying club9 Where is the nearest cooperative retail »tore to me? Mrs. H. B. Pratt, Jr. 23 Hibiscus Avenue Savannah Gïi. Valuable Dear Sirs. We should bt obliged if you would lei us have a copy of the JUNE issue of "CO-OP Magazine" oui s has strajed from our files So popular IP your magazine that we are considering kpppmg them in the "Safe de posit'' Alfred R. IVikins Public Relations Officer Cooperative Productive Review Leicester England Coming Events 1 Jan 1—New Saskatchewan Hospital Serv ions plan groes into effect. Jan. 1—Merger of Berkeley (California) Cooperative Fnion (hardware, appliances, gasoline 1 and tlie Consumers Cooperative of Berkeley (groceries) into one city-wide co-op Jan. 2 and ÎΗAppliances Committee, Na tional Cooperatives, Tnc , Chicago, 111 Jan 4—Hardware and Farm Supplies Com mittee, Farm Appliances Section, National Cooperatives, Tnc , Chicago, 111 Jan fi—Conference of cooperative editors, publicity, advertising" and membership rela tions workers National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chi- OAS'O HI Jan. 6—Conference of cooperative attorneys and auditors National Council Of Farmer Cooperatives, Ed^ewater Beach Hotel, Chi cago HI. Jan 6-1O—18th annual meeting's of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. Jan 7—Clinton P Andersen, U. S. Secre tary of Agriculture, addresses General Assem bly, National Council uf Farmer Cooperatives. Ed.S'ewater Beach Hotel, Chicago, III Jan 7 R—Working Conference on Urban Cooperative Development, at Baker Hotel. St Charles, HI. Jan. 8—Sir John Boyd Orr, Director Gen- ei al Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, addresses General As scmbly. National Council of Farmer Coop erative.-- Edg'ewater Beach Hotel, Chicago, 111 Jan 24-26—Third annual International Education Conference, UAW-CIO. and -First Himual Imernatioiial Education Fair and Ex position, at Hotel Hollenden, Cleveland, Ohio Jan. 27-28—Meeting of Sales and Adver tismer Committee, National Cooperatives Chi cago 111 Jan 29-30—Automotive Committee Meet inp-. National Cooperatives Inc. Chicago 111 BYb 10-22—Advanced Training School foi- Managers of Petroleum Cooperatives Spon sored by Consumers Cooperative Association Kansas City and Coffeyville Feb 15-10—Annual meeting-, Associated Cooperatives, San Jose and Palo Alto, Cali fornia Feb 16-23—14th annual observance of Biotherhood Week, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews Peb 18-20—National Conference on tlie Church and Economic Life called by the Fed eial Council of Churches of Christ in Ameri ca, Pittsburgh, Penna June 22-JuIy 5—Eleventh annual National Cooperative Recreation School, Mission House College Plymouth, Wisconsin CO-OP Magazine Texas Students Fly the Co-op Way Members of airplane cooperative rent planes from themselves and share the savings By V. R. Montanari Student. University of Texas ANEW organization whose suc cess is attracting attention all over the country is the University of Texas Cooperative Air Service. Formed by students and faculty members of the university in Aus tin, this group is claimed by its organizer and president to be the first cooperatively organized flying service in the country. Among its members are many former flyers of the Armed Forces, as well as several girl students. Included on the board of directors are three professors who teach courses on aviation at the university, and all are eager to spread the experience they have gained. In organizing the coopérative, Travis Willi amson of Carthage, Texas, studied and used the Roch dale principles, as well as technical knowledge gained in the School of Business Administration, where he is a junior. He returned to his stu dies recently after piloting a Li berator for the Army Air Forces in Europe After incorporating, the coopera tive sold 100 shares in the enter prise at $100 a share. Three Tay- lorcraft planes were purchased, and field facilities leased, including the Travis Williamson, organizer and president of the University of Texas Air Cooperative. presides at christening ceremonies shortly after the delivery last year of the cooperative's first three planes. Scene is the University Airport, Austin. Texas. Behind Williamson are university coeds who were asked to sponsor the planes. services of a cooperative manager. The planes are used by members only, either for straight pleasure flying, taxi service or for instruc tion. Members pay $6.00 an hour for the planes, compared to the local commercial rate of $8.00 an hour, and the $6.00 will be further reduced by dividends expected to be about $1.50 per flying hour at the end of the school semester. For lessons leading to a pilot's license, members pay $8.00 an hour (the commercial rate is $10), with the extra $2.00 going to the instruc tor-member providing the lesson. There are six members qualified by the Civil Aeronautics Board as in structors. The 30 hours of instructed flying and 10 hours of sole flying required for a license cost $260 in cash to the cooperative members. If dividends are as estimated, this will be re duced to about $200, while the com mercial rate adds up to $340 for local student pilots. The organization has proved a success during its first nine months of operation. During the first month, for instance, although only about 40 of the 100 members ac tually used the planes, all expenses (Continued on page 7) Christening the three planes of the University of Texas Air Cooperative last March. The privately-owned field was renamed University Air port because of the cooperative's patronage. January, 1947 5 Jl ,- ..'"1 «»««tK^WICat * 1. L !-f î V** «* V •< * V: , 't,-.- V *•••'". * « f -»• <«1 v- * ., gV-4* < »*t^i'*,gg flJBte ™ ^4» ^i, "-. "^ •^"1- -«r^ •«,. «£K f^i, -v ?£* J& ——!.*• •>• • —— Proper display islands, racks and bins have everything at pleasant eye-and-hand level in this new Hancock County, Indiana, co-op store From Old Mill to Modern Co-op Store Hoosier ingenuity converts run-down building into modern home and farm supply store with latest merchandising and layout ideas By H. C. FLEDDERJOHN Director of Education, Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association SOME county cooperatives in In diana are recognizing that one of these days there is going to be such a thing as competition, and that the effective merchandising program will have a decided advan tage when that day comes. The lat est co-op to recognize this fact and do something about it is the Han cock County Farm Bureau Coop erative Association in Greenfield, Ind. A few months ago this organiza tion acquired an old building, one block off Main Street, that had been used as a manufacturing plant for mill work. The building was old and run down, but Manager Louis Swartz and the board of directors had a vision that it could be made into a modern farm and home sup ply store. Plans were drawn, and they went to work. The old mill equipment was moved and disposed of at a public sale, and the contractors went to work installing new floors and ceil ings. Part of the building was equipped for offices and a small re pair shop, and a space 43 by 65 feet was set aside for the store proper. They cut a big display window in the front end and redesigned the entrance so that it would invite pa trons to come in and shop. The main idea was to have a modern, attrac tive store that the farmers of Han cock County could be proud of, without incurring useiess expense. It was decided that the color scheme would be the standard co op cream and green with a white ceiling that would make maximum use of the 18 four-tube fluorescent lighting units. About $400 was spent on the store equipment itself—tables, racks, and display boards that would make it possible for patrons to see the mer chandise for sale, handle it, and make up their minds about buying, largely without the aid of a clerk. Most of this equipment is movable for easy cleaning and to make re arrangement possible, if desirable. Merchandise is then grouped on the tables by classes—home supplies, hardware, automotive supplies, etc. The day for the grand opening was set for Oct. 12. And, through heroic efforts of the employees and the help of the personnel of the farm and home modernization de partment of the Indiana Farm Bu reau Cooperative Association, ev erything was shipshape when the doors opened. Publicity had already gone out CO-OP Magazine about the event, souvenirs and door prL.es were planned for all who came, and the store took on the as pects of a family housewarming as the farmers of the county came in to admire their new venture. Store Manager Ruppert Poer could be pardoned for being justly proud at the obvious enthusiasm of the visitors—and proud, too, of the $2,798 sales record for the opening day. Texas Air Cooperative ((Continued from page 5) were covered and profit availabl0 for dividends amounted to 50 cents per flying hour. Expenses paid in cluded $498 for all field facilities ($200 of this is for field manage ment): $123 for depreciation on the planes (at a rate of 20 per cent a year) and $163 for prorated insur ance costs and miscellaneous ex- pences. The insurance covers the planes at cost, and $10,000 on each member. The shares m the cooperative are redeemable at 30 days' notice, when the member leaves the university or withdraws for any other reason. The cooperative finds that extra capital has been sufficient so far to take care of redemptions, but they make a point to keep alert for the first indication that this time should be extended Recently the coopera tive sold 50 additional shares in order to purchase one faster plane which members could use for long er weekend trips to faraway homes, and for cross-country flying. When the university flyers bought their planes, they obtained a discount of IVz per cent because they bought three at a time, but they believe a greater discount should be available for cooperative groups, and Williamson is investi gating the possibilities of organiz ing a purchasing cooperative to supply such groups on a national basis. In summarizing his experience, Williamson emphasizes these points for the benefit of other groups who would like to start an air co-op: 1. Try to restrict membership to active flyers only. (Why not a co-op traurng service, too.—Ed.) 2. Don't buy as many planes as you think you will need, until you learn how much the members will actually fly. 3. Operate the outfit on strict business accounting lines, such as paying for depreciation and insur ance and all other expenses out of income. The Texas club uses the Civilian Pilot Training Program figure of 20 per cent a year for estimating depreciation. The group finds that the average plane is still worth a few hundred dollars after five years use. The frame and fuselage do not wear out and can be refabricated if necessary, though because of engine wear, it is thought to be more advisable to turn in the plane by that time. 4. Try to have members act as manager, and mechanic too, if pos sible, on a rotating plan. For a small group with one plane, a manager would be unnecessary anyway. Keep Your Tools Sharp "Amusement and recreation are the very things that make our working hours profitable. He who carves so steadily that he has no time to sharpen his knife works with dull tools and cannot make much headway." IM. II ;'••?M! r .W „, i, 'IF: l v, '***. s Some more views of the new home and farm supply store opened recently by Hancock County Farm Bureau Co-op, Greenfield, Indiana. Note large front window—makes entire store a window display. All display racks are movable for cleaning, rearrangement. Merchandise is grouped by classes; everything has a price tag. January, 1947 7 'S • "we:: "I ^•S^ "*fy.- r * „ V-...- Interior of new streamlined co-op supermarket on Chicago's north side, opened in November by Chicago Consumers Cooperativ First Link Forged in Chicago Co-op Chain Unique membership enrollment methods, publicity campaigns and group activities are basic parts of Chicago-wide cooperative's building program THREE policemen were on hand to handle more than 1,200 visi tors who streamed through the new co-op store when the Edgewater co-op on Chicago's north side held its opening ceremony recently— ample evidence that a good public ity job was done—and here's how they did it: Players from the Toad Lane The ater co-op, amateur dramatics group, paraded through the streets dressed as town criers (see cover) announcing the grand opening. Ads in neighborhood newspapers, flyers for bulletin boards and mailings to members supplemented. Members paraded with placards outside the store, and a motorcade of decorated cars several blocks long toured the neighborhood with signs telling about the opening. Nearly a dozen co op "district as semblies" and several suburban communities were represented in the parade by members carrying banners such as "Nortown—Fastest growing district assembly in Chi cago," "South Shore," etc. Congrat ulatory messages were read from 8 By RUTH SCHUMM Editorial Staff, CO-OP Magazine other districts, all of which hope to be opening their own stores soon. It was the fast-growing Chicago Consumers Cooperative celebrating The Cover Picture -a- -— » • « & Betty Lawrence and Dolores Wojey, two of four members of C-3's Toad Lane Players who "town-crier-ed" the entire neighbor hood about the new CCCo-op store. Ads in neighborhood papers and direct mailings also were used. the opening of its first unit of a chain of co-op supermarkets when the Edgewater store at 5107 North Clark Street began operations in November with 350 members, a capital of $120,750, and facilities to handle a weekly volume of $8,000. The capital of CCC will be avail able for the opening of new stores in other neighborhoods as soon as enough members are obtained and store sites are located. The CCC organization plan aims to organize the whole city and build a membership foundation through out the entire urban area before beg'nning large-scale operations. Then, cne by one, in rapid succes sion, co-ops of all kinds can fairly "blossom forth" all over the city with each new opening giving fur ther impetus and encouragement to the drive. Ccoperators throughout the coun try are observing the progress of CCC in the hope that its pattern of rrganization may help to speed up urban development. Based on the structure of coop erative societies in Sweden and CO-OP Magazine England, the plan has several new angles which are in the experimen tal stages. One is the $5 non-return able membership fee which is used to defray the expense of a paid or ganizational staff. Another is the city-wide enlistment of members with the gradual development of natural centers for intensive organi zational work. This permits people interested in co-ops to invest and participate even before there is ade quate membership in their neigh borhood to permit establishing a How We Enroll 'Em in CCC By Two tf ho Have Done It By John L:ndgren ONCE I was asked what my method is in signing up mem bers and I said, "I lie on my couch, smoke my pipe and wait for my neighbors to come in and ask me about the co-op." I said this be cause I wanted to point out in a joking way that too many people are not willing to work hard enough for an idea in which they believe. It is not easy to enroll co-op mem bers. People are too busy with a lot of other things; they are not used to thinking about the impor tant things they have in common with others, even to lislen to you, unless you keep hammering away. Many people are cynical and have lost faith in the ability of human beings to organize for good as well as for bad. I am an instrument maker by trade and work hard during the day. Many nights I am too tired to want to start working all over again. But I know that if everybody thinks this way we will never be able to build a co-op. So I take my literature kit and receipt book and go to visit my friends and neighbors. Sometimes I don't get home till after midnight. Of course, the first thing that I tell people is about the democratic way in which our co-op is organ ized and the benefits it will give them. I explain the patronage re funds and how the co-op will give the best quality and honest service. But I am careful to tell them that we can't expect big dividends (sav ings returns) right away because it takes time to build a true co-op Selling co-op shares is no differ ent than selling anything else—you have to have patience and you must be able to answer many questions. No one should try to explain the cooperative without doing some reading himself. If every member would make it his business to be come informed about the co-op we could enroll many more new people. But even a good knowledge of the co-op will not do the job. Members must be willing to talk to their fr.ends as often as they can and whenever they have the chance. My advice to any member who wants to help is this: If you want to enroll members you have to work hard and stay with it. There is too much misinformation about it to make the job easy. You can't wait more than two or three days be tween visits. Otherwise people for get all about what you said first. By Berger Larson BY training I am a painter, not a salesman. By conviction, I would rather sell co-op shares than do anything else. Naturally, this is because I believe that through con sumer cooperation we can build a real democracy. It is because I be- (Continued on next page) r» - store there. Furthermore, it creates a common pool of capital for use in development throughout the city. Already leaders in other areas are putting some of these new ideas into effect; representatives of com munity groups in Detroit interested in developing a city-wide organi zation met November 6 and dis cussed preliminary plans. Twenty- seven leaders were from existing cooperatives, various church de nominations, major labor groups, and the YWCA. A similar program plan is also under consideration in Toledo, Ohio, where 300 people at tended a recent meeting to organ ize the expansion of the present To ledo Consumers Cooperative. In building its membership foun dation, Chicago Consumers Coop erative conducted a contest to speed recruitment, help arouse interest, and add to the publicity, reports Kurt Dreifuss, director of member ship activities. Final results showed John Lindgren, 4827 N Hermitage St., and Berger Larson, 1432 Farra- gut St, the two ace member-getters. As a special service to CO-OP Mag" azine readers, they have written about the methods they found most helpful in signing up new members in the big co-op drive. They voice the hope that some of their ideas will help cooperators elsewhere to build co-ops more rapidly. r . Cutting the ribbon to officially open the new Edgewater DA (district assembly) co-op store is 4-year-old Carol Jean Isaacsson, one of the young members. Assisting her are Wilhelm F. Levander (left), of the CCC central board, and Walter Johnson, of the Edgewater Membership Committee. January, 1947 How CCC Enrolls— (Continued from pyge 9) lieve this so firmly thai, I spend all my spare time in co-op work. How do I enroll members? There is nothing mysterious about it. Here is what I do: 1. I talk to my friends and tell ihem about the Chicago Consumers Cooperative (we just call it CCC)— and how we are based on the Roch dale Rules and are planning to open a modern chain of stores. I live in a Swedish community so I don't have to explain all about the basic prin ciples since many of my friends have lived in Sweden and know what a wonderful thing the co-op is there. l LITTLE GIANT PORTABLE for Short-Tube and Long-Tube Milkers To meet the current shortage of pipe, here's the standard 1/7X Little Giant fitted out as a porta ble. Changes over easily to a pipe line installation—or it can be used permanently as shown. It's the only portable available for use with Short-Tube Milkers as well as Long-Tube. And in spite of extra equipment—wheels, handle, belt-guard—the price remains the same as the stationary model. Or der from your regional. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES. INC. 10 2. Next I tell about Waukegan to show that consumers there have successfully run a chain of six co-op stores for many years. That usually impresses them. It is surprising how few people know that we have suc cessful co-op stores in this country 3. I never forget to point to the example of the Swedish co-ops— how they broke the light bulb mo nopoly and brought down the price of bulbs, and how they have avoided a serious depression and been able to stay out of two wars. I believe the co-op deserves credit for this. 4. I always carry literature with me and refuse to take "no" for an answer. If I can't convince someone the first time, I leave the literature with him and tell him to talk it over with his friends. I then come back a second time or more often if necessary in order not to have to g*ve up. I don't care what a person's work is, I think every intelligent person can be enrolled in a co-op. In this connection I would like to tell a little experience I had at our new store opening celebration. I was standing outside when I noticed a man next to me who owns a grocery store a few blocks away. He was there with his wife and I said to him, "What are you doing here? This is not your idea of doing business." "Listen," he answered, "my fa ther was in the co-ops in Sweden for many years. I, too, believe in the cooperative movement. I am not thinking of myself but of a better world in the future for my grand children. I believe that cooperatives are the only way to prevent future wars and depressions." Of course, I signed him up! Don't Mail Publicity About Door Prizes If your co-op is planning to raise money by selling "chances" for a drawing, be careful about the way you advertise it. U. S. Postal Laws provide that no notices or informa tion can be sent through the mails relating to lotteries, drawings, raf fles, guessing contests, etc., where prizes are awarded by lot. This covers notices that door prizes or table prizes will be given away, unless they are to be distrib uted on a basis of skill. Publicity through the mails is prohibited even for card or bunco parties if admis sion is charged and prizes offered. INDEX I40r - BUSINESS ACTIVITY JANUARY 1945 = 100 A minor and probably temporary break in -farm prices as of November; a slight lessening of the increase rate for wholesale prices. But factory employment and production advance at a greater pace, and, yet, the stock prices stay down. What is the answer? Why don't the probabilities make for bullishness among the speculators? Some say great "prosperity" for 1947; others say a "mild repression." The wise course is still. Buy only the absolute needs; pay off debts; hedge for a possible bust. CO-OP Magazine By Morris R. Mitchell Gold From Hole to Hole TVEEP experience can so grip human emotions as long to JL/ overrule reason. One who in war has lain by force of circumstance a whole October's night in a shallow trench of running water, while rain drenched him constantly from above, may for years after, on vivid recollection of that harrowing night, though in a warm room, experience agony of cold to the bone's marrow and break out with "goose flesh." By a gripping fear of scarcity, man is held from reason ing his way into the realm of peaceful abundance. A third of a million years of necessary scarcity have given us a maniac's greed for the scarce, almost regardless of worth for use. Take gold, the very symbol of scarcity, relatively worth less for use, the most generally accepted monetary basis. How we dig it, hoard it, buy it with useful goods, bury it, guard it! There are mines in South Africa so deep into the earth's crust that electric refrigeration must keep the air cool enough for men to work. Humans so toil to bring this rare metal together, only to dig another hole in Kentucky and rebury it. Costly metal encased in a costly safe, guarded night and day by automatic alarms and soldiers whose precious lives are only further sacrifices to the great god gold. May the fever subside among us. May reason awake. Our currency is not even redeemable in gold. Our govern ment, owning the gold, does not issue our currency. We have forced some other nations, by our monopoly of gold, into a realization of its true worth in limited uses. Disillusioned, they gladly sell it to us for truly enriching goods, as tractors, dynamos, structural steel, fertilizers, chemicals. We'd better stop these silly purchases. We'd better mould our fifteen billion dollar lump into a cable and let it carry a million horsepower of electric current from source to fac tory. Its conduction of current is supreme. It is better for current than currency. Cooperatives will make all this clearer to see as more people employ the twin principles of consumer service, democratic control Included in this month's pages for cut-out and insertion hi your Fact Book cover are a breakdown of data concerning Petroleum Production Facilities, and the beginning of a thumb-nail Co-op Hall of Fame. These are on pages 21 and 22. On this page and page 12 are a revision of ORG-1 and ORG-2 to bring the director lists up to date, and a RECREA TION section page that should fill a currently growing de mand. Word from CCW-land, where the Goolibah puppet show played before 25,029 persons in 25 days of perform ances, great enthusiasm is reported together with many re quests for the Goolibah Song, originated by the Stevens', who present the puppet show. It's a good theme song for meetings, and here it is—with a brief list of other recrea tional reference and tool materials. You should add a blank page following last month's new index, and list the new items in this issue. Officers and Directors National Cooperative» A. 3. Haj-es .........................President 3, li. Nolan.....................Vice President Howard A. Cowden.........Secretary-Treasurer T. A. Tenhune....Asstatant Secretary-Treasurer Directors Representing Dave Smeaton. J. R. Love................... ..............Alberta Cooperative Wholesale Hal Norton. Robt. Neptune................. ......................... Associated Coop'veg D. G. MacDonald, S. F. Ricketts............. .....British Columbia Cooperative Wholesale A. J. Hayes, William Liimatainen........... ...............Central Cooperative Wholesale Laurle L. Lehtin. Jacob Liukku............. .................Central States Cooperatives Howard A. Cowden. Bruce McCully.......... ..........Consumers Cooperative Association Leonard F. Cowden, H. H. Hogue............ ...........Consumers Cooperative Associated William M. Blaisdell. Leslie E. Woodcock.... ........................ Elastern Cooperatives J. E. Kellner. W. B. Stough................. .......Farm Bureau Cooperative Association B. A. Rainey, J. F. Yaeger.................. ......................Farm Bureau Services C. S. Jones. M. G. Mann. .Farmers Coop've Bxch. J. L. Nolan, William Sanderson.............. ............Farmers Union Central Exchange Jacob Kupp, A. C. McPherson............... ..............Farmers Union State Exchange I. H. Hull. Carlos C. Palmer................ .....Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass'ni E. B. Chown, J. J. Siemens.................. .............Manitoba Cooperative Wholesale Jerry F. Shea, A. J. Smaby................. ..............Midland Cooperative Wholesale Chas. Baker, R. W. Hogg.Pacific Supply Coop've H. S. Agster, R. N. Benjamin.............. ......Penna. Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass*n Robert McKay, Georgre Urwin............... .......Saskatchewan Federated Cooperatives 3. B. Jones, L. O. Upton..................... ..............Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Hugh Bailey, W. A. Ames................... .......United Farmers Cooperative Company Joseph A. Geddes, W. B. Robins............. ................Utah Cooperative Association 1.1.47 ORGANIZATION—I January. 1947 II 1-1.47 Officers and Directors The Cooperative League Murray D. Lincoln...................President Howard A. CoWden.............Vice President E. R. Bowen..................Acting Secretary Leslie E. Woodcock..................Treasurer Directors Mary E. Arnold.......... Eastern Cooperatives Charles Baker......-Pacific Supply Cooperative K. N. Benjamin............................. ......Penna. Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass'n H. A. Cowden..... Consumers Cooperative Ass'n Perry L. Green. .Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass'n E. A. Whitney...Central Cooperative Wholesale I. H. Hull.. ............National Cooperatives Andrew P. Jensen..Midland Coop've Wholesale Wm. Liimatainen.Central Cooperative Wholesale Murray D. Lincoln.......................... ..........Farm Bureau Mutual Auto Ins. Co. Orrin Shipe.......-Central States Cooperatives A. J. Smaby... .Midland Cooperative Wholesale Dwiglit D. Townsend........................ .......... Consumers Cooperative Association J. P. Warbasse........ ....President Emeritus L. E. Woodcock... .Eastern Cooperative League Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America Perry L. Green...................... .President Glenn S. Fox..............First Vice President J. E. Kellner............Second Vice President E. R. Bowen.........................Secretary T. A. Tenhune..... ..... ..........-Treasurer Directors Representing Harland Alien..... .Central States Cooperatives Charte» Baker.......Pacific Supply Cooperative William M. Blaisdell.... .Eastern Cooperatives Glenn S. Fox......... Consumers Coop've Ass'n Perry L. Green..Ohio Farm Bureau Corporation Arnold Ronn.. .Central Cooperative Wholesale J. E. Keltner...Farm Bureau Cooperative Ass'n Emil Selvig.....Midland Cooperative Wholesale T. A. Tenhune. National Cooperatives ORGANIZATION—2 SOME RECREATIONAL HELPS Folk Dances ALL JOIN HANDS, E. Linson & J. Smith, t .16 AMERICAN FOLK DANCES, Kit 49, Co operative Recreation Service. .. .. .26 Games MAKE YOUR OWN GAMES, National Recreation Association ................ .10 HOME GAMES. Neva L. Boyd (Co-op Edition) ............................... .26 A HANDBOOK OF GAMES. Neva L. Boyd. 300 games for children and grown-ups. Cloth bound ........................... 2.00 Puppetry PUPPETS, Kit 40. Cooperative Recreation Service. Marionette, puppet construction -26 A FEW REFERENCES ON HAND PUP PETS, National Recreation Association.. .05 Song Books SINGING AMERICA, Augustus D Zanzig. 120 songs. Vocal Edition................ .SO Piano Edition .......................... 1.60 JOYFUL SINGING, Cooperative Recreation Service. 70 folk songs from many lands.. .25 Plays A MAN'S MONUMENT, Fred Eastman. Humorous fantasy. Scene in Heaven; deals with struggle for cooperation on earth .................................. .60 THE BOY IS BETTER. Paul Linson. Pres sure is brought to bear on a doctor to give up his position at the co-op hospital..... .25 EDUCATION BEGINS AT HOME, Jamee Norris. Father, chairman of the education committee of the local co-op, tries to explain cooperatives to Aunt Alice...... .15 Recreation in the Cooperative Program PLAY AS A MEANS OF SOCIAL ADJUST MENT, Neva L. Boyd................... .05 Order any of the above, or a complete catalog of Recreational Materials from your regional cooperative, of from national Cooperative», 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4. 111. RECREATION—4 O o O o o To Help Your Auditor THE Cooperative Auditing Service has prepared an out line of things to do before the auditors come. Keep this outline and check it point by point as you complete each one. In order to get the most accurate closing, you must have: (1) Accurate inventories of merchandise and cash. (2) Com plete records of your business transactions, terminating ex actly at the time of the inventory count. (3) Verification of receivables. (4) Complete record of all types of liabilities. (5) Complete patronage and stock records. (6) Record of all corporate acts, such as minutes of all meetings of members and directors, and amendments to Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, if any. Check List The Board of Directors should: (1) Appoint an inventory committee. (2) Pass a resolution distributing the annual net margins, savings or returns before the close of the year. (3) Prepare the proper resolutions for changes in Articles of In corporation and By-laws. (4) Review all minutes of meetings. (5) Prepare reports on year's activities. (6) Make plans for next year. (7) Arrange audit of records. Secretary should: (1) Have complete record of all meet ings. (2) Prepare and send out notice of membership meet ings. (3) Inform the management of all decisions of Board pertaining to management. (4) See that all governmental re ports are filed in time. (5) Have up to date list of voting members for annual meetings. Inventory Committee board should: (1) Record inventory in duplicate. (2) Retain a copy of inventory for auditors. (3) Count the cash at inventory time. (4) Record cash in detail, list checks by name and identify coin and currency. (5) Make inventory count after, not before, the close of business for the year. (6) Measure and weigh—not guess. Manager and Bookkeepers should: (1) Report results of all operations to the directors. (2) Assist the inventory com mittee. (3) Price the inventory right. (4) Lost and age receiv ables and prepare verification forms. (5) Secure statements on payables, taxes, etc. (6) Complete stock and patronage records. (7) Balance all books. (8) Prepare reconcilements for receivables, bank and payables. (9) Put files in order. tytoufia, ßtut, A ramble through the mind of the modern man would reveal the same juxtaposition of beliefs that have endured unchanged for centuries, with ideas gleaned from the morn ing paper, all put together in a structure with a shaky enough foundation and with many a makeshift to fill the gaps, yet somehow strong enough to answer the demands made on it and to give shelter until it can be improved. A man today will believe that the mercury atom can be changed into an atom of gold, and that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God, that it is glorious to die on the field of battle for one's coun try, and that all disputes between nations should be settled in a world court, that the unions should be smashed and that the world should be made safe for democracy; and he will believe these things with as little sense of their origin and their meaning and their relevance to his own life as the Roman boy playing in the streets displays toward the em bodied past about him. — from The Making of the Modern Mind, by John Herman Randall, Jr. Two additional double-faced pages for your CO-OP Fact Book on pages 21-22. 12 CO-OP Magazine AS the new year opens,, the Christmas trees have been put on the rubbish heap, the trimmings put away, and the world has turner! attention again to business, politics, sports and clubwork. And. as some press the question about KEEPING Christmas, the idea seems more compell ing than ever that our paramount aim in building and patronizing cooperatives must be more than saving ourselves some money. It must be to influence and revise the economic processes so as to reduce strife and suffering in the world and increase the opportunity and ability of people to live as brothers. Co-ops are advancing rapidly—locally, regionally, nationally, internationally. Thev are de veloping efficiency, expanding services, and effecting economies for patrons. These are important strides, and they should continue in even greater measure. But we must never lose sight of the so cial and psychological gains that come to the people in these cooperatives as they work together to serve themselves and do it without the quest for profits. We must be ever mindful—and remind ful—that many strong cooperatives working together can combat monopoly and lessen the tenden cies away from democratic methods We must constantly remember and emphasize that co-ops can promote international understanding with unique effectiveness, and reduce the threat of vvai. *3fefyt fZetCuce ScowMtic Stride Improvement of quality and price of the things we buy is an important service, [f that were our only objective, though, and if we could be sure of a freely competitive market, we could achieve our goal simplv by organizing into buyer pressure groups; we could thus avoid the responsibility of owning and operating our own business enterprises. But there is more. The urgent thing is to throw the force of strong user-owned cooperatives into the economic tug-of-war throughout the world in order to lessen the effectiveness of monopolistic and imperialistic groups. Further, the world-wide deepening of understandings and sympathies that co-ops can foster between different peoples will help much to make a lasting peace. In this period of so-called peace, little of the world is peaceful. People are actually embattled in various parts of our globe. Profit capital and organized labor and radically divergent political forces are girding for the roughest and most extensive series of struggles in history —struggles that may lead to widespread civil strife, that may threaten the very foundations of democracy. "De«Hoviei6ty "TTCuât fëe Saved, In these forebodings lies a mighty challenge to cooperators. In the next round of slugging, co ops may be a hit too little and too late to control all phases of the situation. But we can work diligently for more control (through ownership) of production and distribution facilities—and, thus, more participation in and more to say about national and international trade—the real cause» of war or peace. We can develop mutual understandings and provide exercise in the processes of democracy. We can help people form cooperative attitudes that will enable them as citi/ens and workers to be agres sive in the quest for justice, but ready to avoid tactics that hazard the loss of the democracy and freedoms we have. Yes, co-ops are most important for the program they offer to enable all people eventually to keep Christmas. That is the great challenge for all cooperators—for those whose stores are making savings —for those where savings are missing—for those to whom savings may be unimportant —for those for whom they are imperative. We must double the effort. -I } V MEMBERS of a cooperative home-building project have an opportunity to do something about one of America's most urgent problems—how to build better com munities and better places in which to live. Most planned communities are entirely built (and only a few turn out to be good examples of what we're striving for); then the resi dents are invited to rent or buy. But in planning a mutual project, cooperators can take an active part in shaping their own community quite literally from the ground up —they can participate in the physical planning process from the very beginning. Such community cooperation has seldom if ever been attempted before. New Design—For Good Living If we want all the advantages of 20th-century living, certainly we must abandon the 19th-century kitchen and bathroom, the 18th- century interior, and the 17th-cen tury exterior. But does that mean we will get those now-familiar Sunday supplement features such as the disposable or Kleenex house, the all-glass or Gypsy Rose Lee house, the circular or Hamburg Heaven house? I doubt it. The emphasis will be on a house superior in design to the pre-war house — completely equipped, adequately landscaped, and located in a thoroughly planned and protected neighborhood. Everyone knows that building costs are high. It follows auto matically that to get them down the complex building operation 14 Architect Looks at Co-OD H op nousms Some ideas on the kinds of homes and communities that cooperators should build—and the benefits of group planning "from scratch" By JOHN FUNK Consulting Architect, Peninsula Housing Association, Palo Alto, Calif. must be simplified. The number of parts (30,000 in a typical small cus tom-built house) must be reduced. This is precisely what post-war building must do. At least in the immediate post war period, we must start with the prefabricated elements of con struction already evolved in re cent years. But we must rational ize them by improving their design And we must establish a common scale so that the various products of different factories can be readily combined. Thus we will be able to build dwellings that not only have the economies, efficiences, and fin ish that only factory workmanship affords, but also allow for their easy combination in the house—with the recognition of the particular re quirements of the family and the site. In this group approach to hous ing, perhaps the simplest step is the use of a simple structural sys tem that provides an adequate roof with the necessary supports. The next steps become somewhat more complicated. The requirements of living—which should dictate the placement of walls, windows, and the arrangement of space — are more complex than the problem of providing shelter. But a great deal of experience and experiment has shown that this problem can be met. It is possible, for instance, to set a modular plan ning unit of somewhere between 3 and 4 feet. This will allow for rooms of almost any size or dis position within the structural framework. It is also possible to use various finishes, materials, etc. Thus we can achieve a plan which is tailored to the individual needs and to the site—and yet utilizes CO-OP Magazine » III the economies and efficiencies of the factory. Trend to Easier Living During the depression '30's and these wartime years, the trend has been to cut down the floor space needed for good living. Fortunate ly, we can now reverse this trend. Through préfabrication, through rationalized structural methods and materials, we can make adequate space available within modest budgets; we can again have "room for living." Space will be more efficiently arranged for living area. More at tention will be paid to window areas, the sun, the breeze, the view, outdoor living, and the garden. And for easier living, we can look to more efficient kitchens, to storage for everything in the house, to built-in furniture to cut down the effort of house-cleaning. We can count on plenty of space to do all the things the family wants to do— without confusion. An Integrated Living Unit The sum of these changes is not a Cape Cod cottage or a midget French chalet. It is, in plan and appearance, truly a contemporary house Present-day living won't stand for many of those incongruous house features which were con ceived for the petticoat and bustle era. Yet this accent on easy living does not call for cold, grim design. Although we don't agree with those ! •A. •— .. „_ in. t ^^ FIWSJ FU-OR.PU« Jit. 1 fete] i1 L «.•t r who believe that fine design ceased with the 18th Century, nor with those who distrust the present and fear the future and thus slavishly copy the past, we heartily do rec ognize that good design must be respected. In the past, the structural prob lem and the land-use problem have tended to be solved in a spirit of mutual exclusiveness. (The former is much closer to solution than the latter.) Actually, both problems must be solved together, because each reacts on the other. Building a house is, essentially, enclosing a certain cubic volume of air space to make it more usable for people by keeping out the rain and ilCONP flood, fU II controlling temperature, light, pri vacy, etc. But it is a mistake to fol low the standard practice of de signing the house as a box of liv ing space, placing it appropriately on the lot, and then landscaping it. Actually, when you buy a lot, you buy a cube of air space to live in. The bottom side, or floor, is the earth of the lot. So why not plan the use of the entire lot at once, as a coordinated series of ra tionally connected indoor and out door rooms? This is the only way to avoid the waste and inconve nience of the majority of our homes, such as useless side-yard and driveway space, front yards (Continued on next page) it ûtfo T&nactiee Author Funk and his associates are now completing a topographic survey of land purchased by Peninsula Housing Association, at Palo Alto, California, preliminary to the pre paration of the site plan. Two-foot contours are being mapped in the sections where building is contem plated, in order to locate the build ing on the lots and to grade the lots, reports Ralph Evans, vice-president of the project and president of As sociated Cooperatives. Architectural plans for homes will be developed along with the site plan in order to fit the house to the lot. The site plan is expected to be com pleted by July 1, 1947. This will make grading and trenching possible during 1947. If prices seem stable and if materials are available in com petitive quantity and good quality, home construction will be started in 1948. A cooperative business section will be constructed at the same time the homes are built, as well as utilities distribution systems and a sewage disposal plant. The organization has become a member of the regional, Associated Cooperatives, at Oakland, California, and expects to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase building materials through the wholesale and National Cooperatives. The name selected for the commu nity by the members is Ladera, Spanish for hillside. Membership is now at the half-way mark and stands at 225. January, 1947 15 An Architect Looks— l Continued from page 15) larger than necessary, rear gardens accessible only through kitchen and laundry porch, clothes-lines and garbage cans which clutter up the back yard and are too far from the kitchen and laundry, no place for the children to play, etc. If we plan our homes with the entire lot as the starting point— as integrated indoor-outdoor units —the house breaks down into four main sections: 1) Public approach: front yard, porch or stoop, vestibule and entry hall. 2) General living-space: living, dining, garden or patio. 3) Individual living space: bed, bath, sleeping porch or pri vate garden for sun-bathing. 4) Work or service space: kitchen, laundry, service- yard for drying, garbage, wood-chopping, general clutter; children's play (in cluding the garage in wet weather) ; growing vege tables and cut flowers. Some Common Failings When we look at the total ''house" in this way, and plan the use of all the lot at once, we are more likely to avoid certain com mon failings of home development programs. Sketches of homes which accom pany this article were reproduced frcm architect's drawings sent re cently to members of the Racine Cooperative Homes Association to poll their style preferences. The Association, which started activities in June, 1945, under UAW-CIO District Council sponsorship, plans to begin construction next spring and hopes to complete from five to ten homes per week. Savings of group buying, mass production methods and elimination of sales commissions and speculative prof it are expected to make the cost well below the current level. Membership for the project is be ing solicited, among other ways, by running ads in the daily newspaper explaining "Why the home for you is a co-op home—a cooperative cannot profiteer." The ad is pro ducing many inquiries, and the prospective member calling at the Association office is shown large drawings of the homes, plot map, a questionnaire on his housing fa needs, the organization by-laws and the membership list. Racine workers report that the best means of promotion is by word of mouth —some of their members have brought in a dozen new ones. Houses are assigned to the va rious lots by the architect, and a member chooses from the plat the best combination of suitable loca tion and a house that meets his requirements; house descriptions accompany each lot shown on the plat. As indicated in the sketches, emphasis is placed on the two most popular architectural types — Co lonial and Modern. Modifications have been made to take full ad vantage of solar orientation (note large windows, even in Cape Cod house) and variety of design. 375 lots measuring 60 feet or more in width have been plotted on the 114 acres, and the sketches have been sent to the membership which now numbers 150. Members get choice of lots in the order that they join the cooperative. 1) The money is all spent before the development of the space around the house can be considered. 2) Bad connections between the usable garden area and the living part of the house, or between serv ice area and work rooms. 3) Unsatisfactory grades, un- ;-f K'i- -.. v. ^ '*,« ' '••; '.. /MI'S' .,?; j , /•),> - •. - .v '< 16 f Lo om f i i it CO-OP Magazine pleasant slopes in the wrong places, poor drainage, seepage and down spout problems — all these result from failure to relate floor and foundation levels properly to the levels around them. Solution of such problems, if not originally planned with the house, requires considerable extra expense and in convenience. 4) The topsoil is removed, or buried under subsoil, clay, or rock during excavation and construction operations. This makes extra ex pense and labor buying and plac ing new topsoil, or a continuous struggle to make plants grow in poor soil. Ways to Avoid Failure We can avoid these failures by 1) Planning the development and use of all the lot and community space at once. 2) Budgeting carefully to take care of essential outdoor work. 3) Working out all the house and garden levels and drainage slopes together as a unit Remembering that level space is essential to the outdoor use of land; that any slope greater than six-to-eight per cent probably requires terracing to be useful; and that such terracing is relatively cheap and easy when done before other development or construction has begun. 4) Stripping and stock-piling top- soil from all construction and graded areas, and setting rough grades in planted areas to allow for the return of the topsoil. When it comes to relating the structural elements to the natural materials—that is, the house itself to the earth, water, rocks and plants—much careful study is re quired. For it is important to pro duce the greatest integration and coherence of indoor and outdoor space on the individual lot, and of buildings and grounds in the com munity. Here is where planting comes in. Planting, it must be remembered, is only incidentally decorative. It has a very positive and important structural function in giving form and character to all outdoor spaces, both private and public. It must complete the unified and integrated character of the total site develop ment, giving what might be called a symphonic inclusive expression to the community. This overall planting can be de veloped through planning a skele ton project planting scheme. This scheme will determine and control "Given the opportunity, I could male an angel outa your mother." the basic tree, shrub, and ground cover planting. Yet it will also leave plenty of space and latitude for the exercise of individual and group initiative in the planting of such things as flowers, vegetables, and specimen plants. Finally, cooperators have the op portunity to expand the concept of the house—planned to the needs of the individual—to include the whole community. Site-planning for such a commu nity is not just a process of placing buildings on the land and connect ing them with roads and utilities Nor is it placing a skeleton of roads and utilities on the land and fitting the buildings to it. It is the or ganization of the site's total land and air space for its best use and enjoyment by the people who will live there. The basic skeleton of this kind of site-planning is composed of five parts: First, the public open space or "commons." Then the heart — the community center, which includes shopping, management, meeting place, recreation rooms, nursery school, etc. Roads or streets might be thought of as a circulatory sys tem which serves this basic skele ton from the outside. The homes are vital nerve centers, served by the heart and circulatory system. And finally, we have an outer skin —a greenbelt of planting which protects the community and in sulates it from its unpredictable surroundings. Thorough Analysis Urgent This rational analysis does not mean to destroy the romance and excitement of home and commu nity. Rather it seeks to release those factors from the dull weight of old precedents and rules which have long since lost their relevance. It is precisely because more ro mance, more imagination, more pleasure and contentment in hous ing are needed that such thorough analysis of these problems is ad vocated. Fortunately, you now have an interval in which to figure out the best way to reach your co operative objective — homes and community planned for the best in 20th century living. Steal! At a loss of 150 million dollars to the people of the U. S.. the large Government steel plant at Geneva, Utah, was sold for % its original cost to the U. S. Steel Corp. A blow to competition and a real gain for monopoly, this transaction raises the question of why the same effort to encourage competition was not observed in disposal of steel plants as was followed in the re cent sale of Government aluminum properties. Star Half-Backs Need It For hard-driving energy and vital ity there's no better breakfast cereal than rolled oats. Each whole oat grain packs more food value, con tains more protein, than any other cereal. And it's the best source of thiamin and iron. Yes, a star half back needs CO-OP Rolled Oats—so does his family. And it's the cereal that's easiest on the family budget. For real consumer value, give CO OP Rolled Oats that promotional plus it deserves. CO-OP Rolled Oats NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. January, 1947 17 Notes About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities H. E. Bogardus Department Manager Imports from Sweden Arrangements have been com pleted for importing certain fish products from Kooperative For- bundet in Sweden. The first ship ment consists of canned fishballs. The CO-OP label has been air mailed to K.F. and this first post war shipment to National Coopera tives should leave the docks at Stockholm around December 15. The price promises to be very rea sonable—something between 18c and 20c per 13-oz. can on the wholesale level—this includes the 12%% import duty and of course ocean freight and insurance. Sometime in the early part of 1947, arrangements for shipping K.F.'s cross pack Brisling sardines t-Q should be completed. Already K.F. has allocated 10,000 cases but these await the lifting of certain import restrictions by the State Depart ment. Aside from the normal healthy demand for these products—their importation presents, in a tangible way, the international aspects of the cooperative movement. This should be of interest to most of your members, and reference is made to i1 on the label. New Razor Blade Packaging Ready Completely redesigned, the new razor blade carton and package perform an important point-of-sale promotional job. Neat and attrac tive, the carton folds simply and easily to become an eye-catching counter or shelf display merchan diser. They're especially adaptable to retail as a unit of 100 blades. CO-OP blades are made of im ported Swedish chrome steel, hardened to 90-92 Rockwell. Each blade has a lacquered finish as a The new razor blade cartoni come with pre-cut tops—they fold up simply and quickly (as shown in the second and fourth views from the left) for use as counter and shelf displays. protection against rust. And of course they're available in both single edge and double edge styles —each package and carton being distinctively different to prevent errors in selection and wrapping. More About Spices (Continued from December issue) Nutmeg and mace, the only two spices coming from the same plant which have a different flavor, are still in short supply. Even though the Japanese occupied the East In dies, the character and hardiness of the nutmeg trees did not suffer through neglect. Therefore, it will be a relatively simple matter to in crease available supplies. Cassia and cinnamon were almost immediate casualties following Pearl Harbor. Production is con fined to Southeastern Europe and neighboring islands. Cassia and cinnamon are practically synony mous. True cinnamon is somewhat milder in flavor than cassia. Both are the dried inner bark of a tree belonging to the laurel family. Both of these are now on the way back into world trade and should be in more adequate supply before long. Cinnamon probably has more uses than any other spice since it not only is more widely used as a flavoring for pastries, candy, dentifrices, to name only a few, but its oil is used in medicine for its astringent, antiseptic and carmina tive properties. CO-OP pure spices will be m more adequate supply as the world situation improves. There will be price increases, especially in black pepper, in order to absorb the higher prices which will have to be paid to buy successfully in the ris ing world market. Sanitary Napkins The trend has been increasingly toward the fluff type of construc tion (similar to Modess). CO-OP has been distributing both fluff and layer types—however, eventually we will distribute the fluff type only. The CO-OP package is being revised so that no description or reference to the construction type \8 CO-OP Magazine T*. Merchandiser which was built at the CO-OP Universal factory to display and to store rubber replacement parts in the sales and service department at Waukesha. will appear. Thus, unnecessary du plication of inventories will be eliminated at both the wholesale and the retail levels. As has been proved, Sanitary Napkins sell well from food stores They sell best when displays are prominent, adequate, easy to reach — and when individual packages are pre-wrapped. CO-OP Napkins can be purchased pre-wrapped from your regional at a slight ex tra charge. (In a case of 48/12's, 45 are pre-wrapped.) And don't forget that extra margin — averag ing between 23% and 30% at the retail level — it makes any extra merchandising effort well worth while. Farm Appliances Otto A. Nurkkala Department Manager New Little Giant Portable Because of the current shortage of pipe, the engineering depart ment at Waukesha has designed a new CO-OP Portable—putting the standard 1/7X Little Giant Power Outfit on wheels. This will permit easy change-over to a regular pipe line installation as soon as pipe is again available. The portable is complete with L/2 HP. motor, one- cylinder pump, tank, spring type relief valve and gauge and 50-ft. extension cord, plus portable equip ment such as wheels, handle, belt- guard, etc. This new portable is the only one on the market that can be used with a short-tube milker as well as a long-tube. It's sturdily con structed and designed for perma nent use as a portable if desired. The factory recommends its use with one milker unit only—plus an extra milk pail (with sanitary lid) for efficiency in milking. It's equipped with the new improved combination muffler and oil filter to assure quiet operation and keep oil in better condition. Shipments are being made currently—order from your regional. Milker Parts Merchandiser The merchandiser for storing and displaying rubber replacements, shown on this page, was built for use in the sales and service de partment at the CO-OP Universal factory. It serves the double pur pose of affording a reminder type display of the entire rubber line— and also of keeping the parts within convenient reach. When a patron asks for an item, the salesman has only to reach behind the merchan diser for it—saves time and steps. The merchandiser is 50 in. high, 38 in. wide and about 22 in. from front to back at the bottom, and 12 in. deep at the top. It cost the Universal Division between $40 and Rear view of the replacement parts mer chandiser showing the large handy bins, each with index cards for prices and order numbers. S50 for construction and materials. The possibility of producing a sim ilar merchandiser in steel is being investigated. Automotive Su Wayne W. Lehto Department Manager The larger of two battery chargers now available to local CO-OP stores and filling stations—it charges the average battery in about five hours' time. New Battery Charger In view of the battery situation as outlined above, the importance of keeping batteries in prime work ing condition, properly charged and filled with acid, becomes a No. 1 concern for motorists and filling station attendants alike. With this in mind, orders are being solicited for two new battery chargers. Both chargers are convenient to use— and they do the job at an average cost of only 2c a battery. The larger size, Model 63, is 4V2 in. by &/z in. by Wz in. It's equipped with an ammeter, and does the job about 50% faster than the smaller size, Model 42. Both chargers are be ing shipped now, but unfortunately deliveries on the larger model are slowed up by the scarcity of am meters. Serious consideration ought to be given to the need for these battery chargers, as used batteries, if kept properly charged, will help January, 1947 19 cooperative consumers over the winter months. Send your orders to your regional. No More Rayon in 6.50's Because of the continued short age of rayon, the entire tire indus try is planning to discontinue the manufacture of 6.50 cross section Passenger car tires in rayon. As a result, CO-OP Tires in the 6.50 size will be made of cotton after December 15. The sizes affected are: 6.50-15's and 6.50-16's, CO-OP Heavy Duty, in four and six-ply and 6.50-16 CO-OP Bar Lug tires, in 4-ply. Continued Battery Crisis Sad news continues to haunt fill ing stations and automotive depart ments the country over. The lat est pronouncement on the supply of lead for batteries cannot be called encouraging. In a report by Mr. Daggett of the National Bat tery Company, some of the prin cipal reasons for the current short age are laid to abnormal demand, plus low ceilings, plus shortage of labor. According to Mr. Daggett, the country entered the fourth quarter of 1946 with lowest stock of auto mobile batteries in history, and even though the fourth quarter de mand is normally 20% higher than the third quarter, the battery in dustry is producing 16% less than in the third quarter, and over 40% less than in the fourth quarter of 1945. "Even though all restrictions were removed," Mr. Daggett states, "it would take some time to catch up with and take care of current demand." In concluding his report, Mr. Daggett pointed out that motorists should be made conscious of the Fact that they must take perfect care of their batteries or be pre pared to walk. Gives Contest Award to CARE "Winning $100 was the nicest Christmas present I ever received and playing Santa Claus to ten hungry little children in Europe by sending them enough food for a month, is the best Christmas pres ent I have ever been able to give," says Jean Meyers, of Milwaukee. Miss Meyers, a Milwaukee office girl, was winner of the name con test conducted by the Cooperative Insurance Companies at St. Paul. Mutual Service Life Insurance Company was chosen from 1,800 en tries as the new name for Coop- erators Life Association of Min nesota, which is being changed from a Fraternal to a Legal Re serve Mutual. It is the intention to change the names of the other companies in the cooperative in surance program to Mutual Service Casualty Insurance Company and Mutual Service Fire Insurance Company. The winning name was selected as best denoting the idea of the cooperative purpose of the com panies. "Placing 'Mutual' first in the name emphasizes the principle of collective sharing of risks on a cooperative basis, and the word 'service' signifies the basic motive of cooperation as opposed to prof it," the judges explained. Miss Meyers is shown presenting her $100 award to Al Reindl, State Director of CARE at the Coopera tive Insurance Companies' office. The ten CARE packages, at Miss Meyers' request, will go to two children in each of the countries of Finland, Germany, Austria, France and Greece. Household Appliances Otto A. Nurkkala Department Manager Home Freezer Survey The final analysis of the market ing survey on CO-OP Home Freez ers in Waukegan has not yet been completed. However some facts of interest have been released. In this urban community of 35,000 the de mand for the 16 cubic foot freezer outstripped that for the smaller box —running 52% for the 16's over 48% for the 8's. The demand for the 16's would no doubt have been even greater but for simple lack of space in users' homes to ac- comodate the larger box. While this is only one test in one area it would be well to keep those fig ures in mind when planning the 1947 home freezer program for your co-op. Pressure Cooker Gaskets Gaskets for CO-OP Pressure Cookers and Saucepans need re versing occasionally to expose the other surface for sealing. With this kind of care gaskets may last as long as 4 or 5 years. On the other hand, if the gasket is burned or otherwise abused it may last only a few months. To avoid the neces sity for replacements be sure to advise your patrons on proper care of gaskets. J. L. Proebsting Advertising Manager Those Truck Decals Latest information on the CO-OP decals for trucks discloses that they come in three sizes: 8 in. high by 31 Vi in. long, 15 in. high by 58V2 in. long and 20 in. high by 78 in. long. Color is Forest Green. It is sug gested that decals be applied with special decal cement which costs very little more and assures much longer wear. Cement comes in half-pint, pint, quart and gallon sizes. Order both decals and cement from your regional. 20 CO-OP Magazine The Makings of an Executive Compiled by Arnold Ronn Assistant Manager, Central Cooperative Wholesale Excerpts from "BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND MANAGE MENT" by ELMORE FETERSEN, M. A., dean of School of Busi ness, University of Colorado; and E. GROSVENOR PLOWMAN, Fh. D.f traffic manager, Colorado Fnel and Iron Corp. and lec turer In management, tJniveratty of Denver. NOTE: The term "manager" herein used réfère to manage ment and supervision at all levels, such as: foremen, supervisor«, superintendents, department heads, division head«, boards of di rectors, committee chairmen, group leaders, etc. —52— It is urged that a committee (board) delays executive de cisions by its debates and political intrigues; that it fre quently reverses itself; that it kills initiative of its salaried executives through criticisms and bickerings; that it wastes time on details. It is pointed out that a top committee may lose all sense of responsibility except to itself, and that it may become honorary through the inheritance process and lose all direct contact with the business it controls. These disad vantages are of exceptional character and grow out of the defects in human nature. —53— The Board of Directors is logically a committee, repre senting the best of the group thinking and skill available at this highest management level. An efficient board concerns itself chiefly with those re sponsibilities and duties growing directly out of ownership. Since it is impossible for the board to oversee every detail of the business, it is necessary to determine what is and what is not important enough to be considered by the direc tors. The practice of reserving subjects for board decision likely to affect the rights and status the owners of the busi ness is definite and easily applied. —55— The board of directors may be thought of as the pilot of a great ocean liner, standing beside the captain, guiding the ship through the narrow channel into the crowded harbor. The pilot does not steer the ship himself, nor does he issue orders to the crew. He tells the captain how the ship should be directed, and the captain converts his general instructions into specific orders. The pilot not only has available all the knowledge and skill of the ship's officers and crew, but, also, he understands the harbor and its traffic, and he knows the problems that will be met in docking the vessel. Similarly, the board of directors guides the company president and his executive group in their management of the business. The Board must not only understand its own business enterprise, but also its relation to other businesses and to changing business conditions. To perform this broad task of guidance, the board must concern itself with general rather than detailed problems. Its contact with its own business must therefore be chiefly by means of written summaries and reports. r o o o o o o o o o o Petroleum Production Facilities Owned by cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives, Inc. REFINERIES (10) Owned by Fhillipsbnrgr, Kansas ...............Consumers Cooperative Association ScottsbluflT, Nebraska ...............Consumers Cooperative Association Coffejrvllie, Kansas ................. Consumers Cooperative Association Mb Vernon, Indiana.............Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association Laurel, Montana................ Farmers Union Central Exchange dishing, Oklahoma........Midland Cooperative Wholesale Louisville, Kentucky........Ohio Farm Bureau Cooperative Association tevellond, Texas ...................Consumers, Cooperatives' Associated., McFberson, Kansas.......National Cooperative Refinery Association (Consumers Cooperative Association, Central Cooperative Wholesale, Midland Cooperative Wholesale, Farmers Union Central Exchange, Farmers Union State1 Exchange) R«gina, Saskatchewan .............Cooperative Refineries, Ltd. OIL WELLS <450) Owned by 374 in Kansas, Texas, Illinois and Oklahoma ......................Consumers Cooperative Association 65 In Kentucky and Indiana... .Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association 21 in Seminole field of Oklahoma..... Midland Cooperative Wholesale •over) 1.1.47 PRODUCTION—3 CO-OP HALL OF FAME I. Great Britain SA3ICEL ASHWOKTH, 1825-1371 First manager of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, who continued at that job for 22 years. He became buyer and manager later for North of England Cooperative Society, now Cooperative Wholesale Society, of Man chester, England. WILLIAM COOPER, 1822-1868 First cashier of the Rochdale Pioneers. He •was called "the newsman of cooperation" be cause of his passion for writing letters in answer to inquiries about cooperation. ABRAHAM GREENWOOD, 1824-1911 Author of the plan for the Cooperative Whole sale Society of England; cWS's first president In 1863 and first bank manager 1874-1898. FRED HALL, 1866-1938 A leading English educator in field of co operation. Author with W. p. Watkins of Co operation, chief English textbook on cooperation. SIR FRED HAYW'ARD, lg.76-1944 Chairman of the Centrai Board of the Co operative Union almost continuously 1918-1944. CEOKCE J. H01YOAKE, 1817-1907 English writer of the early history of the cooperative movement. Wrote Rochdale Pioneers in 1857 and The History of Cooperation in 1875. Holyoake House, Manchester, was named In his honor as "the prince of cooperative journalists." CHARLES HOWARTH, 1818-1868 One of the 28 Rochdale Pioneers. Formulated (at the age of 26) the eight Rochdale rules and the six Rochdale aims. DR. WILLIAM KINO, 1786-1865 English exponent of consumer cooperatives in pre-Rochdale days as well as later. A physician In Brighton, he developed a deep interest in cooperatives and other humanitarian causes. He 'helped form a local cooperative, in 1827. A year later, he founded the Brighton Cooperator, which he published monthly for 28 months and -D E 0) D O -D 00 00 Foresight for Health (See page 9] A Prophet from "another country" often gets a better hearing- use THESE CO-OP SPEAKERS COOPERATIVE SPEAKERS CO.OP SPEAKERS BUREAU There is a CO-OP SPEAKER for that meeting you are planning A partial list of cooperative speakers is now available from the Publicity Department of National Cooperatives. Included are names, locations, and fields of endeavor—all persons with a thorough knowledge of the cooperative movement—church men, farm leaders, educators, writers, labor leaders, editors and co-op officials—in many parts of the country (see map). Speakers can be obtained by writing to National Coopera tives to see whether your choice is free on the date you have in mind. The list tells you whether you have to pay costs. Co-op Education Committees should send lists to leaders of civic and cultural groups in their communities, with the explan atory letters indicating the value of co-ops to the community, and urging the groups to put on co-op programs. Contact your churches, synagogues, young people's groups, Y's, mi nority group organizations, discussion clubs, schools. Order Speakers Bureau Lists 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, Giiman Calkins ASSOCIATE EDITORS Wallaoe-T CamphelJ U. J McLanali^n J anipfi L Proebst ins: ADVISORY COMMITTEE Kdltors . ........ ..... .Erick Kendali Educational Directors .. ....... . Orrin Snipe Personnel Directors.... .... ..Herbert E Evans Sales & Adv'g Directors.........Charles G Pool Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president; Howard A Cowden, vice president; E R Rowen, acting secretary: L. E. Woodcock, treasurer; Mary Arnold. Charles Baker, R. N. Benjamin. Perry L Green, I H. Hull, Andrew P Jensen, Wm Lilmatalnen, Orrin Snipe, A. J Smaby. Dwiglit D Townsend, J P Warbasse, E. A Wliitney NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. A J Hayes, president; J L. Nolan, vice presi dent; Howard A. Cowden, secretary-treasurer; r A Tenhune, asst secretary-treasurer; H S. After, W A. Amos, Hugh Baiiey Charles Bjker, C W Hauer H. N. Benjamin. Win. AT lîisusdeU, E B Chown, Leonard F Cow den, J A. Geddes, H. W Hogg, H H Hogue, I H. Hui], C S Jones. J H Jones, J E Kell ner, Jacob Kupp, Laurie Lehtin, William Liima tainen, Jacob Liukku, J R Love, M G Mann, Biuce McCully, D G Mac Donald, Robert McKay, Robert Neptune, Hal Norton, C C Palmer, Royd Hainey, S P. Hlcketts, W B Robins, William Sanderson, Jerry F Shea, J J Siemens, A J Smaby, Dave Smeaton, W E Stough, L. O Up- ton, George Urwin, L. E Woodcock, J F Yeager 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. R. Bowen, secretary; T. A. Tenhune, treasurer; Harland Allen, Charlef Baker. William M Blaisdell. Emil Selvig, Arnold Honii Regional Cooperatives affiliated with National Cooperatives, Th« Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America ALHEHTA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Box 97, Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FARMERS MUT. AUTO INS. CO St. Paul. Minnesota ARIZONA COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 200-202 West Adams St , Phoenix Arizona ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St., New York 27. New York ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St., Oakland, California BRITISH COLUMBIA COOP'TIVE WHL'SALE One West Cordova St , Vancouver, B C CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 1336 Fullerton Ave., Chicago 14, Illinois CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St.. Kansas City. Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amarillo. Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison. Wisconsin EASTERN COOPERATIVES 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., Columbu» 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St.. Lanslng. Michigan FARMERS COOPERATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh. North Carolina FARMERS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P. O Box G. St Paul. Minnesota FARMERS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 30th & Leavenworth St.. Omaha, Neb. INDIANA FABM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN. 47 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 9. Ind. MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St.. Winnipeg. Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St. N E.. Minneapolis 13. Mlnn. PACIFIC COAST STUDENT CO-OP LEAGUE Herkeley. 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 TENNESSEE FARMERS COOP VE Institute Bldg., Box 473 Columbia, Tennessee UNITED FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY Duke and George Sts.. Toronto 2. Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South. Salt Lain City 4. Utah Journal of technical assistance and information for local coopérative officer«, directors, employees.sand committee members VOLUME 3, NO. 2 FEBRUARY 1947 CONTENTS Checking Your Service Station Score 5 By L. G. Koepke How Should We Finance Our Co-op? 6 Family Doctor—Plus .... — F> By Gwen Goodrich What's Ahead in Prices for 1947? 14 By E. R. Bowen Visiting Europe's Co-ops .... _ 15 By Wallace J. Cnmpbell The Zurich Delegates Speak Out ....16 International Co-op Trade 19 By T. A. Tenhune Vermont Co-op Gets 1 nion Promotion 23 Outside Service Calls 26 By Peter Markantes Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily the officiai poiicies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations Departments Letters from Readers 4 Coming Events 4 Display of the Month ... .... . 7 Fact Book Pages 11-12, 21-22 Flicker Flashes . —— .. 13 Material for Study-Action Groups 23 Notes About Commodities 24 Co-op 'Mews of the Month 28 PICTURE CREDITS Covei uff> Yuba City Consuincis Coopératif Pulga California. The clipping Mr Duffy sent GENERAL ELECTRIC "CARTEL" Shortens Light Bulb Life To Fatten "Mazda" Profits The "international lamp cartel"—headed l>> the General Electric Companj —lias purpose!} lowered the quality of light bulbs and shortened their life, to «ell more and make bigger profits. Housewives who have to make their pennies stretch over family budgets nil! be particular!} interested in that remarkable revelation, but it is important to everyone, because ever}- one uses electric lamps. The disclosure is made by the Twentieth fenturj Fund, an independent research organ ization, in a report on eartels. A cartel is what Americans call a "trust,1* but is organized on an international scale. It» purpose is to fix prices and divide up world markets between the monopolists of various countries. The lamp cartel is bossed bj (ïeiieial Elec tric, which "licenses" \Vestinghouse and other lamp manufacturers here and abroad, the re port sajs. It quotes "a letter from one General Elec tric official to another," saying: "The constant process of reduction of lamp life that we have been carrying on lias kept the volume of business up." That letter was talking about houseüold- size lamps. General Electric also shortened the life of flashlight bulbs, according- to a "memorandum" from one of the compaii} 's, en gineers to another official. It sa>s: "Two or three }ears ago we proposed a re duction in the life of flashlight lamps from th.- „1,1 basis. ,m »hid. onv lamp «as "''"f I.ose.1 to outlast tlirrr batterieB, to a point «1,,-re tlir la,nl> and one battery would haie about the same life. "Tin- batter» manufacturers went [tart »a» with us on tins and accept«! lamps of two h itterj lu es instead ot three. "We hme been rontinninff our efforts to briiiK about the one battery life lamps. If this were ilone, i( «mild increase onr flash light business about fiO per cent." This is the same General Electric Company which spends million» «f dollars on advertise ments nioiislj proclaiming it» devotion to the qualitj of "Alaxda" lamps. Préfabrication Dear Sii". In the September issue ol your magazine you published an article by the Editors of Prefabricated Homes. Your credit for tins arti'-le leads me to believe that the publication is a monthly mas^ine Prefabricated houses tttould be wclï adapted to this country and our i^roup would be inteiested in the latest information oil them. Will you theiefore please send me the ad diess of Prefabricated Homes? Edward C. Clark ii. Arizona Yes, PREFABRICATED HOMES is a month ly periodical for the Prefabricated Homes in- dllKtiy. VddresK is 11 1 Ejst 32 Street, New York Hi, Xcn York. Subscription price is S2.OO a year. — Ed. Coming Events I J in 20-Apr f>—F i ft pen service schools ai Walla Walla, Wash sponsored bv Pacific Sup ply Cooperative Courses in refrigeration and small appliances tractors-, milking1 maolmitJb and pump and irrigation equipment will be offered Jan 37-Feb. 14—Central Cooperative Whole- salt circuit workshop sessions to study metli ods of achie\ ing greater membership and par ticipation in annual meeting's Feb 10-22—Advanced Training- School foi- Managers of Petroleum Cooperatives. Spon sored by Consumers Cooperative Association Kansas City and Cof ley ville Feb L5-16—Annual meeting1. Associated Cooperatives, San Jose and Palo Alto, Cali fornia Feb. 16 S3—14th annual observance of Biotlierhood Week, sponsored by the National Coiifet ence of Christians and Jews Feb 17-24—Cooperative Week in Wisconsin Feb 18 SO—National Conference on the Chmch and Economic Life called by the Fed eral Council of Churches of Christ in Ameri ca Pittsburgh Penna Feb 18-2Û—Annual meeting". Farmers Union Central Exchange, Hotel Lowry, St Paul Feb. 30—First annual meeting1, Teime&oCL Farmers Coopeiative, Columbia, Tenii Mar 4-5—Meeting', Board of Directors Co operative League o1 the USA, Chicago, 111 Mar. 6—Special stockholders meeting1. Na tional Cooperatives. Chicago. Ill Mar 6-7—Meeting, Board of Directors, Na tional Cooperatives Chicago, 111 March 10 15—Adult Institute Central Co operative Wholesale Superior, Wis Mar 12-J 3—Meeting's of Educational and Publicity Committees of National Cooperatives, at Chicago May 17 25—First postwar home show Chi cagro Metropolitan Home Builders Association Chicago Coliseum June 22-July 5—Eleventh annual National Coopérative Recreation School. Mission House College Plymouth, Wisconsin. July 12 19—Annual Associated Cooperatives summer leadership training- institute ai Camp Sierra, near Fresiio, California Aug 25-29—19th Annual Session, American Institute of Cooperation Fort Colhns Colorado CO-OP Magazine Some primary standards for checking Your Service Station Score Co-ops cannot gain or keep patrons without cleanliness, courtesy and the utmost in service rr^ODAY with many merchandise JL items still scarce, it may be dif ficult to realize that soon patrons will select the service station on the basis of the quality of service given. The customer will not continue to overlook incompetent employees, lack of courtesy, dirty stations, or inefficiency. The problem of reconverting from war time operations to a level of high standards offers a real oppor tunity to co-op managers and serv ice station employees. The quality of service in a cooperative, like product quality, should be the best. Factors Determining Quality For the manager who wants to meet this challenge, Midland Coop erative Wholesale provides an in spection form which helps to eval uate service station premises, facil ities, and operations. The manager scores his own station. The field- man or field director analyzes the report, and gives assistance in a pro gram of improvement. The patron's impression of quality of service is determined by several factors, some of which are: a. The facilities b. The employees c. The merchandise The facilities include the building, the equipment, and the premises, ex- * From Midland Bulletin, July, 194fi By L. G. KOEPKE Personnel Training, Midland Cooperative Wholesale terior and interior. To make a good impression on the patron the facil ities need not be pretentious. Of course, finances of the cooperative should be adequate to provide the facilities to perform efficiently the merchandise and service programs planned by its members. Oftentimes the effect of modern and adequate facilities is voided by poor maintenance and housekeeping. It's not the original investment in facilities that impresses the patron, but rather the appearance. A mod est building well painted, well kept, neat and orderly will be the choice of a potential customer rather than an elaborate set-up which is dirty and untidy. What Do Your Customers Say? Some of the observations which your customers might make are: 1. The exterior premises indicate that the folks who work here are proud of them. 2. Driveway is clean or dirty. 3. The yard or lawn is well kept —even a pleasant flower bed which shows interest and effort to please those who view the premises. 4. Equipment and tools are in place and ready for prompt service. TJUBLIC sentiment is everything. With publir sentiment nothing can fail. Without it. nothing can succeed. Conse quently, he who moulds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. He makes statutes and decisions possible or impossible to execute. — Abraham Lincoln 5 Oil jars on the driveway are oily and dirty on the outside which might indicate carelessness in filling the jars with the proper product. 6. The window displays are fresh, clean, indicating alert attention and good turn-over of merchandise. 7. An accumulation of empty bottles and debris on the counter of shelves stamps the operator as lazy, careless, incompetent, and indiffer ent to the responsibility of the job. With the housekeeping inspection form the manager can evaluate these and other conditions in his opera tions. Employee An Important Factor The employee, of course, is a most important factor in service station operations. New employees are be ing hired who must be trained prop erly for satisfactory service, and present employees must be refresh ed on fundamentals. Plenty of time should be scheduled by the manager to give the necessary information to new employees to do the job re quired of them. Regular meetings of employees are beneficial to improve the proficiency and interest of the employee in the program. Regionals can make available films which field directors can pre sent to employee groups. Subjects dealing with salesmanship, courtesy, lubrication, etc., can be presented very effectively with films and slides. The cooperative should check its employees for the impression made on the patrons. Some of the items important to the customer are- 1. Attitude of employee toward his work. 2. Courtesy. 3. Neatness in personal appear ance. 4. The know-how to do the job. 5. Knowledge of the merchandise handled. 6. Willingness to work. 7. Dependability. These qualifications can be devel oped by the employee with effort properly applied. Supervisors should show the way. February, 1 947 How Should We Fi inancc o ur RECENTLY we received a query (in box at right) about member ship capital requirements and meth ods for getting capital. We passed the query on to several experts in cooperative finance and administra tion. Everyone of the answers contains meaty, challenging and helpful com ment. They are not in complete agreement, but they are all aimed at the same objective—co-op efficiency for patron benefit. Use Both Methods r I ''HERE may be some question of JL discrimination in paying pa tronage refunds to some in cash and to others in shares, but in the final analysis the persons who use a co operative should finance it. This of itself is good argument for more or less "forcing" the patrons to put up their share, or at least a reasonable share, of the capital. I, also, like the idea of voluntary investments such as suggested in the query. Certainly a combination of the two should give a satisfactory method of capitalizing a cooperative. The combination is based on the theory that the users should help finance the co-op somewhat in pro portion to their use of it, and. sec ond, that individuals who have addi tional sums available provide them as straight investments in their co operative. This Last method of financing a co-op is almost like bor rowing except that the funds are obtained from a more friendly source in this manner.—K. N. Pro- basco Too Many Will Duck T~|EPENDENCE on individual ap- JLJ proach is impractical for rais ing enough capital now when it is needed most, unless combined with an inducement to get larger amounts of capital from the "investor" type of individuals. Such an inducement would be substantial interest or div idends, say 4% nowadays—maybe 3% for co-ops with a long history of savings, or 5% for brand new ones. The idea of letting each one judge his own capital requirements or of letting the Individual conscience guide his investment has certain weaknesses even in the light of the ''I don't know much about store operations, and am puzzled by this problem of capitalization. My own co-op in x x x x x is strug gling with the question and has been considering the change in by-laws that ECL recommends—that patronage refunds shall be paid in cash only to members who have fifty dollars in shares. I am aware that Central States is recommending a five dollar regis tration fee. Members of my co-op resist both of these ideas as discriminatory, and I must say I sympathize with them. I have suggested a campaign for voluntary investment carried out systematically at every membership meeting. I have urged the use of a good co-op movie, a two-minute talk on what our co-op could accomplish with more capital, and the passing out of pledges. I don't know whether it would work." Co-op principle of equity, to -wit: (a) Each ought to finance his own business. The above mentioned does not assure this or demand it. (b) No one should be allowed to shirk his responsibility and duty as a member in case of some adversity to the joint venture. The above method permits the weak and the shifty and the "cagey" close-to-the- belly guys to duck.—K. S. Alarme Different View 1DO not think the question of capitalization should be tied in with the question of paying patron age dividends. Capital is a neces sary tool of business. Patronage re funds are a result of using the tools of business wisely and properly. I do not see the logic and wisdom of tying one to the other. Capital must be furnished by peo ple who have it. Why compel the family whose consumer needs may be large, but who are unable to ac cumulate investment capital to fore go a cash patronage dividend until they have accumulated $50 in shares through savings? I think we must look to people in our own commu nity for cooperative capital—to small investors, the people with $200, $500 or $1000 to invest. Investment opportunities which are safe and pay a reasonable return are scarce for the small investor and it seems to me that the cooperative offers such an opportunity. Where else could they invest their savings in a business in their own commu nity which they not only can watch but also in which they have a voice and a share in the earnings? One cf the obligations of the members of a cooperative is to fur nish adequate capital and this should be brought to their attention on every possible occasion. Once they understand this obligation they will meet it—this is my experience I am not in favor of registration or membership fees. Cooperatives should serve those who need them most and no obstacles should be placed in the way of anyone wishing to become a patron and eventually through his purchases, a member Let us not discriminate especially against those to whom cooperative savings are important.—A. G. Tom linson Everyone His Share! TO run a business of a given size, there is needed a certain amount of money; without it, there can be no business. This is just as true of a cooperative as any other business. To run a grocery store with two or three departments, there must be Who's Who K. N. Probasco, treasurer, Farm Bu reau Cooperative Association, Columbus, Ohio K. S. Âlanne, director, Central States Auditing Service, Chicago A. G. Tomlinson, field director, Mid land Cooperative Wholesale. Minnea polis L. E. Woodcock, general manager, Eastern Cooperatives, New Fork City Arnold Ronn, assistant manager, Cen tral Cooperative Wholesale, Superior, \Vis. E. K. Bowen, economic research di rector, The Cooperative JLeaeue. Chicago CO-OP Magazine Co-op? used an amount of capital equal to between $50 and $100 per family served by the store. (The range de pends upon goods handled, owner ship or rental of real estate, etc.) In a cooperative, the source of capital is the membership, and roughly speaking they accept equal responsibility for furnishing it. Let me phrase your question in the way which most clearly brings out the point: "Is it fair to require in the by-laws that each member shall invest in, or subscribe to, at the time of his first down-payment, a minimum of $50 worth of the so ciety's capital stock to provide his share of the working capital needed to give him service, and further, is it discriminatory to provide that pa tronage refunds shall be paid in cash to those who have made this min imum investment of $50, and that refunds shall be credited to the share account of those whose sub scription has not yet been paid up?" My answer is that the first re quirement is fair and that to pay the refund in cash to the member who has not yet met his minimum obligation would be the discrimina tory practice, quite unfair to the member who has paid his minimum. Your proposal that, using every educational means, a constant cam paign be carried on to inform peo ple about cooperatives, about the financial basis of their society and its wholesale, about the economic and social forces in the world which cooperatives aim to affect, etc., is very sound. I wish you every suc cess. You are one of many thou sands who are going to push for ward such a program in 1947.—Les lie Woodcock Zowie! HAVE urged the use of a good co-op movie, a two-minute talk on what our co-op could ac complish with more capital, and the passing out of pledges."—There jest ain't no sech animal! Who ever heard of a good two-minute talk on finance? The writer of that Letter starts by saying, "I don't know much about store operations, and am puzzled by this problem of capitalization,' and yet that person intends to solve all the mysteries of finance with a two- minute talk. Ain't nature wonderful! "Members of my co-op resist both these ideas as discriminatory, and I must say I sympathize with them." Just how the ideas referred to are discriminatory is not made plain. Sure as hell they will never be made plain in any two-minute talk. I am not familiar with the $5 registration fee recommended by Central States. "ECL recommends—that patron age refunds shall be paid in cash only to members who have $50 in shares." While $50 is at least ten times as good as only a tenth as much, modern business certainly can't go very far on a measly $50 per capita. If we can get into the promised land of the cooperative commonwealth en a $50 fare, I won der what in heck we're waiting for. Surely if we take our cooperation seriously, we must provide our co operatives with a damsite more cap ital than $50 a head. How much more than $50 depends, of course, on how much better we want to operate than in the present "holes-in- the- wall" of too many of our co-ops. Obviously, if $50 is all that it takes to finance, for example, the requirements of a farm family with eight or ten kids, twenty-five cows, a team of horses, and some sheep and goats and a few hundred chick ens, it is a bit discriminatory, of course, to expect an old maid who could possibly purchase only her gum from the co-op to invest $50, too. My point is that each patron should furnish his co-op with capital in proportion to his patronage. The $50 per head is enough only if it is. If the co-op with the $50 limit already owns the town, lock, stock and barrel; is already render ing every conceivable service; has no unpaid bills and is doing that on the $50 limit, then $50 is enough. —Arnold J. Ronn Why Object? PAYMENT of patronage refunds in cash only after a member has provided a minimum amount of cap ital as determined by the members is not a peculiar thing in any way in the consumer cooperative move ment, but instead a common prac tice. Like-wise, the payment of a regis tration fee is not uncommon. I see no reason for objecting to either.— E. R. Bowen Display of the Month : ,V * ,. » IV r ,"Jr, •a® Scles of CO-OP products doubled as a result of this display by Germcntown Cooperative As sociation, Philadelphia, but sales of seasonal foods shown here showed no appreciable in crease Marion S. Norton, Publicity chairman, reports. Arranged by Joseph McCullough Hanna, manager of the co-op at 6100 Germantown Avenue, the display was used for two weeks in November. It demonstrates how limiting the variety of items makes for easy identification by the prospective customer Large price tickets were also found to be effective in publicizing a bargain. Perhaps a little fresh paint on the pine tree emblem (on the window pane) will increase the effectiveness of the next display! CO-OP Magazine pays $10 for each picture of a CO-OP exhibit or merchandise display which the editors find suitable for publication. Pictures should be accompanied by particulars about setting up displays, results achieved Mail to Display Editor, CO-OP Magazine. February, 1947 No sketchy once-over at Labor Health Center—or any other health co-op. Complete x-ray to eliminate any guess-work is part of the routine Cooperatively, you can have a Family Doctor A picture of modern health care—before sickness as well as dur ing sickness—and proper steps for organizing in your community ££ \\7 HILE most older coopéra- »T tives have continued their usual jobs of marketing farmers' products and purchasing their sup plies this past year, many have added new services and products. . . One of the highlights of 1946 in rural health was the first national conference of cooperative health plans held at Two Harbors, Minn. . . . By the year's end 20 charters had been granted under the recent ly enacted cooperative hospital law in Texas. By 1947, 5 cooperative groups expect to open hospital health centers. "Pacific Northwest groups at Buhl and Sandpoint, Idaho; Salem, Ore gon; and Seattle, Washington, like wise have developed plans for coop eratively owned hospitals." This quote from January's News 8 By GWEN GOODRICH Acting Secretary Cooperative Health Federation of America for Farmer Cooperatives is typical of statements appearing in most re views of 1946's cooperative develop ments. Health, the distribution of medical care services, was a top-priority is sue for the nation as a whole in 1946. Citizens were lined up on one side or the other in the controversy over the Wagner-Murray - Dingell bill—the National Health Act. Op position bills were introduced. States took up the problem. Statistics about the state of the nation's health appeared in most newspapers, maga zines, even in trade journals. Unions, farm organizations, coop eratives, other civic groups put "health planks" in their year's pro grams. But co-ops in the country took it beyond the "issue stage"—they ac tually did some organization, enough to begin to set patterns for other groups, enough to begin to help other groups to organize. "Consumer-sponsored health plans" is better terminology for this development in the field that some call "cooperative medicine." Elk City, Oklahoma, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Washington, D. C., for a long time the Meccas for advocates of consumer participation in the dis tribution of medical care, have been joined during the past year by St. Louis, Missouri, Seattle, Washington, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Amherst CO-OP Magazine and Hale Center, Texas. Hospitals, clinics, prepayment plans, group medical practice—all these terms have become more common to hun dreds of thousand of families who have participated in one kind of plan or another. Every co-op health plan that's been developed is different, but let's take a look at one of the newest— the Labor Health Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. Here a group of union members and their families, through collective bargaining and management participation, have set up a consumer-controlled health plan that provides one of the most complete prepaid medical care pro grams in the country. Most Modern Equipment A St. Louis visitor interested in looking into the LHI program re ceives a cordial welcome from any member or officer or doctor of the LHI. There's a lot of warranted pride shown by the guide who immediately takes the visitor to the fourth floor of the building at 1127 Pine Street. The cool green walls and attractive simple furniture of the reception room are shown with enthusiasm. Then there are th^ doctors' offices, the x-ray room, the laboratories. The x-ray room itself cost more than $10,000 to install. Special barium plaster was used and lead plaster installed to protect the technician from the dangerous rays. There is a physiotherapy depart ment that provides equipment for ultraviolet, infrared and diathermy treatments as well as many others. There is a drug store where mem bers get their drugs and medical supplies at cost One of the newer additions to the Medical Center is the dentist's of fice with its special x-ray machine. Children covered under the Center's family plan get free complete dental care at various times during the year. LHI members like to tell, too, about how the doctors like this kind of set-up: everything under one roof; doctors are free to ask for any kind of examination, laboratory test, x-ray, consultation at any time, spe cialist services without worrying about additional costs or about send ing the patient from one building or part of town to another. Home calls are provided, as well as hospitalization and counselling. Two psychiatrists and a medical so cial worker are on the staff of 22 physicians and specialists headed by Dr. Elmer Richman, medical direc tor. There is no disease and no con dition that won't receive treatment. And the members are working hard at developing their family care plan. Health care comes first. The em phasis at LHI is keeping people from getting sick or having to go to the hospital. Regular complete physical examinations have become a habit with more and more members—at first hard to sell on the idea. In the first months of its existence the number of persons having physical examinations more than quadrupled. Most of the people who have re ceived care from the Center in the past year had not seen a doctor for three or four years—many of them for longer periods than that. Edu cation in healthy living, nutrition and recreation will play an impor tant part in building better indi vidual and community health. A similar story, though different in detail, could be told about almost any of the consumer-sponsored health plans functioning now. Here is a list of the most common prin ciples embodied in these plans: 1. Complete health care to pre vent illness. 2. Complete sick care based on need of service at home, in the hos pital, or at the medical center. 3. Group medical practice—so that a group of doctors with differ ent specialties could supplement each other's skills and consult free- ly- 4. Adequate, centrally - located, easily-accessible facilities with mod ern equipment for medical diagnosis and treatment. 5. Prepayment of costs—budget ing for health. (Continued on next page) The Cover Picture Some of the stages in a thorough co-op health service "check-up" or physical analysis ore pictured here, as provided in the Labor Health Institute's health center in St. Louis. Above, part of the eye examination. Checking the respiratory system. Teeth get a thorough going-over. Medical needs are supplied at cost. February, 1947 Family Doctor Plus— (Continued from page Q) 6 Democratic, non-profit organ ization, consumer-control. Does it sound easy when it's all written out? Don't let the descrip tion of the end ideal and the state ment of the principles involved be blinders. Almost every health plan in existence has had a long hard struggle against tremendous odds to keep going. There's opposition, often vicious opposition. The most diffi cult for a group to face is the legal barrier to organization. In 1945 fifteen states and in 1943 three more states enacted laws pro hibiting or restricting the rights of consumers to organize medical care prepayment plans. Seven other oth er states did the same thing in 1939- 41 The Group Health Association of Washington, D. C., had to fight in the courts for their right to serve their members, and the fight went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. State medical so cieties can decide not to license co operative hospitals, can expel doc tors serving such plans from the medical society and thus hamper the kind of service they will be allowed to give. This has happened—it isn't just a possibility. Almost as big a stumbling block as the legal restriction is the cur rent common acceptance of hospital- ization insurance and sick benefits as the end and all to acquire. A policy in hand seems to lull the in sured into a complete blindness to the fact that no insurance policy will call on him when he's i'l 100 miles from a doctor, when he needs hos- pitalization 100 miles from a hospital Cfmon—Join Up! Farm organizations, coopera tives, labor unions, and other non-profit community service or ganizations may become asso ciate members of the Cooperative Health Federation of America Membership fee is $25 and annual associate membership dues are $25. The funds so raised will be used in the organization of new health plans, in the administra tion of the program and to carry on an extensive public education program in health information. For further information, write the Cooperative Health Federa tion of America, 343 S. Dearborn, Chicago 4, 111. In the interest of preventing illness, examinations for early throat infections and insurance of oral hygiene are included when a patient "makes the rounds" at LHI. —or 10 miles from a hospital that has no beds; that no insurance policy will tell him how to keep out of the hospital in the first place or how to keep his children out. One- seventh of the nation's population is now covered by some kind of hos- pitalization insurance, and rates of admittance to hospitals have in creased tremendously during the past few years. But the desired ratio of four or five hospital beds to 1,000 of population is way off balance, and at best there are barely 100,000 doc tors to care for 140-million people. Insurance to pay for bills incurred during catastophic illness doesn't mean more hospitals and clinics and doctors and nurses and medical-so cial workers—something else has to be done. Another attitude stumbling block for those interested in organizing a health plan is unfamiliarity on the part of most people with the various aspects of health care. A cloak of mystery surrounds the practice of medicine, a cloak of long Latin- sounding names for terrible diseases and indecipherable hieroglyphics on prescriptions that produce the im penetrably mysterious pain-killers from the pharmacist. People are frightened—millions of them have more faith in such curealls as "Na ture spelled backward s," Dr Whoosis' Fix 'Em Up herb cure, or any of the other thousands of patent medicines on the market. Mass advertising has convinced millions of mothers that only Carna tion or Borden's canned milk will make their babies healthy, and the prescription for feeding on the "out side of the wrapper" is considered often more "right" than the pre scription the doctor orders. "When I get these awful head aches, I go straight to Druggist Jones. He knows just what I need and I don't need a prescription to get it," says Mrs. So-and-So. "Mrs. Blank had the most wonder ful pills for her baby when it had the croup, so I got some from her when Johnny was sick the other night.' remarks another lady. Handicap number 4 is familiar to almost every group that's tried to (Continued on page 13) 10 Pages 11 and 12 and 21 and 22 contain more pages for your Fact Book. The page on Factories, Mills and Refineries has been revised to include latest figures on cooperative production facilities, and the "coop erative fathers" of France, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia have been added to the Co-op Hall of Fame. More countries will be added later. Other pages describe the purposes of the recently-established Coopera tive Foundation, and the "Meetings Check Sheet" (Administration 9 and 10) will help you to tell at a glance whether everything is "all set" fra yeur next program. CO-OP Magazine A New Quiz Series to Help You KNOW COOPERATIVES These questions (with answers also in this is sue) will add zest and instruction value to meet ings, discussion sessions, and parties THIS set of 20 quiz questions of various types is the first of 20 to 25 "chapters" being prepared. We've seen the next two installments, and they get more and more interesting. Try them on yourself and your family. Use them in co-op programs and member training sessions. They are the home work of Robert S. Gauron, circulation manager of CO-OP Magazine. Answers are on page 22. 1. The Rochdale Pioneers 1. Where is the "cradle" of the cooperative movement? 2. On what date was the first successful cooperative store opened? 3. There were no cooperatives before the Rochdale Pio neers. True or false? 4. How many charter members were there in the first co-op? 5. What were the occupations of most of the originators of the first cooperative: bankers; store-keepers; flannel weavers; university professors; farmers? 6. The capital of the original co-op was; L5 ($25); L28 ($140); L140 ($700); UL.300 ($6,500). 7. The first consumer cooperative store was: (a) the most modern of its time; (b) in the basement of the home of a member; (c) on the ground floor of an old warehouse; (d) like any typical store of the day. 8. The name of the first cooperative venture was: (a) Rochdale Cooperators; (b) Rochdale Pioneers; (c) Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers; (d) Rochdale Association of Cooperative Weavers. 9. Which one of these thoroughfares is in the wrong com pany: Park Avenue; Michigan Boulevard; Toad Lane; Champs Elysees? 10. The entire stock on the opening day of the Toad Lane shop could have been hauled away in: a basket; a wheel barrow; a two-wheeled cart; a truck. 11. The first stock of the Rochdale cooperative was: (a) meat, vegetables and fruit; (b) butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and candles; (c) cake and sweetbread; (d) lard, salt, bacon, malt and whale oil. 12. Who was the leader of the Rochdale Pioneers and draftsman of their aims and policies: James P. Warbasse; Charles Howarth; Samuel Ashworth; Robert Owen? 13. First store manager of the Rochdale co-op was nine teen-year-old: William Cooper; John Stuart Mill; Samuel Ashworth; Charles Howarth. 14. The ten years during which the Rochdale weavers opened their store were known as: (a) "the prosperous forties"; (b) "the hungry forties"; (c) "the democratic decade." 15. What is the present day status of the Rochdale Society: (a) failed in 1849 after 5 years of operation; (b) was taken over as a branch of a London de partment store in 1899; (c) celebrated its 100th year in 1944 with 32,000 members and annual business of $3,000,000; (Continued on next page) O O O O O O CO-OP HALL OF FAME {continued from preceding page) 2. France CHARLES GIDE, 1847-1932 Economist, universities, at Montpelier. Bordeaux and Paris. Was the country's leading1 coopératif theorist and wrote Consumers* Cooperative Societies (Knopf, I922) ERNEST POISSON, 1882-1942 Leader of consumer cooperation in France and m ternatïonaH}. Follower of Charles Gide, he succeeded in establishing- the political neutrality of the coopéra tive movement m France in 1912 He ^er\ed on tht. central committee, ab \ice president, and on the evecii- ti\e bod> of the International Cooperative Alliance 3. Germany VICTOR A. HUBER, 1800-1869 University professor, prophet ot the credit union movement Explained how consumer cooperation could help people to save themselves from economic mi--er\ Wrote What a Loan Union Can Accomplish and Credit Unions and Loan Unions. FREDERICK W. RAIFEISEN. 1818-1888 As a burgomaster he tried to reltexe dire economic conditions by establishing: credit facilities for peasant farmers, thus becoming the founder ot agricultural credit banks He emphasised small units, unlimited liability, making loans on persona! character of the borrower, unpaid management, and democratic control and responsibility by the borrowers HERMAN SCHULZE-DELITZSCH, 1808-1883 Primarily interested in the condition ot laborer-, and small-scale trades people, he promoted peoples' banks and in 1859 founded the General Union of Co operative Societies Resting on Self-Help Hi* idea- were chiefly economic in import, while Raifeisen's \v ere humanitarian; for example, he favored large societies as well as small ones, advocated fan salaries rather than free service {over) 2-1-47 EDUCATION-11 r o o o o o o CHECK SHEET for use in PLANNING YOUR MEETINGS A. Legal and By-Law Requirements: n Has notice for meeting or mau ballot been drafted and mailed in accordance with by-laws' n Has the secretary prepared proof of notice of meeting? n Has an alphabetical list of stock holders or members been pre pared and available for use at the meeting' D Will there be a copy of the Ar ticles of Incorporation and By- Laws available for reference during the meeting» n Have minutes of last meeting been properly written up in the minute book' n Are all officers ready to report? n Are Auditor's reports on hand for presentation? n Have resolutions been prepared for action to be considered at the meeting? B. Publicity: D Have news articles about the meeting been sent to the press? D Has a follow-up notice (other than legal notice) been sent members? D Are guests to be invited, and, if so, who? (over) Responsibility of Whom 2-1-47 ADMINISTRATION-« February, 1947 11 CO-OP HALL OF FAME (continued from preceding pa^Je^ 4. Italy LUIGI LUZZATTI, 1841-1927 Economist, financier, law ptofebbor, minister of the Italian treabuiy Helped e^tablt^h peopled bankc and ia credited \\itli starting the first consumer co operatixe in Italy DR. LEONE WOLLEMBORG Inspiied by Ltngi I uzzatti. this Italian statesman established the first rural credit union after the Rai feibcn plan in Italy in 1883 \lso in that jear lie founded La Coopersione Rurale, the first coopeialive publication in the Cuimtry 5. Scandinavia HANNES GEBHARD, 1864-1933 Pioneer and founder of Finnish coopération In 1899 as a professor in Helsinki University he organized and led for 18 jears thereafter the Finnish cooperative promotional agenc\. I'ellervo Fie was also managing director of the Central Institute of Cooperative Credit Banks of Finland NICOLAI GRUNDTVIG, 1783-1872 Danish folk schools and later coopérative societio resulted from the \\oik of this Danish religious leadei \\ ho encouraged people to come together in small gioups to discuss how they might help themselves CHRISTEN SONNE A Danish pastor \\ hu e->Ud>Iislu'd Denmark's first cooperative store in 1868 and led the formation of a wholesale society in 1871 which later became part ot the national federation of consumer cooperatives MARTIN SUNDELL, 1880-1910 A \uung printer who helped to put the Swedish cooperative movement on its feet In Ins practical in Mght, bold initiative, robust idealism, captivating speaking ability, anil who literall\ gavo his life at the age of thirtj for the coopeiative cause EDUCATION-12 MEETINGS CHECK SHEET O O O O O O (continued from precedin Q Physical Facilities: C] Has hall for meeting been se cured? O Is seating adequate and com fortable? Q Have arrangements been made for properly heating and venti lating the hall? O Has a table been provided for officers' use? D Is a blackboard available? Q Are ballots or paper for ballot ing prepared? O Has an amplifier (loud speaker) been provided so speakers can be heard? O. Committees: O Have all necessary committees been appointed: 1. Program Committee 2. Reception Committee 3. Resolution Committee 4 Nominating Committee 5. Luncheon Committee 6. Special Committees n Have all committees been in formed of their duties ? E. Program: O Has the Board gone over the proposed program and deter mined if it is satisfactory? Q Have speakers and other partic ipants on program been notified and have they accepted? (Prepared by Educational Dep't, CCW) ADMINISTRATION-10 Responsibil ity of Whom O O O O O O 16. (d) was destroyed by fire in the seventies and never reopened? Which of these are not Rochdale Principles: 1. 2. 17. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. One Open membership; Democratic control—one member, one vote, re gardless of number of shares held; Limited interest on capital; Return of earnings to patrons on basis of stock ownership; Cash and credit business below market prices; Neutrality in religion and politics; Constant education; Continuous expansion. of the Rochdale tenets is regular provision of funds for education. What per cent of savings was devoted to education by the Rochdale Pioneers: (a) no finances for education at all; (b) less than 1%; (c) 2i/2%; (d) 25%? The plan of the Rochdale Pioneers was primarily: (a) to build capital for factories they dreamed of building; to join together as consumers to increase their purchasing power; to nationalize the textile industry. 19. A characteristic that distinguishes a cooperative from a profit corporation is: (a) the business is conducted for the benefit of the stockholders; every shareholder has but one vote no matter how many shares he owns; value of shares varies in accordance with mar ket demands; earnings go to the owners in proportion to their investment. What is the "Toad Lane Complex"? (Answers on page 22) 18. (b) (c) (b) (c) (d) 20. Here's a problem that may be your problem, too. Try the fol lowing copy in YOUR membership bulletin—revised to fit. WE are again faced with the necessity of having more than half of the Co-op Members at ANNUAL MEETING. What do you think we should do to get YOU to come? Last year we notified you every week for two months. We spent plenty of YOUR money on postage, prizes and entertainment. Yet less than enough came and we had to have more meet ings and more expense. Must we give you a prize to entice you to come to YOUR meeting? If so, must it be an expensive one? Will it take a top-notch speaker; or no speaker at all? Shall we use your money to hire expensive entertainment talent? Just what will it take to get YOU there? Remember, it is your business and your money. Now don't just read these questions. Tell us YOUR answers. The problem is, as you know, a common one. People talk about democracy in an organization but fail to believe it enough to practice it. It seems to be more fun to stay away, let a few run it, and then kick because they do. —from Loroin County (Ohio) Farm Bureau Cooperative News. Two additional double-faced pages for your CO-OP Fact Book on pages 21-22. 12 CO-OP Magazine Family Doctor Plus — (Continued from page 10) organize a cooperative—it's the apathy of people and their inertia in learning how to organize and finance an association. People think they know more about grocery stores and oil service stations and farm supplies, so the job is a little easier in those fields than in the field of medical care. It takes a little more blood, sweat and tears to get a health co-op going than it does a grocery store these days. But at that, there's solace in the fact that a back-ground of precedent is rapidly building up. All these major handicaps to or ganization of cooperative health as sociations are the problems of the Cooperative Health Federation of America. The CHFA intends to lend moral, legal, and professional help to any group that wants to get started. A cooperative committee has been organized under CHFA and this committee is charged with the specific job of analyzing the pos sibility of developing health plans among cooperative groups, of help ing these groups organize, providing them with technical and professional counsel, and even fighting their legal battles in the courts with them. An enlightened cooperative mem bership and a responsible leadership group will respond to the great medical care problem we're facing in this country, will respond to the demonstrated interest of millions of American citizens in improving health standards. Information about current events in the field—news about what other cooperatives are doing, is the first step to tinding out where the local membership stands on the issue If there is a demonstrated inter est in the membership, the next steps might well be: 1. Follow-up with more informa tion secured from a regional coop erative or the Cooperative Health Federation—in local bulletins, dis cussions ai membership meetings, special forums, study-club meetings. 2. Community analysis to deter mine what new facilities are needed, additional professional people needed, attitudes of doctors and other medical people on question of setting up prepayment plans. 3. Contact the Cooperative Health Federation if organization seems feasible. Every community will have a different starting point in the organization of a health plan, and effort spent at developing a pro gram to meet any but the most pressing needs may produce more trouble than better medical care. Members of the CHFA board of di rectors and representatives of exist ing health plans will meet with lo cal groups, study the situation with them, and advise them as to how to get started. Three things are vitally important and must be defined as specifically as possible: a. The nub of the project— should it be a hospital, a clinic, an insurance program, a prepayment plan? b. Number of members neces sary to assure an efficient plan c. Amount of initial capital re quired of each member and finan cial plan for services 4. Investigate state laws and get legal assistance. Suggested by-laws are available from the CHFA and from existing health plans. Helpful Literature on Group Health Plans introductory— "How to Get a Hospital," article reprint 01 "Co-op Hospital " article reprint .02 "Cooperative Medicine," War- basse, pamphlet .25 "Cooperative Health Associa tions,'' pamphlet .25 secondary— "A Doctor for the People," Shadid, book .50 "Co-op Hospital Catechism," Shadid, pamphlet .25 "Intelligent Consumers Guide to Hospital and Medical Plans," Maslow, pamphlet .25 "Prepayment Plans for Medical Care," Goldman, pamphlet .25 "Organization and Management of Group Medical Practice," Clark, pamphlet .25 "Principles of Cooperative Medi cine," Shadid, book .50 "The Problem of Cooperative Medicine," Tereshtenko, pam phlet .25 All available from Cooperative Health Federation of America, 343 S. Dearborn, Chicago 4, Illinois, or the regional cooperative near you. 5. Select a responsible organizing committee or board, oriented to community-service. Then follows the hard row to hoe —member and finance enlistment. But the end result will be better-in formed, healthier families and com munity. There is no substitute for health and no substitute for good medical care. The only way to get care when you need it, where you need it, and how you need it is to organize for the purpose. Ê FL/CKf ft "= = FLASHES i Film Sales and Rentals A check through our records for 1946 indicates that during the year we have sold a total of 60 prints of co-op films to regionals, schools, col leges, and commercial film distribu tors for a total gross sale of $6,500. Sales of "Here Is Tomorrow" and "Consumers Serve Themselves" ac counted for slightly more than half of these 60 prints with "Up from the Earth" our third best seller. Major film showings have been through regionals who have reached hundreds of thousands of people with co-op films. In addition, the National office had approximately 230 rentals to schools, church groups, labor unions, and co-ops, with "Here Is Tomorrow" and "Up from the Earth" leading the field. Report on Three Men The animated sound and color car toon film, "There Were Three Men," gives every indication of being our best co-op film yet. We have been fortunate in securing the services of extremely imaginative and skillful artists, and we are much pleased with the work which they have turned out to date. Production should be completed within 6 to 8 months. Song of the People Now available for distribution in the U. S. is the British Cooperative Wholesale Society's film "Song of the People," a musical portrayal of the role of the common man throughout history, and his struggles to gain his rightful place in society. Prints for rental or preview may be obtained from National Coopera tive's Film Department, 167 West 12th Street, New York 11. February, 1947 13 What's Ahead In Prices For 1947? What conclusions can be drawn from the postwar movements of prices in 1920 and 1946? zoo I9O 180 170 160 ISO 140 I3O JAN FEE MAP APR MAY JUNE JULY NOV DEC. JAN FEB. MAR. APR In 1920 farm prices continued to rise until the months of May and June and then fell preci pitously In 1946 farm prices continued to rise until August and then began to fall slightly. WHOLESALE PRICES JAN FEB. MAD APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. In 1920 wholesale prices reached their peak in the months of May and June and then began to fall precipitously. In 1946 wholesale prices only rose slightly until the month of June, when the government con trols began to be dropped and then increased rapidly during the remainder of the year 210 200 190 tea 170 I6O ISO I4O 130 I2O no 100 so 80 7O 60 STOCK PRICES 1910 JAN FEB. MAR. APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT. NOV DEC. JAN. FEB MAR. APR. In 1920 stock prices continued the fall which had started in October 1919 and which preceded the fall in farm and wholesale prices in June 1920 by eight to nine months. In 1946 stock prices continued at a high level until August when they dropped precipitously during the following month and then continued at about the same level 14 By E. R. BOWEN Economic Research Director, The Cooperative League WE make no attempt to prophesy in any specific way. However, there are some general lessons to be drawn which may help cooperators in handling their cooperative affairs as well as their individual affairs. The first is to take note of the fact that heavy breaks in common stock prices are usually an indica tor of coming events in farm and wholesale prices. It should also be noted that even though farm prices reached only a slightly higher peak after the Second World War than they did after the First World War, and wholesale prices have not yet reached as high a peak after the Second World War as after the First World War, stock prices have been about double in 1946 what they were in 1920. The fact that stock prices have been about double is proof that profits have been much greater as a result of increased volume, even though prices have been no higher or even lower. All that anyone can do at this time is to raise the question as to whether the decline in stock prices which began in August, 1946, is an indication that farm and wholesale prices will decline in 1947. These comparisons should help you to think ahead as to what may happen and to prepare yourself ac cordingly by getting your coopera tive and yourself out of debt inso far as possible, and by being care ful about loading up with unneces sary inventories. Screwy Law in Kansas The fight against cooperatives in Kansas has been carried again into the state legislature. Recommended law would: (1) re quire cooperatives to pay out all net earnings, except funds set aside for reserves, in cash refunds (this would cancel all revolving fund or deferred payment programs): (2) limit trans actions by cooperatives to members only; (3) limit income tax exemp tion to cooperatives "all of whose members are natural persons, and at least 90 per cent of whom are them selves producers." CO-OP Magazine DURING our seven weeks in Eu rope we visited Scotland, En gland, France, Switzerland, Nether lands, Denmark, Sweden and Fin land. In all of these the cooperative organizations are intact, but de vastation has been severe. In Lon don 700 cooperative shops were damaged partially or destroyed to tally by bombs, "in France 2,000 of the 8,000 cooperative shops were de stroyed. The greatest war damage has not been physical. Shortages of both material and man-power are tremendous. But the greatest dam age came out of economic and social conditions and the financial chaos, trade barriers and so forth which have divided Europe into a score of "economic low pressure areas," each swirling around in an economy within itself. Oil Both at Zurich and in each of the countries we visited, a major subject for discussion was new International Cooperative Petroleum Association. The cooperatives are anxious to "get going" immediately. Underlying the entire oil discus sion is the challenge of the coopera tive battle with one of the world's major monopolies, and, of course, the economic importance of petro leum products in cooperative opera tions. Major oil companies had observers at the Congress, and the press was vitally interested in petroleum. Coverage of the Zurich Congress was probably double what it would have been without the oil factor. International Co-op Trade There is a crying need for stepping up the facility with which the coop eratives in one country can make purchases through cooperative or ganizations in a dozen other coun tries. There is a feeling everywhere that it would be much better for the cooperative wholesales to have pur chases made in foreign countries through the International Coopera tive Trading Agency and the nation al cooperative organizations in those countries rather than have the pur chases made direct Additional buy ing power which could be pooled thus would make substantial savings possible. The development of substantial trade internationally could very well be a fore-runner of international co operative production. Already the four Scandinavian countries and Scotland are joined together in the original LUMA light bulb plant in btuckholm. There is talk of having KF (Sweden) participate with American cooperatives in several production ventures. Investment Policy We were surprised to see the amount of external investment by cooperatives, particularly in the British Isles. Capital has grown so that the cooperatives are the na tion's largest holders of government bonds. Investment policy in Sweden dif- Visiting Europe's Co-ops because of their wide-spread opera tions, probably own more factories than in most of these countries. Co operatives in Sweden alone are pro ducing pottery, foodstuffs, cash registers, bicycles, shoes, fish prod ucts, paper, artificial sponges, cloth ing material, electric light bulbs and X-ray tubes, and many other items. There seems to be no limit to the types of operations the cooperatives can undertake. The greatest lesson we have to learn from Swedish co operatives in production is not the technical "know how" but the confi dence with which they undertake these ventures. The Swedish cooperatives now have seventy subsidiary corpora tions, wholly owned by KF. They have investments in thirty other corporations. Often they undertake production in a field where co-op volume is large enough for only a small part of the production. The balance is sold to profit enterprise or municipal or non-profit services. This policy has made the co-ops a factor in the economy which has to be taken into account by all Swed ish business. The cooperatives in Sweden, Den- Briefed from a report to the Board of Directors on some im portant fessons to be learned from cooperative developments observed by the author in several of the European countries By WALLACE J. CAMPBELL Publicity Director National Cooperatives fers. The Swedish cooperatives make outside investments for three pur poses: (a) An opening wedge for eventual purchase of new produc tive enterprises, (b) In outside or ganizations to obtain "know how" for production operations, (c) In outside corporations so that organ ized consumers, represented through Kooperativa Forbundet, will have a voice in the production policy and pricing policy of what are now monopolies or semi-monopolies. The result is of benefit to all of the con sumers in Sweden. Production The European cooperatives are even further advanced than Amer ican cooperatives in the ownership of mills, factories and refineries, though the American cooperatives, mark and several other countries have set up their own publishing firms and are undertaking publish ing on a large scale, comparable to the larger publishing houses in this country. This is not limited to tracts on the cooperatives movement, but stretches out into general economic policy and books for general educa tion, entertainment and enjoyment of cooperative members as well. Retail Operations by Wholesales One of the striking developments in Scotland is ownership and opera tion of retail cooperative stores by the Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society. The retail department was built up from three stores before the war to over 120 stores now. New stores are planted in territories where cooperatives have not gotten underway on their own. There seems to be no effort to turn these over to local societies, but there is a con tinuing program of education, with local membership committees and advisory committees set up to confer with management. This new department is respon- (( onlmued on page 18) February, 1947 15 EUROPE today clearly reveals the determination of people to organize their political life to the ends of greater security for the com mon man. And what goes on in Europe points up our great respon sibility for making democracy as we know it—provide security and abun dance to all Americans. We know that cooperatives hold an important key to the improvement of our economy and the preservation of our democratic traditions. It is clear that American coopera tives must work more closely with those in other nations to further the ends of world welfare and peace. And it is also clear that we must have more—and stronger coopera tives here in America to the end that democracy itself will endure.— Murray D. Lincoln. Co-op Success Vital To Save World From Self-Destruction BY its first post-war Congress, the International Cooperative Alliance once again raised the Rain bow Flag above the insanity of bat tle, destruction and division of peo ples, and called upon the earth's mil lions of organized cooperators to move forward. I am convinced that if not every delegate, then surely the great ma jority of them, found in that Con gress renewed inspiration and added conviction that cooperative endeavor really is today's one wholly sane and democratically effective antidote to the evils that now torment them in their own homelands. They are con vinced, too, I am sure, that if the cooperative method fails, those evils —selfishness, greed, thirst for power —threaten even to make the world uninhabitable in our time for all civilized peoples.—A. J. Hayes. World Cooperation in Oil Will Benefit Every Co-op and All Peoples 1HAVE been asked for 200 words on my impressions of the con gress at Zurich, Switzerland, that might be of interest to directors and employes of local cooperatives. Well, prior to the congress, we laid the foundations for a world oil coopera tive and during the congress we voted to put Middle East oil under a proration commission of United Nations, by and with the consent of the little states of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, et alii, where the bulk of the world's oil is found. By "we" I The Zurich Delegates Speak Out— We asked the Zurich dele gates, "What message do you bring back to local co op workers?" Here are all we could take space for in this issue. mean the cooperators of many coun tries. These accomplishments, it seems to me, are worth not only 200 words in any language but also in every language. Moreover, if -we build a whopping world oil co-op, and if we develop techniques which will pre vent Middle East oil from exploding into a third global conflict, then the effects of these two things alone will reach back beneficially to the low liest co-op in this or any other coun try.—Howard A. Cowden, Zurich Was Your Co-op- People Everywhere Are People Next Door HAVE you ever thought that your town—yes, even your co op with its variety of opinions, ta lents, and idiosyncrasies—is really the world made small? Well, Zurich was your town, or your co-op, multi plied a thousand times by an inter national magnifying glass. 1 wish every co-op manager, every director, could have taken a peep through that glass, as I did, so that he could have seen the great pano rama of the international coopera tive movement and realized it con sists of folks like the people next door. For when you Look through such a magnifying glass, Russians cease to be Russians, Jews cease to appear as Jews, Americans as Amer icans, and all of them become "just people"—citizens of a world whose problems -we must all of us work out together. I wish too that all of our local co-op personnel could have been at Zurich if only to be stricken, as I was, with the humility that comes from the realization that people in f f foreign parts are doing just as fine a job as, and often finer than, our co-ops are doing at home. These two lessons—neighborlmess and humility—if thoroughly assimi lated by our people, would ensure peace, progress and harmony in this world for a long time to come.— A. B. MacDonald. Europe's Co-ops Have Lessons for Us Here in America VISITING cooperatives in Europe, I tried to find out what they do and have that -we do not do and have in the United States. If they did the job better, what was it, and why was it? In England it seemed that the co- operators in the great movement there have one thing in their minds at all times—to make the cooperative serve the entire needs of the family. They have their bake shops, flour mills, milk plants, creameries, wool en factories, clothing factories. 1 Pictured here as they attended the Interna tional Cooperative Alliance Congress at Zurich Switzerland, are the US delegates minus one. Standing, left to right: Glenn Thompson, Midland Co-op Whls.; George Dunlap, Mrs. Harold Robison, James West, Mrs. West, Mrs Harry Culbreth and Mrs. M D. Lincoln, all of Ohio Farm Buieau coopera tives; R. N Benjamin, Penna. Farm Bureau Co-op Assn.; David Richie; Everett Rittenour, Ohio; Wm. Blaisdell, Eastern Cooperatives; W. E. Stough, Ohio, James Cummins, Consum ers Co-op Assn.; T A Tenhune and Wallace J. Campbell, National Co-ops, Wm. Bergeron, Midland Seated: Carl Breuer, US State Dept. (not a delegate); M. D. Lincoln and Perry Green, Ohio, H A Cowden, CCA; A. J. Hayes, Central Co-op Whls Absent: Harry Culbreth, Ohio. undertaking establishments, cafes and most everything else needed in their daily lives. Around these busi ness activities they place their con fidence so that the savings they make are placed at work in their cooperatives, where they receive a fair and reasonable return on their investment, and patronage "divi," too. After the cooperatives have all the capital they need, they invest the surplus for members in govern ment securities. This gives them a silent voice in affairs of government, and the interest paid by the govern ment on these securities goes back to the cooperative and again back to the people in added savings. In the Netherlands—the only place in the world that cooperation is practised below the sea level—we found some of the same things going on. Here were all the operations the Co-ops in England had, and in visiting The Hague where the Queen lives, we found a large cooperative hospital where the health of 28,000 members in the city is guarded, thus making better members of their other cooperatives and better and more productive citizens of their country. These people, who have had co operatives for many years, consider them the most secure place for their investments, and after nearly five years of occupation by a foreign na tion, they regard their cooperatives today as the very life of their eco nomic processes. Switzerland has large cooperative banks financing the members of its societies so they can buy homes in cooperative housing projects, and helping along with many mercan tile establishments that play a large role in their own economy and for a better understanding between them selves and people of other nations. We in the United States can do much by building our cooperatives to provide greater service. Making investments of our dollars in these cooperatives that are also ours—-we put these resources to work for our selves and to benefit the people of our nation and to advance our com mon security. Building cooperatives is something we may all be proud of doing. Let us do it with a will. As time goes on we -will certainly see the fruits of our efforts. As one Holland cooperator said to me as I bade him farewell, "Let the best in your past be the worst in your future."—Reuben Schäkel. Co-ops in All Lands Can Help with Lowering of Trade Barriers Everywhere A VERY significant thought was brought out, that international problems can be solved if nations understand each other and cooperate. Basic cooperative philosophy, as regards trade, is in harmony with the American government's pro posal for the establishment of an in ternational trade organization to promote multilateral trade by mu tually Lowering all trade barriers. An international oil organization was set up at Zurich. Any nation striving to reach maximum develop ment agriculturally and industrially must have adequate petroleum at reasonable prices. Recognizing the urgent need of food for starving people, the Amer ican delegation presented a fine re solution on CARE which was passed unanimously.—Mrs. Harold Bobison. These Peoples, Joining Hands, Can Be Props for a New World IN NO country are the coopera tives, urban or farm, as com pletely socially motivated as are those in Sweden. The leaders are among the ablest, if not the ablest, in the world. Nothing is half done. Sweden must exercise the great est influence on keeping Europe (Continued on next page) 16 CO-OP Magazine February, 1947 17 Delegates Speak— (Cnntînueà frftin pfigc 17 ) democratic. This little country has found the middle way between mo nopoly capitalism and Statism. . . Probably no organization in the world is less vulnerable than the British Cooperative Wholesale So ciety. Volume within their own membership is so great that there is no danger of having to shut down. Their circulation of the money in finance associations ap proaches an endless chain of con tinuous production for use. This completes a circle within which all the causes of unemployment and economic insecurity are eliminated. The British Cooperatives, without doubt, have kept Britain from going the Fascist route Scotland and its cooperatives seem to me to be the next brightest spot. Scotch zeal shines out from every corner. No other country has devel oped services closer to the people. It's not only a business, but also a spiritual service. . The farmer cooperatives m Ger many may, under proper leadership, become the balancing influence of the hoped-for democratic economy in Germany. It has been little appreciated by the western world to what extent all Europe has depended upon the in dustry, skill and raw materials of Germany. Europe cannot live with- Europe's Co-ops— (Continued from page 15) sible for a large part of the rapidly growing volume of SCWS, and they are very proud of it. There is criti cism from cooperatives on the con tinent, but it should be pointed out that in all of Scotland the member ship is just about the size of the Lon don Cooperative Society, with 850,- 000 members and as many stores as the retail branch of SCWS together with Scotland's larger societies. Banks One of the great tragedies of the 1920's was the breaking of the co operative banks in France and Den mark—in both cases by a combina tion of economic collapse and poor management. Today the Danish co operatives operate two banks—one the fourth largest in Denmark and the other the fifth largest. The French bank is again on its feet, and A. B. MacDonalcl, executive secretary. Cooperative Union of Canada, and Canada's représenta tive at the Zurich ICA Congress, is at extreme right in this picture. At his right are delegates from Iceland and Finland out the restoration of Germany. . Development of cooperative inter national trade must eventually take place on the basis of goods for goods. The international cooperative fi nance association would handle ex changes of credits, which could be established on a goods value basis. Potential trading possibilities are almost unlimited. Conversations with leaders of European coopera tives convince me that such a trad ing cooperative is possible of world wide support. For the United States to fully par ticipate in such international coop erative trading, it is going to be necessary that the various whole- there are cooperative banking facil ities in Finland, Great Britain and several other countries. Price Policy The economic and social impact of the pricing policy of cooperatives has been talked about a good deal in the United States. We are not bringing back anything new when we report that the active price policy of the Finnish and Swedish cooperatives has made possible growth and ex pansion that has not been possible in England, Switzerland and other countries whose co-ops stick to the traditional market price. By taking an active price and in fluencing the entire market, the Fin nish and Swedish cooperatives have had impact on the price levels for the entire economy. They have brought prosperity to the countries as a whole because of lower price and wider distribution of goods. This has brought additional membership, sales consolidate their domestic trading within one well-supported national cooperative wholesale. Vol umes of goods required for export would rapidly build up production possibilities on many lines. We should establish our National Cooperatives as the international purchasing headquarters of all in ternational members and do it as rapidly as the co-ops of other coun tries will agree to such consolidation. The future prosperity of the Unit ed States is tied to the prosperity of the European countries. We shall not for long prosper on a national basis unless the world prospers with us.— Perry L. Green and the cooperatives are a major factor in the economy. Fundamental in this is the point of view growing out of or preceding the policy. In Sweden, for example, cooperative operations are always planned in terms of the national economy first and the effect on the cooperatives second. American co operatives may not yet be ready to think in those terms, but this is one of the lessons, nevertheless, for con sideration now or later. Keep on CARE-ing CARE Board, faced with possibil ity of complete sell-out of 10-in-l packages, has authorized manage ment to start assembling a new food package which can be available for delivery in Europe when the pres ent supply is exhausted. Record sales of 62,763 packages were re ported for week of December 10. 18 CO-OP Magazine Some of the long-over-due benefits to be derived from coordinated International Co-op Trade Excerpts from address to meeting of International Cooperative Trading Agency, at Zurich WE as cooperators are confronted with the task of doing our share in seeing that this world lives in peace. Many speeches are being given on the importance of peace and the importance of people of dif ferent lands understanding each other and having confidence instead of hate and fear. All types of groups are meeting and discussing this problem and all types of solutions are being promoted, but we as coop erators have one of the most val uable tools with which to do this job. That is by organizing interna tional trade on a cooperative basis. By international trade, I mean trading between cooperatives in all parts of the world on a one-happy- family basis. In the beginning we might find it necessary to refer to a certain program as being an "export program" and to another as an "im port program," but these two words carry the idea that we are still dif ferent people, and profiteering on each other. This should not happen. If we could, at least in our own dis cussion, learn to drop the use of the words "exports" and "imports," it might help us to better understand the problem and recognize that we are building toward a better world by engaging in international trade on a cooperative basis Unnecessary Duplication I believe we all recognize that as individual cooperative organizations we are duplicating each other's efforts, and have not brought to the international level the same coop eration and working together that we talk and preach about on a local and state level. We have reached the point where we can and must leave our individual local or na tional interests aside and discuss the problems that we are confronted with in the light of how they will best solve the needs of all. For one thing, it is not good coop erative policy for one cooperative organization to profit on sales made to another cooperative. We should not be buying from each other, but we should jointly own and operate our productive plants and distribu tive machinery. We should not, as By T. A. TENHUNE General Manager National Cooperatives representatives of cooperatives in different parts of the world, be com peting with each other when we buy goods from other suppliers. We should not be so divided that all of us find it necessary to have our "im port" and "export" programs han dled by various brokerage offices. If we had international trade in the true sense of international trade, we should be doing the job ourselves through our own distribution organ izations. It seems to me that the Interna tional Cooperative Trading Agency (and if not that organization, then some other organization on which we could all agree) should be the nucleus around which we should build our general program. It can be done much better if we all think and work through one organization. Then the International Agency should appoint a central cooperative organization in each country of the world as its representative for coor dinating any activities between that country and cooperators elsewhere. For example, National Coopera tives in Chicago might be the rep resentative as far as the United States is concerned and when coop- Mr Tenhune eratives in any part of the world want merchandise from the United States or want to sell goods for dis tribution in the USA, National in Chicago would handle these goods on behalf of the International office. Sometimes, for practical purposes, once the cooperative has been offi cially okayed and is a member of the international set-up, dealings and correspondence might be direct. In this connection we should rec ognize the fact that many coopera tives will have a large amount of dealings in a particular country. In those cases, it should be mutually agreed that if they wish, at their own expense, to have a liaison of ficer or representative in the coun try, his offices should be established side-by-side and in connection with the official authorized agent of In ternational. CWS, SCWS, KF, or any other group which has a great deal of business in the United States and which now has a representative there or is contemplating one, should be encouraged to headquarter in the office of National Coopera tives or adjoining it. Such location would mean we would be in a posi tion to work together more closely instead of competing with each oth er's efforts and duplicating procure ment and distribution expenses. Could Help Each Other If this were done, National, for example, could open up offices in San Francisco and New York City to handle more expediently the ex port, import papers, customs papers, and whatever other documents are necessary. These offices could also serve as additional contact offices with suppliers, and everyone would get the benefit. As it is today, we are not getting such benefit even though managers representing va rious cooperatives do compare notes frequently and try to help each other. Those cooperatives which find they do not have enough volume to warrant their own direct representa tive will, of course, clear all matters through the regular channels and have the official representative of (Continued on next page) February, 1947 19 International Trade— (Continued from page 19) the International Cooperative Trad ing Agency act in their behalf. By starting now to work together on these problems, we shall also be in a better position to expand our fields of operation. For one thing, we would have more sources of sup ply because collectively our account would be so attractive that manu facturers could not afford to ignore it. In recent months this has been emphasized by a complete change of policy on the part of a number of manufacturers when they heard we were holding the Zurich meeting and that National Cooperatives might be able to help particular sup pliers with export programs. The world volume on a coopera tive basis has reached such tremen dous figures that it really seems odd that we haven't started cooperating on an international level long before now. We have talked about it; we now need definite action. Canned fruits and vegetables and fish are an example. Many of the co operatives are now buying canned foods from the USA and Canada, but up until now this has been done more or less on an individual basis. It could well be handled by ICTA on a coordinated international basis, and we would be able to contract for the total output of producer-owned It's a Real Value for better living COOP home freezer Go easy on that blood pres sure—but here's a CO-OP value that's really worth get ting excited about. Your CO OP Home Freezer offers quality that's right in there with the finest—at a price that as far as we've been able to check, is about the lowest anywhere for comparable construction. Now in hand some new design it's avail able to all CO-OPs with serv ice facilities. Order from your regional. Check these "talking points": • Sealed condensing unit • 4% in. rock wool insulation • Chamber built high—easy to get at • 5 year warranty • 1 year insurance on contents • Two sizes—holding up to 350 and 700 pounds of food NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INL. A Home Freezer more than almost any other home appliance, assures better living for the entire family. It provides mure delicious, more nutritious meals, all year round. It cuts the food budget way down. It saves labor in canning—freezing is easier and takes much less time. Read ALL about it in the in teresting "How to Use" booklet included with every CO-OP Home Freezer. canneries and eliminate the need for producer-cooperatives dealing through brokers and middle-men. Further, we could then do a better and more complete job of controll ing the canned goods we buy Can Reduce Costs By coordinating these activities, not only will we gain tremendous buying power, but we will also be able to reduce our distribution costs and do the research work from the consumer-users point of view that we have been hoping for. For ex ample, when goods are bought in the USA, why shouldn't National Cooperatives be held responsible for the quality? Whether the goods are manufactured by National or bought from elsewhere is immaterial. If the cooperatives in the USA bought goods from manufacturers in Eng land, wouldn't it be logical for CWS to be our advisor and tell us whether the product is what we want? (See January, 1947, CO-OP Maga zine, page 24, for resolutions on In ternational Trade by board of direc tors of National Cooperatives.—Ed.) We must develop a policy that would encourage all types of inter national trading and international manufacturing coordinated under one program and pattern. It should be approached from the point of view that we do these things jointly and look at the over-all good of world economy instead of individual or national pride or profit. Petroleum Managers School Set for Kansas, Feb. 10-22 Sponsored by CCA, Kansas City, the third Advanced Training School for Managers of Petroleum Coop eratives will be held on an interre gional basis in Kansas City and Cof- feyviUe February 10-22. Merlin Miller, CCA educational director, will be in charge. There will be three days of on- the-ground training m manufacture, quality and use of motor fuels. Costs will be as low as possible with each regional handling expenses in its own way. In order to trade co-op ideas across regional boundaries and ex pand the benefit of the school, it is hoped that as many regions as pos sible will participate. Applications for enrollment in the school should be sent to Merlin Miller, CCA. 318 E. 10th St., Kansas City, Mo. 20 CO-OP Magazine By Morris R. Mitchell $100,000 Postase Stamp WHAT better than postage stamp collecting illustrates what 300,000 years of unavoidable scarcity has done to us psychologically? We have an unreasoning mania for hoard ing the scarce. We have built an unreasoned economy on the scarcity value. This scarcity value amounts to a supersti tion. Stamp collecting reveals a degree of emotional and intellectual confusion. Off hand, name some object more worthless in use than a used postage stamp. One of current issue, because abundant, is simply trash. But a rare used stamp sells for thousands. Did you read of the man, years ago, who received by pony express the only letter that fluttered to earth from the burn ing balloon which carried a cargo of mail bearing a special is sue of stamps? A stamp collector called next day but the re ceiver of the latter could not find it. Pity, pity! The only used stamp of its kind. And lost! Recently his house was torn down and inside the wall, where it had fallen through a crack, was the envelop. It bore three of these special stamps for which he was offered $20,000 each. "$60,000 for three used postage stamps," he thought. Just because they are scarce and because we so unreasoningly prize the scarce! And boldly exploiting this human frailty, he burned, before witnesses, two of the three stamps. Then he accepted top bid for the one remaining—the rarest stamp alive—$100,000. The folly of paying, thus, $40,000 for the small courage and trouble of burning two used postage stamps strikes home at the silliness of the part we all play in our competitive econ omy based on scarcity— a profit system based on prices so largely determined by scarcity. Our greatest job is to atune ourselves emotionally to the reality of abundance that is being held back by restrictions designed for shortsighted producer interests at the expense of consumers. Let us right the situation by building democratically the consumer cooperative movement on the service principle. For What It's Worth- following paragraphs (in the quotation marks) are the statements of HARDWARE AGE, not CO-OP Magazine nor National Cooperatives. Bear in mind that HARDWARE AGE serves private hardware dealers, some of whom (not all) have a bogeyman prejudice about cooperatives largely be cause HARDWARE AGE has not yet presented to them the whole truth about co-ops and hardware dealers and taxes. It is interesting, though, to get this version of cooperative "progress": "It will be no easy fight to assess taxes on the co-ops and other competitors of tax -paying, privately-owned businesses. The co-ops are potent foes, politically and financially. They know their way around among public office holders and have long been waging a bitter and aggressive fight to retain their unfair tax exemption advantages. They won't give up easily. "HARDWARE AGE has polled every member of the last Congress, and every known candidate for the next Congress, in an effort to gain an inkling of Congressional thinking (if (Continued on next page) COOPERATIVE FOUNDATION, INC. O O O O O O 739 Johnson Street, N. E., Minneapolis 13, Minn. Adopted by National Cooperative Congress National Cooperative Congress Columbus, Ohio, September 1946 Description: A non-profit agency to accept gifts, lega cies, etc., to build American cooperatives. Trustees President—T. F. Ellerbe, trustee, Rochdale Institute ; president, Circle Pines Development Association; architect, EHerbe and Co., St. Paul 1, Minn. Vice President—Harland Alien, economist; board of directors, Central States Cooperatives and Coop erative Finance Association of America; founder and president, Chicago Consumers Cooperatives. Secretary-Treasurer—A. J Smaby, board of directors, National Cooperatives, Inc. and Cooperative League of the USA; general manager. Midland Cooperative Wholesale. Executive Secretary-Treasurer — E. F. Selvig, board of directors, Cooperative Finance Association of America : comptroller. Midland Cooperative Whs. Murray D. Lincoln, vice-president, International Co operative Alliance ; representative of ICA as con sultant on co-ops to the United Nations Economic and Social Council; president, Cooperative League of the USA: general manager. Ohio Farm Bureau Cooperatives. John Carson, board of directors, National Cooperative Mutual Housing Association; Washington repre sentative, Cooperative League of the USA. One trustee is to be added for each $100,000 by which the assets exceed $500,000, until a maximum of 24 trustees is reached. The board of trustees is to be self-perpetuating, but the articles of incorporation pro vide that members must be acknowledged cooperators and leaders from various walks of life. (over) 2-1-47 FINANCE-5 O O O O O O E I Factories, Mills, Refineries and other produclion facilities Owned by Cooperatives affiiialed with National Cooperatives Type of Plant Number Alfalfa Dehydration Fiants 2 Bakeries . 7 Bottling Works 1 Canneries ............... ...... .... 1 Chemical Products Factories 1 Chick Hatcheries .... 41 Coal Mines . . ...... 4 Coffee Roastenes ... . ... .... ......... ... 2 Dairy and Cheese Processing Plants R Farm Machinery Factories . 3 Feed Mills . 25 Fertilizer Factories . 13 Fish Processing Plants 1 Flour Mills . ... 2 Grease Factories 1 Insecticide and Fungicide Plants 7 Milking Machine Factories 1 Oil Compounding Plants 9 Oil Wells .... .... . 821 Paint Factories 2 Pipe Lines—miles \(j7\ Printing Plants 5 Refineries . . 11 Sausage and Meat Processing Plants 3 Saw Mills f, Seed Mills 12 Serum Plants 1 Slaughtering Plants ... 3 Soy Bean Processing Plants 9 Water Heater Factories 1 February, 1947 21 2-1-47 PRODUCTION-1 COOPERATIVE FOUNDATION, INC. (continued from preceding page) Purposes 1. To increase the rate and soundness of cooper ative growth in the United States. 2. To mobilize funds which are potentially avail able from socially-minded persons who have become "sold" on cooperatives as a way to bring about better living standards, economic security and peace. 3. To pool funds to make training and education of cooperative employees and leaders possible on a large scale. 4 To acquire funds for altruistic objectives. 5. To create a large pool for investment in the cooperative movement. 6. To open up entirely new sources of funds for the financial and industrial development of coopera tives by investing its trust moneys cooperatively. 7. To augment the development of cooperative fiscal institutions. 8. To enable persons interested in cooperatives to make the Foundation a partial or co-beneficiary in their life insurance programs. 9. In general, to serve as a channel for friends of cooperatives to aid cooperative development in many ways—through cooperative education, research, recre ation, scholarships, newspapers, artistic and architec tural projects, health, housing and relief programs. Types of Gifts (Gifts and trusts may be anonymous or otherwise, and may be given for any memorial purpose.) 1. Lump sum or periodical gifts received without restrictions. 2. Gifts and trusts, the principal or interest of which is specified for a particular purpose. 3. Gifts and trusts, the principal or interest of which is specified for contingent purposes. 4. Funds received from wills or living trusts for total or partial benefit of others which may or may not eventually revert to the benefit of the Foundation. O O O O O O FINANCE-6 Production Cooperatives directly owned, wholly or in part, by two or more members of National Cooperatives. NC members are indicated by code initials (see ORG-3 for full names). Non-members of NC are spelled out. Farm Bureau Milling Co. Feeds. Plant at Ham- mond, Ind. Owned by FBS, IFB, Illinois Farm Supply Co , Wisconsin Farm Bureau Co-ops. Cooperative Mills. Feeds, flour. Mill at Reading, O Owned by FBC, PFB. Southern States Cooperative Co-op Plant Foods. Fertilizer. Plant at Scherer- \illc, Ind Owned by IFB, MCW, Illinois Farm Sup- pi} Co , Wisconsin Farm Bureau Co-ops. Farm Bureau Chemical Coop've. Fertilizer. Plant at Glendale, O. Owned by FBC, IFB International Coop've Lumber Assn. Shingles Plant at Fanny Bay, B. C., Canada Owned by ALB, CCAK, CCW, FBC, FUCX, IFB, MAN, MCW, PSC, SPC. UF. National Co-ops National Coop've Refinery Assn. Petroleum. Re- [mery at McPherson, Kans Owned by CCAK, CCW, FLCX, FUSX, MCW National Farm Machinery Coop've. Farm imple ments. Plants at Bellevue, O., and Shelbyville, Ind Ouned by CCAK, CCAT, CCW, FBC, FBS, FCX. FUCX, FUSX, IFB. MCW, PFB, PSC, Canadian Cooperative Implements. Northwest Coop've Mills. Soybean products, fer tilizer, feeds. Plant at Menornome, Wisconsin Owned by CCW, FUCX, MCW. Farmers Union Grain Ter minal Assn United Cooperatives. Oils, grease, paint, barn equipment. Plants at Alliance, O ; Indianapolis, and W-irren, Penna Owned by FBC, FBS, FCX, IFB, PFB, Cooperative G L-F Exch , Fox River Valley Co-op , Georgia Cotton Growers Assn., Illinois Farm Supply Co , Southern States Cooperative. Wash Co operative Egg1 & Poultry Assn., Wisconsin Co-op Farm Supply Co. O O O O O O PRODUCTION-2 Co-ops Are No Pushovers— (Continued from preceding page) any) on the subject of taxing the co-ops. To date, after two mailings, only a handful of Congressmen have clearly stated their views and the score is not encouraging. "A great many replies indicate clearly that the co-ops have done a better selling job to date and practically all replies imply that the 'folks back home" have not impressed their elected and prospective representatives in Congress that 'tax ing the co-ops' is really an important and proper procedure. "Of course, we realize that many professional politicians are most skillful in evading any issue which may cost votes, but, nevertheless, we are continuing the fight in a bigger and bet ter way. Retailers and wholesalers can't do it alone. They must have, and should have the entire industry in this fight. If not, the co-ops will not be taxed." —from HARDWARE AGE, October 24, 1946. (Questions on pages 11 and 12) 1. Rochdale, England. 2. December 21,1844. 3. False. The Rochdale cooperative was not the first in England. For instance, there was the Meltham Mills Society in 1827. And it had been preceded, even, by a few still earlier ones in Scotland, such as the Lennextown Society in 1812. In fact, Dr. William King, a pre-Rochdale theorist, stimulated the organization of some 300 stores. But the Rochdale group established and conducted a store on the sound cooperative principles that included self-help and user-ownership, and these spread throughout England, Europe and the world. 4. 28. 5. Flannel weavers. 6. L28 ($140). 7. (c) On the ground floor of an old warehouse. 8. (c) Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. 9. Toad Lane, which is a side street in Rochdale, England, where the Rochdale Pioneers opened the first cooperative store. 10. Wheelbarrow. 11. (b) To be exact—22 Ibs. of butter, 50 Ibs. of sugar, 6 sacks of flour, 1 sack of oatmeal and 2 dozen candles. 12. Charles Howarth, himself a weaver. 13. Samuel Ashworth. 14. (b) "The hungry forties." 15. (c) Celebrated 100th year in 1944 with 32,000 members and annual business of $3,000,000. 16. Principles 4. and 5. should read, respectively: "Savings returned according to patronage," and "Business for cash only at prevailing market prices." 17. (c) 2V2%. 18. (a) To build capital for factories they dreamed of building. 19. (b) Every shareholder has but one vote on each ques tion no matter how many shares he owns. 20. A phrase used to refer to the tendency of some small cooperatives to maintain dingy quarters on side streets with poor service instead of following the new trend of stream lining and locating on important business thorofares, and pro viding the utmost in service and efficiency. (More next month) Other Fact Book page» on page» 11-12 11 CO-OP Magazine Materini For Study-Action Groups— Map Out Your Program for *47 r HAT is the job of your Study- Action group? This sort of question should be raised at least once a year. From one area to anoth er across the country, the purpose of study-and-action groups varies. This department will not be of use to all discussion groups; over the year, however, each group maj find in this page certain suggestions which will be useful. Deep in the root of Study-Action group purpose is the need to pro vide your co-op with a certain pro portion of enlightened members. En lightened, that is to say, toward the history and destiny cf cooperation, and the larger task of cooperation as a new economic philosophy. The area of study is related to many public issues today, from drug im purities, to coal strikes; it's a rich primary field in which to dig. Another application of the Study- Action group is based on the con cept that the co-op is a community project; it has a good deal of re sponsibility toward the corrmunity— a real co-op makes its community a better place for living. Convinced of this, study groups provide space in their schedules for considering com munity issues: schools, health, safe ty, crime, recreation, etc. There are tnany problems—some are acute right now, such as housing. In con sidering these questions, the co-op Study-Action group can draw in other community representatives to help them discuss and improve their neighborhood. Your group, once the area of com munity responsibility is opened up, will realize that they are citizens of a wider community and may con sider state-wide, national and inter national problems. Action, as a re sult of good clear discussion and resolution can proceed from all of these questions. As to methods and materials for Study-Action groups, there are more things to choose from than you would ever imagine! Many re gional wholesales have excellent lit erature and education departments which can supply a variety of sug gestions and materials—including films and speakers. A good Study- Action group will have a varied program including tours, speakers, panels, films and round-tables so that meetings are not monotonous. In Ohio it was found that success ful discussion groups needed a little recreation and refreshment as well as discussion ai each meeting. A real but casual "sociable" value in Have You Seen These? The two newest Public Affairs pam phlets: "How Can We Teach About Sex?" No. 122 by Benjamin C. Gruen- berg. "Keep Our Press Free!" No. 123 by Robert E. Cushman. Each lOc a copy from Public Affairs Com mittee, 22 E. 38th St., New York 16. Special quantity prices. Newest material on the control of atomic energy: "America at the Crossroads" by John McCullough, 14 page pam phlet of newspaper article re prints. "Discussion Outline on Atomic Energy," single copy lOc. "Gentlemen: You Are Mad!" by Lewis Mumford, article reprint, excellent. "There is no defense against Atomic Bombs" by W. A. Hig- ginbotham, 4 page article reprint. "The Atomic Stakes" by John K. Jessup, 4 page article reprint. "Atomic Information," 12 page monthly periodical, $2.00 per year, sample free. ( \Il above atomic material« from Na tional Committee on itomii- Informa tion, 174» I Street. VW., Washington «. I). T.) "Overcoming Prejudice." The role of the conference in stimulating democratic attitudes. A vital manual. 25c from American La bor Education Service, Inc., 1776 Broadway, New York 19. "N.L.R.A. National Labor Rela tions Act." Simple pamphlet on history and summary of Wagner Act, texts, application of law, 15c from Superintendent of Do cuments, Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. a study group is a very good thing. Well, enough has been said Ex cept this, if your Study-Action group is really going to be some thing, it must consider what will be its purpose. Devote one meeting to considering a comprehensive, vital agenda for the year! Here's wish ing you the best of talk-fests in '47 Vermont Co-op Gets Union Promotion Taking the lead in co-op rela tions with organized labor, the Bur lington (Vt.) Consumer Co-op has found a successful method for strengthening its membership by including labor groups. Getting their signal from the United Auto Workers' national pro gram for organizing new open- membership co-ops and participat ing in existing ones, members of the Burlington co-op decided to so licit the participation of all people who work in the plants in that community. First step, Co-op President Dan Southworth reports, was to send Education Chairman Don Elberson to the union's executive board to explain the workings of the co-op. Result, expression of great interest by union members and request for further information. Three union leaders then attend ed a board of directors meeting to tee. first-hand, just how a co-op operates. One of them, Don Evans, chairman of the union's education committee, became so enthusiastic that he was promptly appointed to fill a board vacancy. As a third step, two appointments were made for co-op people to talk to union groups. Co-op Manager Tom Griffith spoke to the whole membership of one union at a reg ular meeting, and Gordon Loveless, executive secretary of the Vermont Cooperative Council, spoke to the County Council (CIO) which repre sents all CIO unions in that locality. Demonstrating their support of union participation in community co-ops, Union President Fred Hen- dy and Union Editor Theodore Sal isbury joined the co-op as individ uals and urged the rest of the mem bership to do likewise. February, 1947 23 Notes About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities -----is». New CO-OP Garage Doors Arrangements have been com pleted for the distribution of over head type gliding garage doors under the CO-OP label. These doors are adjustable for perfect bal ance—they roll open smoothly and easily, completely out of the way, leaving only an 8-inch projection at the top when fully opened. Made of high tensile steel in a one-piece welded construction, they'll give a lifetime of service through all kinds of weather. They're specially treated to give protection from rust and corrosion Rubber bottom strip gives added protection against snow and rain Design is neat, modern. No center post is required with this overhead type door—makes it easier to park the car. It's equipped with tamper-proof lock. Comes in two sizes: Single Door, 8 ft. wide, 7 ft. high. Double Door, 15 ft. 11 in. wide, 7 ft. high. Order from your Regional. convenient Cordomatic reel which automatically reels the cord back into the case when not in use.) Additional equipment you'll want to order is a portable Screen, a crystal Microphone and a Record Player. The screen comes in two sizes—52 by 72 in., and 39 by 52 in. The microphone fits on the projector for use as a P.A. system. The rec ord player attaches to the micro phone and adjusts from 33 rpm (for radio broadcast pick-ups) to 78 rpm (for standard home records). This makes a complete set-up for a full evening's programming of education and entertainment. Shipments take 60 to 90 days—order from your Re gional. Films for Your Projector There is an abundance cf film material on cooperative subjects ob tainable through your regional wholesale. Also, many state libraries have films on file which are both in formative and entertaining. In addi tion, commercial film libraries are expanding rapidly since the war and rental charges are very reasonable. CO-OP Furniture Polish In your merchandising program for March you will probably want to emphasize household cleaning items, as suggested in our current ad. CO OP Emulsified Floor Wax was fully discussed in Commodity Notes in the November '46 issue of CO-OP Maga zine. CO-OP High Gloss Furniture Polish is another consistent re peat item and one which has an interesting merchandising story. To our knowledge there is only one other furniture polish on the market like it—and that one sells for almost three times as much. CO-OP High Gloss Polish is an oil-in-watpr emulsion on the acid side, whereas most emulsion type polishes are alkaline. The slight acidity increases its efficiency as a cleansing and polishing agent, since it tends to harden the original fin ish and counteract the softening ac tion of the alkaline deposits com- T. Movie Projectors The demand for movie projectors has kept the factory stepping to keep abreast on production. The wide number of uses in the field for these projectors—for sales and prod uct training, for community meet ings, for all educational purposes —makes them a wise investment. The projectors, for both sound and silent movies, will run 16mm film. They operate on 50-60 cycle A.C., 100-125 volts. (Available if desired with polarity changer for operation on either A.C. or D.C.). Each projector has a high intensity 750-watt lamp, attachable to the projector assembly without the use of tools; an audio frequency am plifier, plus a full wave rectifier and a loudspeaker permanently mounted in an individual carrying case. (At a slightly higher cost the loudspeaker comes equipped with This new model movie projector for both sound and silent films provides with its record player and microphone attachments (pictured on next page), a complete and compact set -up for train ing and educational programs, co-op and community meetings, and entertainment features It serves effectively as a public address system, too. 24 CO-OP Magazine Hand type microphone attachment and record player for use with the movie projector and speaker shown on the opposite page. Provides complete sound equipment for your programs it filled a 12.75-24 tractor tire in ap proximately 7 minutes, operating at the idling speed of the tractor. In another test all the water from the inner tube was removed in 13 min utes. The pump can be used for suction simply by reversing the hose or by using a 2-way reversing valve. Used as a suction pump, it develops a vacuum of about 28 in. The pump operates with the trac tor standing idle or in motion. The entire unit is small, compact and light—weighing only about 25 Ibs. It fits a 134 in. shaft which is used on about 70 per cent of the tractors in service today. (Later on a pump will be made available which fits a l^s in. power take-off shaft.) If you're interested in having this equipment demonstrated, make ar rangements with your Regional. monly found on floors and furniture. Being an emulsion, it is a more effective cleanser than the straighl oil types of polish, yet it contains no solvents to soften the finish. In addition to high grade mineral oil, CO-OP High Gloss Polish contains egg albumen which gives the polish its unique film forming quality. It leaves a very high luster film on the polished surface which cannot be obtained with any straight oil. or oil emulsion polish. The ease with which it cleans and polishes, the thoroughness of the cleansing job it does and the brilliant luster it gives to finishes are the basic reasons for its popularity. This type of polish, however, is not as long lasting nor as protective as a wax coating. (Your patron may prefer a wax polish for treasured pieces of furniture and for table tops. If so, suggest CO-OP Furni ture and Floor Wax.) Catalog pages on all CO-OP Polishes and Waxes are available from your Regional. Pre-packaged Onion Sets Pre-packaging for produce is gaining acceptance every day as sales on items merchandised in this way mount upward. During the past year pre-packaging was introduced for onion sets, and already con siderable sales increases are re ported. It's more convenient for both patron and clerk to have the sets already packaged, saving time usually wasted in weighing each order separately from the bulk. Onion sets in 2-lb. mesh bags are now available to members through National. The open mesh provides the necessary ventilation—and it's the best way for the patron to ac tually see and check what he's buy ing. The price is low—but if you're planning to stock this item, get your order in to your Regional as soon as possible for the best break on cur rently rising prices. Cosmetic Packaging Tiny round collophane-like discs which fit inside cream jars and com pletely cover the top of the cream when the cover is removed are in cluded in all jars recently shipped. This protects the creams from dust and should cut down spoilage. J- 73? /EL New Ail-Purpose Farm Pump The Hydro-Aire Pump which was publicized in the December issue of CO-OP Magazine is a recent de velopment that's rapidly gaining an enthusiastic acceptance. It's very easy to use— you simply place it over the power take-off shaft of your tractor. And the number of uses to which it can be put around the farm appears almost unlimited. Primarily designed to fill tractor tires, it can also be used for filling stock tanks, cleaning barns and equipment, spraying trees, barns and livestock with insecticide, irrigating gardens and lawns, whitewashing buildings, draining flooded base ments, etc. At normal operating speed of 160 rpm, it delivers 2% gallons of water a minute, at 70 Ibs. pressure per square inch. In an efficiency test Util.-. Catalog pages on the CO-OP Iron- er and Washing Machine are now available. Complete information is presented, highlighted with color, so that the pages can serve as con sumer "pass-outs" and mailing pieces as well. (Since the catalogue page was released, the Model Numbers on the washer, Nos. 171A and 171AP, have been changed to 251 and 251P. Otherwise, the washer remains the same.) Order from your Regional. How Springfield Gets Co-op Publicity E. B. Bozenhard, manager of the Springfield (Mass.) Co-op, proves how little seeds bear big fruit, re ports the (Eastern Co-ops) Coop- erator. Ernest has a habit of imme diately sending to a reporter he knows on every paper in town, a copy of every piece of new litera ture which comes into his hands (Note, he knows the reporters, too.) Results: Recently the Springfield Daily News carried a full column editorial on a pamphlet by Murray D. Lincoln, president of the Coop erative League. The editorial read, in part: "People have in their own hands the tools to fashion their own des tiny—if only they will use them. The power in your purse is the key that will unlock the doors to the new or der of abundance. "And so the cooperatives chal lenge private enterprise. This is a form of competition which may in fuse new life in trade." February, 1947 25 Building Goodwill on Your Outside Service Calls These two portraits of radio service calls provide valu able pointers for all types of home and farm servicing By PETER MARKANTES THE serviceman who calls at a customer's home must observe every one of the laws of successful salesmanship if he is to create the type of customer satisfaction that constitutes the best advertising— personal recommendation. For the oldtimer, these practices are second nature—he has followed them for so many years that their application is effortless. For the newcomer, there is a danger that they may appear so simple that they may be dismissed with only a casual thought. The ability to gain a customer's confidence and respect is of primary importance, even greater than tech nical knowledge and skill. Some may argue with this statement, but it has been the author's personal ex perience that a radio man who is not a good businessman can never hope to survive in a highly competitive field such as radio servicing. On the other hand, a man whose technical knowledge may be some what limited, judged by the stand ards of topnotch technicians, can nevertheless become highly success ful if he rs an accomplished sales man. This is not to say that business "know-how"' can replace technical skill or that the serviceman need make no effort to increase his fami liarity with developments in the field. Radio servicing is a profession, and if its members are to appear be fore the public as professional men, they must look and act the part. Perhaps the most important require ment is that of a neat, well groomed appearance. The outside serviceman should not find it necessary to have "radio service'' emblazoned in bold characters on his tool kit to enable the housewife to distinguish him from the garbage collector. Neither does he need to go to the extreme of patent leather shoes and mani cured fingernails. Principal needs are a decently clean suit, shined shoes and an occasional visit to the barber. Some men — particularly those whose time is divided between out side calls and bench work or auto radio servicing—will find this diffi cult. It is not an unreasonable ob jective, however To the man who says he can't afford to wear his best clothes on the job, the only answer is, "You can't afford not to." Another requirement is that an outside man be able to converse in telligently with a customer and to sell himself and his services in a dignified, restrained, yet forceful manner. This doesn't require lin guistic ability to the extent that every utterance is a polysyllabic ponderosity, but if you are the "dees" and "doze" type, you might better find some other field of en deavor. The "do's" and "don't's" of deal ing with the customer on outside jobs are many. Instead of listing them, let me trace two hypothetical case histories to illustrate some of the guiding principles. First, take the case of Joe MacJerk. It is Saturday afternoon and Joe is deeply involved in an "intermit tent." Suddenly, a gleam of triumph lights his eyes as the television 'scope shows the picture he has been awaiting. At that precise instant the phone rings. In disgust and aggravation, Joe throws the pliers on the bench, walks to the stand, and picks up the phone. "Yeah?" There is a moment of silence at the other end and then, hesitantly, a feminine voice asks, "Is this Mac- Jerk's Radio and Television Serv ice?" * Briefed from "Eadio Maintenance" nf Reprinted ^y permission 26 CO-OP Magazine 'Yuh/ Again hesitantly, 'My radio has stopped playing. Would you be able to come to my home and fix it?" By this time, Joe realizes that he is talking to a prospective customer. Adopting a confident tone, he re plies, "Yessir," and as an after thought, "Whatcher name and ad dress?" (Note Joe's ability to obtain the pertinent information with a minimum of fuss and gab.) "This is Mrs. John Walsh, 1613 Washington Avenue." A frenzied search for pencil and paper is fruit less. Loath to trust his memory, Joe saves the day by asking, "Would ya hold the line a minute, lady? I can't find my pencil. Dat lousy helper of mine musta walked off with it. You know how help is nowadays. Ha, Ha. Ha!" Some minutes later, Joe crawls from under the bench with a pencil. "Okay, Mrs. Welch. What's the ad dress again?" "1613 Washington Avenue, and the name is Walsh: W-A-L-S-H"—this in a chilly tone affected chiefly by those fortunate souls who do not suffer with names like Zybyschow- icz. "Oh, sure, Mrs. Walsh. Whatsa- matter with the set, lady?" Despite the directness of the query, the sub ject is one that is close to Mrs Walsh's heart and she begins a lengthy discourse on a host of symp toms. When Mrs Walsh has reached a point where a pause for breath is a necessity, Joe seizes his op portunity and interjects. "That's okay, Mrs. Walsh, I'll fix it. Don't worry. I'll be there about 7 o'clock. Goodby and thanks for the busi ness." (Note "businesslike" setting of time when family is most apt to be sitting down to dinner; this may not win friends but it always influ ences people.) As he packs his service kit, he suddenly realizes that he forgot to ask Mrs. Walsh what make of radio she owns. Since his kit will not hold more than a dozen tubes, this poses a problem, but Joe solves it by op timistically concluding that tube trouble was not likely. Packing a few condensers into the kit, and making a mental note to clean that bag out one of these days, he leaves. Joe makes all the red lights and gets stuck in two traffic jams so it is 7:40 when he arrives at Mrs. Walsh's. He is surprised to find that it is in a very fashionable section. Although Joe may be put in the "mental midgets" category, he does realize that his baggy pants, dirty shoes, and greasy pullover sweater are slightly out of place in this en vironment. With affected nonchalance, he pauses at the front door to light a cigarette, then rings the bell. As Mrs. Walsh opens the door, her smile of welcome quickly changes to a glance of consterna tion. Joe removes his cap, and in a very crisp, business-like manner, he announces, "MacJerk's Radio and Television Service." Recovering, Mrs. Walsh says, "Oh yes. Won't you please come in?" To a more sensitive ear. the tone of the invitation would have given the im pression that she hoped for a nega tive answer. "Sure," graciously accepts Joe, struggling with a momentous prob lem: He has two bags, one cap, one cigarette and only two hands. What to do? With his customary lack of indecision, he places the cigarette back in his mouth, the cap on his head, and picks up the bags. Mrs Walsh ushers him into the living room and nervously intro duces him to the man of the house who is seated behind the evening newspaper. There is no doubt that Mr. Walsh is displeased; his dinner has been delayed pending the arrival of the radio man. In answer to Joe's "How d'ya do?" Mr. Walsh grunts a very non-com- mital "harumph" and gives his spouse a look which asks, better than words, "Where did you find this?" Joe walks over to the radio and turns it on. By this time, the ash on his cigarette is about an inch long, so he stops to cross the room and snub the butt on a clean ash tray. (Note his concern for Mrs. Walsh's rug.) Returning, he picks up a vase from the top of the console and carefully places it on the mantel. A white lace doily is more of a problem, but (Continued on page 29) CO-OP floor wax AND co OP high gloss polish / r* M CO-OP Comes the end of winter, and the gleam in a house wife s eye means spring cleaning time is here again. You have two CO-OP products to help make the chore a lit tle lighter, do the job a little better. CO-OP Floor Wax goes on so easily—needs no polishing or rubbing—and it's tough, for lasting protection. CO-OP High Gloss Polish cleans while it polishes—all in one simple appli cation Both are CO-OP manufactured which means -" controlled high quality for your patrons—a wider mar gin for you. Order from your regional. i,ow?r. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. February, 1947 27 tue Growth in Many Fields THE opening sessions of the new Congress were accompanied by mutter ings of alarm in some coop erative territories Farmers Union members in Minnesota were ap prised that Representative Knut- son, father of the 20-per-cent-tax- slash movement, was no friend to co-ops and might be expected to look for ways to make up the 20- per-cent cut out of co-op pockets. The scheduled Senate investiga tion of the newsprint shortage was abruptly and inexplicably canceled, and several co-op papers were left hanging by the liver; the Eastern Cooperative League Cooperator came out with a four-page issue on January 6 and the North Dakota Union Farmer dickered with the Wisconsin Farmers Union for enough paper for its January 6 is sue. From various quarters came rumblings and rumors which could be distinguished as indicating grow ing interest in the cooperative pro duction of paper. Tax Equality Association activities continued to roll along in good shape, the state branches being es- All 12 monthly issues of CO-OP Magazine for 1946 bound into an at tractive book. A smart addition to your library —a permanent reference book. You'll refer to it again and again in com ing years. of 1946 CO-OP Magazine for your bookshelf Durable cloth cover, green with "CO-OP Magazine, 1946" e m- bossed in gold on bind ing. Price $3.50. Just 100 copies bound—first come, first served! So order now from: CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dear born Street, Chicago 4, III. A few 1945 volumes still available at same price. pecially lively. The national office of this tax-the-co-ops posse made merry when the news came in that Russia had recognized the value of city consumer cooperatives; despite the fact that until November Rus sia was one of the few countries in the world where the organization of city co-ops was against the law, the new step was taken to prove that co-ops and communism are the same thing. NAM View on Taxes Two representatives of the Na tional Association of Manufacturers paid a surprise visit to the annual meeting of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives—Morris Sayre of Corn Products Refining Company and Walter D. Fuller of Curtis Pub lishing Company—to confirm their support of cooperatives as a basic form of private enterprise and to invite farm support of reduced taxes on "all producers." The NAM re port on cooperatives, in which it was affirmed that the taxation of patron age refunds is unwarranted, was not a hasty judgment, but represented the "carefully weighed study" of 125 industrial leaders, said Messrs. Sayre and Fuller. A meeting held next day at St Charles, Illinois, attended by field men from regional wholesales most interested in the development of ur ban cooperatives, proved optimistic about opportunities for co-op de velopment in the cities. "The grow ing interest of labor, church and educational organizations indicate we are entering a period of wide spread organization," said chairman C. J- McLanahan. Conferees agreed unanimously that new co-ops should be formed on a scale large enough to be the most efficient store in the community, using super-market methods. Voorhis Writes Column Meanwhile, John Winant, former ambassador to England and long a friend of cooperatives, resigned from his post as American representative on the Economic and Social Coun cil of the United Nations. W. P. Watkins, long associated with the British Cooperative wholesale and recently with Reynolds News, was appointed to a post in the British Military Government in Germany. Jerry Voorhis, until the last elec tion the co-ops' best friend in the House of Representatives, turned up as the writer of a column in the As sociated Cooperator, which has just been stepped up in size and appear ance to rank with other co-op papers In Minneapolis the formation of The Cooperative Foundation was announced; its function will be to accept gifts, legacies and other funds for cooperative development. A. J. Smaby, Midland general manager who is acting as secretary-treasurer of the new foundation, envisages the pooling of these funds for the train ing of personnel, for which he says the need is "great, almost desperate." Credit unions in New Brunswick, where the old credit union league has petered out, now have organized two new ones—one for English- speaking credit unions, one for French. Figures released by the Saskatchewan Minister of Coopera tion indicate that cooperative pur chasing reached $26,354,933 in the fiscal year 1945-46. New Ohio Radio Series The Ohio advisory councils, which reached a record total of 17,000 in Ohio, with approximately ten fam ilies participating in each, now have a radio program dedicated to them from the State University station. This is a weekly broadcast; two pro grams a month will deal with the re ports and minutes sent into Colum bus from these discussion groups, the other two will offer material bearing on current topics. In Chicago a site has been leased for the second of the Chicago Con sumers Cooperative net of super markets. The Cooperative Sym phony Orchestra of Chicago gave its first concert in December. Two independent oil companies have been bought up by CCA, Kan sas City, boosting this wholesale's production to 50 per cent of its re fineries' needs. The two companies were Coralena Oil Company and Bridgeport Oil Company, the first of Tulsa, the second of Wichita. In volved in the purchase were 85,000 acres of oil leases and 171 wells, as well as equipment. In Greenbelt, Maryland, big plans are afoot. The amalgamated coop erative services on this town are 28 CO-OP Magazine already doing over a million dollars a year; now the group projects a mammoth shopping center, housing under one roof a food market, res taurant and fountain, bakery, deli catessen, ice cream production, dem onstration kitchen, night store, 10- lane bowling alley, game room and nursery for parking children. Outside Service— (Continued from page 27) Joe solves it by picking it up with one hand so that there will be only one set of greasy fingerprints on it, lays it on a chair. The coast clear, he swings the cabinet out from the wall and goes to work. A vigorous tapping on the tubes produces results—a '55 when tapped, starts the set playing for an instant. Being methodical, he decides to re move the chassis and make certain that everything underneath is in or der. He opens his tool kit and after a bit of digging around, during which a few ends of wire and an empty tube carton fall to the floor, he finds his socket wrenches and proceeds to remove the chassis. Some minutes later, he has left his fingerprints on the white window sill and the drapes as he disconnected the aerial lead- in, and has the chassis and speaker on the rug. He plugs the radio in, but when he attempts to plug in his soldering iron, it is necessary to remove a plug that occupies the other half of the outlet; this removes the light from Mr. Walsh's newspaper. Ignoring the ominous rustling of the paper, and a black look, Joe checks his diagnosis and announces, "It'll cost you $5.50 to fix this set." "Really? Just what seems to be wrong?" asks Mr. Walsh. "Well, I gotta replace two tubes and one by-pass condenser," says Joe. "Do you think it would be better if I traded this set in for a new one?" "I don't know—it 11 be pretty good when I get through," confidently re plies Joe. "All right then. Go ahead," ac ceded Mr. Walsh, anxious to get this over with, and get to his dinner. Subsequently, with the contents of his service kit spread over the floor, Joe concludes that his kit does not include a '55 or 2A5. "Mister Walsh, I'm sorry, but I don't seem to have the tube re placements with me—guess I'll have to buzz back to the shop and pick them up." This is the last straw, and Joe promptly finds himself on the front porch, his ears burning from Mr. Walsh's impressions of a clumsy stumblebum. "Whew! I wouldn't trust that fel low with Junior's scooter," ejacu lated Mr. Walsh as his wife ran the vacuum cleaner over the rug where neat designs of dust betrayed the locations of the radio parts. "Frank Benson was telling me what an ex cellent job he got done on his set the other day. Think I'll give him a ring after dinner and get the name of the man who did his work." Thus it was that early Monday morning, Fred Williams' phone rang. Fred turned from his bench. Picking up the phone he answers, "Good morning. Williams' Radio Service, Fred Williams speaking " "Good morning. This is Mrs. Walsh, 1613 Washington Avenue. My radio is giving us trouble Could you take care of it?" "Certainly, Mrs. Walsh. What would be a convenient time for me to call?" asked Fred as he entered the name and address in his call book. "Any time in the early afternoon, say about 2:00?" Mrs. Walsh was pleasantly surprised with this con cern about the customer's conve nience. Glancing at his call book to con firm that this hour was free, Fred replies, "That's fine. You may ex- f Continued on next page) BACK AGA N! ',"';, CO-OP prepared biscuit flour Check your supply of these other CO-OP Mills products: Wholewheat Pancake Buckwheat Pancake White Pancake Special Blend Pancake All Purpose Pancake Bread Flour Pastry Flour Cake Flour Buckwheat Flour Wholewheat Flour White Cornmeal Yellow Cornmeal Farina Wheat Cereal Watch those women sigh with relief when they see CO-OP Prepared Biscuit Flour back on your shelves again. It's so easy to use—and it makes up into dee-licious. biscuits, shortcake and muf fins, not to mention waffles and dumplings. And all in about the time it used to take to sift the flour! Now that shortening is available, this popular biscuit flour is in plen tiful supply. Break the news to your patrons with a big display. And remember — CO-OP Biscuit Flour is CO-OP all the way—pro duced to tested formulas in your own CO-OP Mills. Order from your regional. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. February, 1947 29 Outside Service— (Continued from page 29) pect me at 2:00. Now Mrs. Walsh, if I may take a minute of your time, you can help me to give you more efficient service by telling me just what trouble you are having with your radio—that is, has it stopped playing altogether, is it weak, or noisy?" 'It doesn't play at all." "I see. Does the dial light up when you turn it on?" "Yes." "Thank you. Now one thing more —would you happen to know the name of the manufacturer and the age of the radio?'1 "Yes." said Mrs. Walsh, and she gave him the maker's name. "As for its age, I really don't know for sure. We bought it in 1937." "That's fine, Mrs. Walsh. I am very much obliged to you. You may expect me at 2:00." Since radios of 1937 manufacture employed tubes referred to as 6A7's, 75's, 77's, 78's, 42's, and 80's, Fred made sure his kit contained at least one of each. On the chance that the set may have been on the dealer's floor for some time, Fred also packed some 2A7's, 55's, 57's, 58's, 2A5's and 80's, as this was the lineup of most of the 1936 sets. Since the set lit up, power trans former trouble was not to be sus- Classified Advertising The classified section of CO-OP MAGAZINE is available to individuals or organizations to advertise articles for sale or exchange or •wanted, help or situations wanted, education al projects, or special services. Bight reserved to refuse any advertising regarded by CO-OP MAGAZINE to be in conflict with cooperative objectives or programs. Bates are 7c per word for one insertion; 6c per word for two or more insertions. Minimum, $1. Abbreviations, signs, initials and complete numbers counted as words. First line in capital letters; no other display. Bemittance must ac company order Address Classified Department, CO-OP M VGA2INE, 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois. HELP WANTED Community group needs member-manager for 147 acre farm. Share capital necessary Must be enthusiastic cooperator. Agricultural f-ollege training desirable but not neceseaiy if compensated by thorough experience Other residents may apply. Nisei or Negroes wel comed Write Carold Welty, Et Z Elmira. N. Y. CURRENT CO-OP JOBS NEW OPENINGS. TRAFFIC MAN, CÖM- modity buyers, order clerks Send applica tions by letter for above positions now open in cooperatives, and also for other manage rial, clerical, engineering, warehouse, research, educational, secretarial and technical posi tions. Farm supply, petroleum, food stores, housing1 equipment production and mainte nance, chemical manufacture, banking and finance, printing industries, transportation. Give previous training and experience, prin cipal interests, cooperative background if any Addresä Personnel Department, National Co operatives, 343 S Dearborn St . Chicago 4. Ill 30 pected. A 15-henry choke, thru 8mfd. 600v electrolytics, and a 30,- 000-ohm, 25-watt résister with ad justable taps took care of possible power pack troubles. If coil or speaker trouble requiring replace ment was encountered, Fred reckon ed on removing the set to the shop, so no attempt was made to carry along these items. A standard as sortment of paper and mica con densers, resistors, and "pots" took care of most eventualities in thit> department. In addition to replacement parts, he checked his kit for such items as "carbon tet'' and speaker cement. He made sure of an ample supply of colored, insulated staples, 30 ft. each of white, black, and brown parallel cord, base-board mounting current tap, and antenna kit. (Ob serve inclusion of staples and wire in the service kit. Many an extra dollar may be earned quickly if you are prepared to run an extension neatly and re-locate the radio in a spot more desirable to the customer than its present one. An antenna kit is a must; it may facilitate a new installation. Lead-in strips are in expensive items; always carry spares.) Leaving at 1:20, Fred arrives at 1613 Washington Avenue promptly at 1:55. To Mrs. Welsh's cordial. "Hello," he replied: "Good afternoon—Williams' Radio Service"—handing her one of his cards. (Business cards are excel lent "door openers' and serve the purpose of establishing your ident ity in a business-like manner. Use a card that is neatly printed on good paper; keep advertising to a mini mum, a card is not the place for it.) Mrs. Walsh was struck by the con trast between the neat appearance of this man and his predecessor. Once in, Fred removed his top coat and hat, walked over to the radio and turned it on. While wait ing for it to heat up, he opened his service kit, took out a small square of canvas and spread it on the rug to protect it when he removed the chassis. (This is worth much in creating customer goodwill.) His preliminary checks completed, Fred removed the chassis, tested all tubes thoroughly, and wiped them clean. On a small, gummed label bearing his firm name, he noted the condition of the tube and stuck it on. (This is excellent advertising and it removes any possibility of confusion as to which tubes are yours and which are the customers.) The '55 second detector A-F driver, and a 2A5 output tube were definitely bad. The other tubes checked fair, though all had low emission. Since all operating voltages check ed okay, he replaced the two tubes and turned the set on. Selectivity and sensitivity were good. A slight rattle of the speaker revealed need of cone re-centering. Two 8-mf elec trolytic condensers showed deterio ration. A low hum while volume was lowered indicated they should be replaced. A .01 mfd. coupling condenser was noisy when tapped. His tests completed, he called Mrs. Walsh. "There are two different types of servicing jobs possible on your radio. First, I can restore your radio to acceptable playing condi tion by replacing two tubes and a condenser, and recentering the speaker. While this will restore your set to working condition, it is not the job I would recommend." "Why is that?" "Well, to begin with, all the other tubes in your set are rather weak Despite the fact that they test fair right now. there is no way of tell ing how long they will stay that way —they may last a month or two, or they may last only a week. In ad dition, notice these condensers (pointing to the accumulation of residue on the outside of the elec trolytics). When this type of con denser begins to leak it is generally only a matter of a short time before they fail completely. So if I replace only two tubes and one condenser, you have no assurance that your troubles are over." "How about price?" "The first job I mentioned will cost $7.50. The second job, which I call an overhaul will cost $24.50." "Heavens! Isn't that a lot of money?" "Not necessarily. You have had this set for 9 years. That means less than $3.00 a year or about 6 cents a week for upkeep, which is not high. Actually, this job is the more economical since I shall be able to do it all on one call rather than two or three which might be necessary if you decide to postpone replacement of these parts until they actually fail. Another consideration is that in the event these condensers go bad, they might damage other parts which right now are good." Mrs. Walsh took the $24.50 job. Fred made all the changes and ad justments, made a final check of the set with Mrs. Walsh, cleaned up thoroly, and left a gratified patron— another booster. CO-OP Magazine 3 valuable books on co-ops without cost! With subscriptions to CO-OP Magazine from 10 or more workers in your co-op, your co-op library can get with out charge: 1 Manual for Cooperative Directors, by V. S. Alanne, Director of the Coopera tive Corre spondence School Selling price *1«50 2 Manager's Manual for Co operative Stores, by Ed ward A. Filene Good Will Fund, cooperative re search organization Selling price *1.50 2 Con s u m e r Cooperative Leadership, by Edward A. Filene Good Will Fund Selling price *1«50 Successful cooperators con stantly seek improvement . . . for personal advancement . . for success to their co-op . . for co-op progress. CO-OP Magazine gives an exchange of modern ideas, and the 3 work books are exhaustive studies on co-op operations and ad ministration. 3 Easy Things To Do Leaders of your co-op . . . officers, directors, com- mittee members, m a n- agers, or other employees . . . can be approached at the next board or mem bership meeting, in your store or in their homes. Each subscriber should sign an individual sub- scription order. New or der pad folders are now available This is a special offer which can be made for a short time only. We urge you to mail in your order promptly to: CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois. it's ready—revised and up-to-date—a valuable co-op reference book— Fundamentals of Consumer Cooperation by V. S. Alcmne This eighth revised edition of a very popular and very helpful handbook should be in the tool kit of every work ing cooperator. Additional data has been included about developments in recent years. Some of the features: Condensed outline of origins, aims and pur poses of cooperatives Interpretation of principles of Rochdale Coop eration ABC steps for the organizing of a cooperative Key principle? for democratic control and good management Definitions and classifications of cooperative terms Types of cooperative organizations and federa tions The book has over a hundred pages, is covered with at tractive red-morocco-finish heavy paper cover—will with stand much hard usage. An ideal book for use in basic member training courses in local co-op education programs. Retail price 50r Order from YOUR REGIONAL COOPERATIVE Itffflrf «•**• for FASTER MILKING —greater dairy profits Faster milking is the key to greater milk yield higher dairy profits—using less time and less equipment. CO-OP Universal Milkers are de signed to promote the faster milking program through Calf Nose equipment. And here's why— G The Calf Nose Inflation prevents crawling and "milk lock" which slow up milking G The Calf Nose Claw is designed to finish all quarters at the same time by exerting heavier milking action on heavier milking rear quarters. G The OD Pulsator is dependable and uniform in operation, assuring superior milking per formance—an essential for faster milking. G Low Vacuum of LO to 11 inches safeguards delicate udder tissues—it's more comfortable, and lessens possibility of injury. Not only do CO-OP Universal Milkers pro mote faster milking—they give most satisfac tion when used on the faster milking schedules for which they are designed. When selling CO-OP Universal Milkers be sure your farmer patron is informed on faster milking methods And remember—cleaning is easier, qmcker, mere efficient, with the Automatic Washer. U I- < £ Magazine O ,J2 "Ç "l tu" -P u 'S_- - ton, George Urwin, L E Woodcock, J F Yeager 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 R. Bowen. secretary; T. A. Tenhune, tieasurer: Harland Alien, Charles Baker. William M Blaisdeli, Emil Selvig, Arnold Bonn 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 ARIZON'A COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 200 202 West Adams St , Phoenix, Ailzona ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St., New York 27, New York ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St , Oakland, California liltlTISH COLUMBIA COOP'TIVE WHL'SALE One West Cordova St , Vancouver, B C CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 133G Flllleiton Air , rhirajn 14, Illinois CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East ICtli St , Kansas City, Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amanllo Texas CUNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison, Wisconsin EASTERN COOPERATIVES 44 West 143d St , New York 30, New York FARM BUREAT' COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St . Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU MUTUAL AUTO INS. CO 24(i North High St., Columbus 16, Ohio FAltM BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St., Laming, Michigan FAHMEBS COOPEBATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh, North Carolina FARMEBS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P O Box G, St. Paul, Minnesota I'-AHMEHS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenworth St., Omaha, Neb INDIANA FABM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN. 47 S Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 9, Ind MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St. Winnipeg, Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOIESALE 73!) 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 I15NNFSSEE FARMEBS COOP'VE Institute BIdg , Box 473, Columbia, Tennessee UNITED FARMERS COOPEBATIVE COMPANY Duke and George Sts., Toronto 2, Ontario UTAH COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 526 West Eighth South, Salt Lake City 4, Utah I Journal of technical assistance and information for iocai cooperative officers, directors, employees, and committee members VOLUME 3, NO. 3 Ho MARCH 1947 CONTENTS Are We Doing?- Some Shortcomings \nalyzecl 5 Bv O. B. lesness Building Service Station Pationage with Lubrication 6 ^ow Your Co-op Is Making Flour and Cereals 8 BY Hugh E. Bogardus \ New and Simple Election Method—Concurrent Voting 10 By Jacob Baker Another Quiz to Help \ou Know About Co-ops .. 11 Cooperative IS'urserj ....... 13 By Ruth Schumm Merchandising Ice Cream ... ...... l l Philippine Co-ops .. . . ..... . .......19 Danger Signals for Directors ........ _22 G I's Building New Cooperative Suburb 26 Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations. Departments Letters from Readers 4 Coming Events ........ . ... ........ .................. ........ 4 Two Wars and After (Business Activity Graphs) ..... .9 Fact Book Pages ' .. 11-12.21-22 Notes About Commodities 16-17 Flicker Flashes .. ... . . ...... 18 Material for Study-Action Groups .23 Co-op News of the Month ......24-25 Display of the Month .... 28 Books in Brief . 30 Editorial 30 People 31 PICTURE CREDITS Cover and page 13 Chicago Sun, paffes 6 and 7, James J Meli, Cleveland, eourtesv Natjonal Petroleum News, page 8, R Wurte, New York, page 10, New Iclral Studio Manila page 20 Filipino Studio, Manila, page 24, Leo Rosenthal, Pjx, Im , New York, page 26 Acme Chicasro paire 29, Views Inc, Seattle CO OP Magazine is published monthly by National Cooperatives, Inc Publication Business Manager, Gilman Calkins; Assistant Business Manager, Robert S Gauroi! Editorial and business offices 343 South Dearborn street, Chicago 4, Illinois Cable address, COOPAM Entered as second class matter Apul 20, 1045, at the postoffice at Chicago, Illinois, under the act of March 3, 1879. Printed in USA Copyright 1947 by National Cooperatives, Inc. Title registeied as trademark in U s Patent Office by Isational Cooperatives Inc and used by permission Subscription Rates One year. $2 00; tlnee years, $5 Single copy price 25 cents. Mailed anywhere «ithout extra charge Unsolicited manuscripts submitted at author's risk- sliould be accompanied by return postage Regional Circulation Managers Jean Long, CCW; Jean Johnston, Indiana; Robert Neptune, California, John B Gordon, Texas, Albert E Estling, Pacific Supply; Jean Grover, Central States; Walter W White Midland; W B Robms, Utah; Walter AV \ewman Eastern; J B Jones, Tennessee CHANGE OF ADDRESS Send old addiess 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 Our Readers Fact Book Clutter? Dear riiis The past msei tioris fur the Fac( Buoli—in tended for speakers—have been very interest ing and useful, but today ] find I must (with tongs^ inserl the music for the Goolibah Tree, Please' I haven't any objection to lat men duelung for an oyster or bobbing1 for a clam, or tlie othei attempts tu elevate ring-arumid- rosy to the status of a cult. But let's keep the speaker's booh clean ' George H, Tielienor Eastern Cooperatives New York. New York Witftoiit a song, what would a meeting be?—Ed. Fact Book Dear Sus I am enclosing my check foi $2 35 for winch please tend nit a CO-OP Fad Book Cover and "A Doctor foi the People" by M A. Shadid I think you have done a wonderful job in a?- semblme- the material for the Fant Book. The reprinl that vou show on the inside cover of the November issue, price 50c is this larger than the 3x5 sheetbff Resolutions from the Fifteenth Biennial Con gress were reiy inclusive Not being able to attend the Congress I now feel like I had a small part in it Lury M. AVeneman 1604 Eastern Parkway Louisville 4, KentucKy Fact Book pases sold in the oO-eeni reprint are exactly the same size as those appearing monthly in the regular issue» of CO-OP Maga zine.—Ed. formation on cooperative schools in Chicago where I can learn the basic fundamentals about business management and accounting in rela tion to cooperatives9 I intend to go to the Mainland sometime this summer and would ap preciate very much anv information you might lia\r George M. "Wakumoto Students' House 2324-S3S6 Metcalf Street Honolulu, Hawaii The best opportunity in this country for you to study in line with your interests would be at Roosevelt College in Chicago. While you will not find man> courses specifically on coopera tive«, you will find the basic subjects jou want to cover. In addition, there are several courses which give rather thorough consideration to consumei cooperation There are also special lectures and opportunities along with the regu lar curriculum to stud> and iiii estimate coop eratives. It is possible that during the summer and remainder of the year, some opportunities will be available for study about cooperatives in Koclidale Institute, national cooperative train ing school. We do not jel have the program outlined for this sear, since certain changes are being made in its administration. There are no colleges or universities that are offering special courses In consumer coopera tion bejond a general introduction to the sub ject. There are a number which offer courses «m marketing and producer cooperatives, such as the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota.—Ed. Local Advertising For Co-op Training Dear Sirs I have just recently subscribed to your CO OP Magazine and am looking1 forward to re ceiving my first issue Our Associated Mu tual-Aid Huis" hd,vt; gotten many ideas from CO OP and we are o urselves attempting tu produce our own mutual paper T am wondering if there is any definite in- Uear Sirs • 1 enclose herewith my check for $2 eralive Wholesale Nicollpt Hutel. Minneapolis May 17 15—First pnstwar home show, Clii easo Metropolitan Home Builders Association. Chicago Coliseum June 3—Chicago Cooperative Symphony Con cert, Orchestra Hall, sponsored by Chicago Con sumer Cooperatives Jjiie 18-21—Summer Staff Conference for cooperative educators publicists personnel and sales and advertising people at Lake Geneva Wisconsin June 22-July 5—Eleventh annual National Cooperative Recreation School. Mission House College, Plymouth, Wisconsin. July 12-19—Annual Associated cooperatives summer leadership training: institute at Camp Sierra near Fresno. California .Tuly-Aug—Six weeks' tour of Grrat Britain and the Scandinavian countries sponsored by Tour Bureau of National Cooperatives, also two-week tours of cooperatives in eastern U s and a repeal of the 1946 tour to Saskatchewan Aug 22 Sppt 6—Canadian National Exhibi tion Toronto, Ontario Äug 25-2P—19th Annual Session American Institute nf Cooperation, Fort Collins. Colorado How Are We Doing? Here are some common shortcomings in vital operational and policy-making procedures, and what to do about them CO-OP Magazine THIS discussion is not an attempt to heap praise upon cooperatives for their accomplishments. Coopera tives are too much alive, however, to suggest that they, like the departed Caesar, are ready for interment. I aim neither to praise nor bury, but rather to review some features of co operatives and see if -we can dis cover opportunities for making the good even better. Passages that ap pear painfully frank come, never theless, from a sympathetic student rather than a carping critic or a doubting Thomas. We Are Grown-ups Cooperative business outgrew its swaddling clothes quite some time ago. Volume of business handled, number of patrons served, and the size and performance of outstanding organizations attest to this. Coop eratives today are big business. But have cooperative leaders and enthu siasts entirely outgrown "baby prat tle" and childhood manners? Many an organizer has found it conve nient for his purpose to regale pros pective members with tales of how they are victimized by the economic system. Many a cooperative has been built on a foundation of the alleged sins of other agencies. The conten tion is not that this is a sinless world or that the prevailing business sys tem is lily white. The sole question is as to the wisdom of selling -wares by knocking those of the competi tor instead of on the basis of the wares' merits. I am not raising this point to bring the past to life; I am raising it be cause traces of such practices still remain. Cooperatives, to be sure, are often themselves the target of criti cism from competitors. Have coop- erators ever considered the extent to which such attacks are boomerangs of their own making? Persons who * Condensed Ironi an address by Mr Jesness at the American Institute of Cooperation Pur- due University, August 27, 1946. Used by per mission of the author and the Institute March, 1947 By O. B. JESNESS Chief Division of Agricultural Economics, University of Minnesota insist on slinging mud must not be too surprised if they get spattered. Moreover, is the other man's weak ness the source of your strength? If he is as corrupt, as unfair, as un scrupulous as often pictured, why not rely on the eloquence of fair and abcva-bcard performance by the co operative as the most effective in dicator? Unfounded epithets, in stead, will be exposed in case of failure to produce corrective results. Why not let accomplishments rather than arguments do the speaking for cooperatives? After all, cooperatives are part of the business -world. They must live and deal -with other agen cies. Why create an atmosphere of battle -where peace should reign? The very nature of cooperatives should put them on the side of fair play, -with favors for none. Coop eratives consequently ought ever to be on their guard lest they seek special favors for themselves and thereby -weaken their position as de fenders and supporters of fair play. As economic society becomes more complex, there is a tendency for con flict among different groups to heighten. Attention concentrates on group and individual shares in sav ings—much more than on group and individual responsibility to contrib ute to the sum total available for dis tribution. In this struggle, sight is too often lost of the interests of gen eral -welfare. Cooperatives have now acquired such stature and influence that they can -well afford to under take some self-examination to see how closely they adhere to the ideal of serving the common good. Successful cooperatives are pace makers. They lead rather than bring up the rear. They owe their success to the results they have produced. These results are due to service, not black magic. Some have suc ceeded because they have found bet ter or more economical ways of per forming services for their patrons; others are trail blazers in developing new services and new activities. Must Make Changes Marketing, purchasing, merchan dising, production, are far from static. Their methods are subject to constant and rapid change. Ad vantage goes to those -who have the foresight to be in the lead in mak ing the right changes. Unfortunate ly, it is easy for men to get attached to certain ways and methods. Co operative leaders are no exception. There are times when some of them become so concerned about defend ing the status quo that they resist all change, good as well as bad. While all change does not lead to progress, it is well to remember that there can be no progress without change. The cooperative associa tions which really are pacemakers are those which remain alert to mak ing and accepting those changes which are in the direction of progress even when they necessitate decided revision in methods of operation or in the services performed. We formerly heard a great deal about differences between capital and labor. An interesting change in terminology has taken place in re cent years which has substituted "management" for "capital." This is a realistic recognition of the fact that in most of our present-day large business enterprises control over policies is exercised by salaried executives rather than by the own ers. The ownership of the capital stock of most large corporations is •widely diffused, and it is a custom ary situation for only a very small (Continued on page 27) Building Auto Service Patronage Both Confidence And Patron Loyalty Are Results of Superior Lubrication and Other Check-Up Service Policies A WRITER in a recent issue of National Petroleum News points up two facts that prove the impor tance of efficient lubrication service as a maker and holder of auto serv ice patrons. First, when super serv ice stations began to develop, they weaned many lubrication customers away from garages and automobile sales agencies through installation of more modern and more complete equipment and systematic "selling" of the service. And these service stations built motor oil and gas sales and accessory business on this lubri cation-controlled patronage. Second, many auto sales agencies and gar ages that have installed still newer equipment and specialized in ade quate service are reversing the pro cess now in the face of many inade quately equipped and staffed service stations. Need Good Facilities Here is a two-fold lesson. It proves not only the value of service —both with trained personnel and with the right equipment, but also that a superior lubrication control for a car makes its owner a confi dent and steady patron and the pur chaser (at the same place) of all his auto service needs that may be offered. Hence the importance of adequate facilities for good lubrica tion, both for the service it provides the patron, and for the patron loyal ty it guarantees to the station. Regrettably, it is pointed out in the article mentioned above, too large a number of service stations give "sloppy'' service, and many who do a conscientious job do little or no f j fa ..-,•:. ... Section of a modern lubritorium, showing equipment that helps provide good service and patron appreciation: (1) overhead reel for dispensing air; (2) overhead reel for extension light; (3) overhead outlet for connecting vacuum cleaner attachment; (4) drain arm for used oil; (5) pneumatic pit jack Rear doors just like the front ones allow one-way traffic advertising or other promotion of it. Also to be regretted is the fact thai too many co-op service stations fall into these categories. A thorough lube job, says Frank C. Sturtevant, NPN staff writer in a related series of articles on lubrica tion, builds customer following, gasoline gallonage, motor oil volume and increased sales of other items, including TEA (tires, batteries and accessories). Having taken care that the motorist does get a good job done to his car, it is just as important, Mr. Sturtevant insists, that he be made thoroughly aware and appreciative of it. Mr. Sturtevant continues: Too many service stations make a poor impression on the public be cause: 1 Little effort is made to demon strate to customers that the attend ant is being careful and thorough. Best example of this is the refusal to use lubrication charts, or even tell customers that they have such Adequate facilities and personnel for top lubrication service are very important, both for the service it provides the pa tron, and for the patron loyalty it develops for the station charts, in cases where the lube job involves a familiar make and model. 2. Sloppy housekeeping in the lu britorium. 3. Reluctance to use written check-slips or job tickets on the job and failure to carry out customer follow-up programs. Charts and Inspection A set of lubrication charts, con sulted and kept up to date, is essen tial. Service stations can not get along without them and motorists undoubtedly are favorably impressed if they are used. It is not necessary to use the chart for every job; the experienced man can handle lubri cation of most cars just as well with out the chart. But new men must rely on charts until they gain ex perience. Much more damaging to public opinion is the dirty condition of the charts, their location and the gen eral disorder and confusion existing in many lubritoriums. There are numerous exceptions, where tools are in order, floors clean, and charts in good condition and placed in a prominent position. Interested cus tomers can at least see them and note that they are ready for easy CO-OP Magazine With Lubrication reference by the man doing the lu brication work. But many stations either have charts well hidden from public view, or lubritorium so filled with drums, cartons, equipment and just plain junk that only a determined custom er could find the charts or inspect the progress of his lubrication job. Sales meetings and bulletins oc casionally dwell on the sales oppor tunities in lubrication work. They point out the chance to suggest other services. Dealers are urged to invite the customer inside, show him what care is expended on the lubrication job and sell him something else. The truth is that few customers are hardy enough to venture into the average lubritorium. It would be foolhardy to set foot inside the door. Until service stations are cleaned up, customers will be happier out side. Check-Slip Revival The next step that can be taken is to revive the use of a written check- slip, or job ticket, for every lubri cation job. These tickets point the way to additional sales and form the basis of a customer follow-up re minder program. The use of follow-up systems fell into discard during the war. They have been very slow coming back. There are many stations today where the systems are just now being in stalled. Other dealers make no pre tense of keeping a written record of lubrication jobs. Some are con temptuous of anything that smells of "bookkeeping" while others say they are too busy. Yet an active follow-up and re minder program is one of the best sales promotion features ever in vented. For best results a follow-up sys tem should be installed after a lubri torium clean-up—not before. Other wise, customers attracted by the advertising will be lost by the kind of service given inside the station. Blueprint for the Beginner It is desirable to have every man in a station capable of handling a lu brication job There are always times when more than one customer comes in for a car lubrication, imme diately creating a bottleneck if only one man is assigned to lubrication work. Lubricating an automobile is not a complicated operation, or one March, 1947 that requires a high degree of tech nical skill. Lubrication charts serve as a blue print to the beginner and with a moderate amount of coaching he can find his way around the chassis of an automobile. Finding all the grease fittings is one of the most important parts of his job—and the easiest. Modern grease guns are smooth working and efficient. Familiarity with their operation is acquired after only a little practice. Care of the lubrication equipment takes longer to learn, and deserves more emphasis than it gets. A grasp of the lubrication require ments of various moving parts is needed, especially the new types of transmissions and differentials, and modern rubber-to-metal suspension points. No reasonable estimate can be (Continued on page 20) A modern pneumatic jack like this one, operated from the air hose makes for quicker and more convenient release of weight from the springs and shock absorbers for lubrication attention More lubrication-efficiency equipment. Vacuum pump, at left, and booster pumps on tanks, send grease to metered guns in work pits at 150 Ibs. pressure Now Your Co-op Is Making Flour and Cereals A glimpse of the new cereal products division of National Co operatives, its acquisition, and its importance for both producers and consumers MY great grandfather (by mar riage) expended months of energy, setting up a flour mill on a bank of the Pecatonica River in the early 18CO's. Mill stones and a few steel shafts had first to be carted by oxen over unmarked roads from eastern New York State to this spot in Northern Illinois. Then days and weeks and months of patient labor with adz, ax, saw, and draws finally produced a mill. During this process a dam had to be built, a mill race dug, and gates constructed to divert and control the water power. An Earlier Pioneering I can imagine the sighs of relief when the first trickle of flour flowed out from the slowly revolving mill stones. No doubt there was a "cele bration," with neighbors gathered 'round and partaking of refresh- By HUGH E. BOGARDUS Manager, Grocery Department, National Cooperatives ments. There may have even been a few stray Dakotas worrying about this evidence of a change affecting their social and economic status. For the few score hardy pioneers this "modern" mill was real evidence of better things to come through foresight and hard work. To have and to own meant hardship, sacrifice, and perserverance, no matter wheth er the object was a garden patch in a clearing or a flour mill. A hundred and twenty-five years later, consumers—pioneers in the modern fashion — using foresight, tempered with perserverance and hard work, purchase stores, ware houses and factories Such has been done in the acquiring of the flour mill at Auburn, Indiana, by Nation al Cooperatives, which represents thousands of consumers. Cooperative Mills, Inc., was previ ously owned by several regional members of National Cooperatives, and prior to that was operated as a farmer cooperative venture to mill locally grown wheat. Cereal Prod ucts Division will be the official designation of this new operating de partment of National. Variety of Products The production of this mill is not limited to straight flours, but in cludes many other products which utilize other cereal grains The im mediate area around the mill pro duces a top grade of soft winter wheat. From this wheat is milled a fancy short patent (low gluten) flour, ideal for pastry, short breads and baking-powder biscuits. Long patent flour for use in blending (to make a general purpose flour) is •S* •f \ Grocery Buyers Committee of National Cooperatives as pictured on July 7, 1943, when they recommended ownership of flour mills by National Clockwise from left. T. A. Tenhune, Aaron Merila, Arthur R. Berg, H. E Hetzler, R. L. Treuenfels, W. L. Wieland, T. G Castner, Alan Holzweiss, Hugh Bogardus, Sam Ashelman, A. E. Katka Mrs Esther Rusch, Waino Linna, Robert Neptune, R. D Stewart, Hany Rantala The circle within the tables, reading from left to right: Marie Englert, Waldemar Niemela, E. P. Webster. 8 CO-OP Magazine purchased from mills in other wheat producing areas. Because of unfavorable fre:ght rates, the straight and family flours cannot be shipped into any areas other than Illinois and points east Eastern Cooperatives, (Ohio) Farm Bureau Cooperative Association, In diana Farm Bureau Cooperative As sociation, and Central States Coop eratives can and do distribute CO OP Flours from the Auburn mill through their retail cooperatives. Products Are Popular Other products, such as the pre pared mixes (prepared biscuit mix and pancake flours) are not affected by the unfavorable freight rates that apply to flour. These prepared flours have found ready acceptance in most of our regionals with affiliated food stores. Recent improvements in dehydrated shortenings and other ingredients now make it possible to produce and get good consumer ac ceptance for a large number of pre pared mixes, and better acceptance for the old stand-bys. The Cereal Products Division will within the year be able to announce several additions to the CO-OP flour family. Such ready prepared mixes as pie crust, doughnut, bread, several types of cake and corn muffin, are on the "board " Most important in this program is the "know-how" in production. As previously reported in CO-OP Magazine (January, 1946) the manager of this division is C. E. Baker, Jr. He has been manager of the mill for a little over a year, and during the war was cereal tech nologist for the Quartermaster Corps. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Milling from Kansas State University, and main tains membership in the Association of Operative Millers, Institute of Food Technologists, and the Amer ican Association of Cereal Chemists. Just prior to his employment in the Quartermaster Corps he had prac tical experience as an operative mil ler. Out of all of this training and background "Charlie" is using his specialized knowledge to good ad vantage for the cooperatives. Uses Modern Equipment Just a word about the mill, be cause that is also important. Modern flour mills fail to 'rouse the poetic in man. "Old Buttermilk Sky" and "Open the Door, Richard" seem to be far enough removed from our daily lives to hold enchantment (for some) but we just can't seem to be able to wax romantic about "Down by the Old Buckeye Diesel '' The equip- Two Wars and After 270 26O 2SO 240 •no 220 210 200 I9O 160 170 leo ISO 110 130 120 no 100 90 BO 7O 6O J 1945-48 1 jlf '' FAR PRU tTciU . |L. i tb " ÎT" S ' "[ nu r m fj.. -4t «! .- .llïjj ... n (.> n i MU 1918-21 Ë^ ~AL ^ II 1 I! n JT • f-r - •• Ffcrnr-f .. 4 II 1 1 :ES m^ '-1 9IO-I9I4 r i iiiiiiiiniij n n NE DEC JUNE DEt WHC f>EC ^ n " LL .100 1 NE DEC • I9IC f i i zl i _. ! "1 / 1 • —— 'ill« IT ü FT fl blHOLI PRI BÄ -¥% * D5f flf | *-*' f LiF \ " • . . u. - i i 1 '•' F1 il "'h *m- 345-48 tt • -1 4 II '.SALE CES ill mil1— 910-19 IN II ' ! i ' 4- l i i i , i i 1 ' i oo 1 , ————— £ IT DEC JUNE DEC. JUNE. 0 1" STOCr, n rn d •u .. PP.1 CES. B<^se 194 " 1 -i(R ,r Tttt 1 1 ' l> .—— U IE DEC. JU - alo l'en •f^ - L im ttttr - -I- lui mt tttt i 1918-21 to-piiiiwjU l^jLa, rttPtUri- 1_ ^rrfX" Ml ' " ' tttt HtftjtT), II T 1 n! i n ii t DEC JUNE PEC He li 1 i -Tttt 1 _m 1 J41 JUtJE DE : »9« IB4.S IB-4T l«48 •»« 1«*« l«»7 1910 ie*ff 1 Bac 1947 I94D Note that the dotted lines, representing conditions during the first World War period, are carried farther forward than the solid or current war period lines—that is, beyond the point that is comparable to the present. Comparison is made of the two war periods because of con cern about the effect of similar factors—shortages, inflation, reconversion, rehabilitation and speculation. The stock market, it should be observed, is relatively much higher in general than during the former war period; this might be part of the explanation for its slowness to turn up again since the war. All the more reason to watch it closely in relation to other prices. See p. 6, October, 1946, CO-OP Magazine. ment of the Cereal Products Mill is standard milling equipment and basically the same as is found in milk producing quality flour. Some new equipment, such as Entoleters, has been recently installed. In case you do not know what an Entoleter is, it's a centrifugal device which effectively breaks any minute insect eggs which might otherwise hatch out under proper temperature. These machines are also used as an assist in getting a complete blending of flour mixes. Also of importance is the kind of job that our regional cooperatives and their local co-op managers will do in applying their specialized knowledge in merchandising CO-OP products. The actual completion of the cycle from producer to consumer through our cooperatively-owned Cereal Products Division should make all of us want to keep CO-OP flours in the limelight. All that remains of that mill on the Pecatonica are a few blocks of lime stone outlining the spot and a grassed-over indentation where the mill race used to be. For, you see, that was a private-profit venture (my apologies to my great grand father). We think that our collec tive cooperative venture into flour milling will be of greater perma- nance, and we are confident that it will add further proof to the fact that "Factories are Free." Let Us Tell It With Pictures CO-OP Magazine wants to re port on successful techniques used by the local cooperatives, and the best way to report many of them is through pictures—lots of pictures, live pictures — showing how your staff or members, indi vidually or together, do various jobs—in merchandising, adminis tration, education, finance, organ ization, etc. Credit will be given the photog rapher, if you send us his name. An attached stamped envelope will return to you any prints we may not be able to use. Address Editor, CO-OP Magazine, 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago 4, 111 March, 1947 A New and Simple Election Method— Concurrent Voting Not the only method for cooperative elections, but one that merits widespread testing By JACOB BAKER* AFTER a good deal of observation of Proportional Representation commonly called PR at work in a variety of organizations, it frequent ly is seen that it results neither in an expression of a common viewpoint and policy nor in a conciliation of differences. It is more apt to result in factional differences that paralyze policy and in log-rolling that debases representative government. Conflict ing minority viewpoints may be irre concilable. When that is the case, nothing can be done about it, and frequently nothing happens. In the case of representative government that can live only by growth, this sort of paralysis may become deadly. Promotes Compromise But if PR is not good enough, what is better? Well, I am not sure, but the problem of effective representa tion in responsible government is so important that I feel that other pro posals should be made, and I have taken the trouble to look up one that I remembered with some interest and which I think may be of interest now. It is a proposal which, so far as I know, originated with a man named William Crocker, who sub mitted it to the Bok Peace Jury in the early 1920's, as a contribution to ward peaceful democratic govern ment. Mr. Crocker called it "Con current Voting,"—"CV." It is a sim ple proposal, which I think I can present without doing harm to the author's original idea. While a minority wishes, itself, to have representation on a governing council or board, or a panel of of fices, the thing that is most impor tant to the organization as a whole is that the minority shall concur with the officers or the board as a whole, and that there shall not be on the board, or among the officers, persons wholly distasteful to the minority. Putting it another way, if a man can not elect his own representative, he wants to make sure that the repre sentative of a highly antagonistic group is alsu not elected. The desirable thing, then, is to elect officers or board or council members from the middle ground— to elect people least undesirable to the extremes. This is to say, to elect people with whom the extremes will most nearly concur. The CV method —concurrent voting, as proposed, is simple: Nominations It would be required that before an election could be held there should be nominated at least one more than twice as many candidates as there are offices to be filled. This is easy to accomplish when there are several interested groups, each eager to present candidates. The process of nominating petition would also be available to present an adequate panel of candidates Voting The voter then is required to vote for at least one more than the num ber of candidates to be elected. Naturally, if the voter is in a minor ity group, he will be certain to vote for the candidate that he wants most —the representative of his own minority group. But as he proceeds to mark his ballot, and is required to vote for at least one more than the number of candidates to be chosen, he then has to make up his mind as to which other candidates he dislikes least—with which ones he would be most apt to concur as they took action affecting him. Tallying The ballot count is then a simple numerical count, and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes is elected. If two places are to be filled, the two highest votes would elect, if three, the three high est and so on. Ballots which have not carried a vote for more than the number of candidates to be elected would not be counted. This is neces sary to get the expression of concur rence, which can only be done by the voter reaching out beyond his own group, voting for candidates beyond it that he finds most acceptable. That is all there is to it. The result is that the extremes would not usually be represented, but they would have expressed their concur rence in the middle-ground candi dates that might be elected. When there are only two well-defined groups, one of them a majority, the election would go to candidates, mostly majority but some minority, in whom there is maximum concur rence by both groups. However, where major groups are about equally matched, Concurrent Voting would frequently result in the mid dle ground being found in one or more minor groups standing be tween the majors. To obtain these results it is essential that in each case there be an adequate number of nominations. Concurrent Voting, then, offers the advantage over the usual majority- minority vote in that the minorities have a direct effect on the result. It offers the advantage over Propor tional Representation in that it les sens and dulls factionalism, rather than increasing and sharpening it. Also, it is just as easy and quick to count CV ballots as the usual ones, which is not the case with PR. Should Reduce Factionalism This idea has been presented here with something like partisanship. It should be examined carefully and unemotionally. It is commended to cooperatives for such examination and for experiment, and it is sug gested that it would be wise that this be done soon. If this plan does not serve the requirements of coopera tives as to broadening our electoral base, then a better one should be devised. If a better one is to be de vised, it, too, must deal with the fundamental problem of gaining the working maximum of unity in an organization and reducing extremes of factionalism and partisanship. 10 CO-OP Magazine Another Quiz to Help You KNOW ABOUT CO-OPS These questions (with answers also in this issue) will put a combination of fun and instruction in your meetings, discussion groups, and parties HERE is another set of quiz questions—part of the series of "chapters" begum in last month's issue. Prepared by Robert S. Gauron, of CO-OP Magazine staff, they will pro vide interesting and valuable material for discussion groups, co-op programs and member training sessions. Answers are on page 21. II. Co-ops in the United States L When and where was the first consumer cooperative started in the United States? 2. How many persons in this country belong to one or more co-ops of all types: (a) 500,000 or .3%; (c) 7,900,000 or 5.9%; (b) 1,600,000 or 1.2%; (d) 61,300,000 or 37.9%? 3. Which of these goods and services are not yet handled by cooperatives: (a) groceries (h) (b) gasoline and oil (i) (c) farm supplies (j) (d) medical care (k) (e) housing (1) (f) student housing (g) beauty shop burial services electric power credit telephone service insurance (m) electrical appliances (n) tavern 4. How many consumer cooperatives of all kinds are there in America: 2,000; 21,000; 50,000? 5. Cooperative business, membership and production in 1946- (a) experienced a sharp decline; (b) levelled off and held its own; (c) increased over the best previous year which was 1945 for a record; (d) doubled over the all-time high of 1945. 6. What is the total volume of sales of all consumer coop eratives: $1,300,000; $13,000,000; $130,000,000; $1,300,000,000? 7. About what per cent of the total retail trade in the United States is done by consumer cooperatives: Vz%\ 1%%; 5%; 10%? 8. What is the leading type of cooperative in each of these three respects: (a) number of associations; (b) membership; (c) volume of business? Farm supply co-ops Service stations Credit unions Telephone associations Food stores Insurance associations Health cooperatives Rural electric co-ops (Continued on next page) Included in the new Fact Book pages this month, on pages 11, 12, 21 and 22, are another section of the Co-op Hall of Fame, a preliminary list of commodities supplied under the CO-OP Label (we hope we will have to revise this into an ex panded list soon), and a guide for proper choice of and effec tive functioning by board members. Don't neglect to arrange your pages in proper subject and numerical order to facilitate quick reference. Also list new subjects, since the last index, on a supplementary index page pending the publication in two or three months of a new index. Revised statistical pages will be published as soon as final data is complete. BOARD OF DIRECTORS O o O o o o March, 1947 11 O o o o o o V NUMBER—five, seven, nine, e'even —retail associations not less than seven HOW CHOSEN—bv members annually. —hold orifice for three years. —one third elected each > ear QUALIFICATIONS—understand co-op principle. —knowledge of business practice-! —must be willing to work —ability tu form oi\n judgments —ability to cooperate with others —loy«U to cooperative —expect no special fav o»"^ —integritv fit" character RESPONSIBILITIES— To Membeis—sec that bvlavv-, are observed —carry on business within Constitution —full and regular reports To Manager—prov idc practical policie- To FuMic—see that cooperative takes its rightful place in the coimmnutv. DUTIES—formation of policies —direction and supervision —approve admission of members. —approve transfer of shares and membership —appoint officers and engage manager. —require fidelity bond for employees —regularly examine the business —supervise credit where given —supervise taking of inventor} ——report to membership —appoint committees RELATIONSHIPS— —Members outline the policy. —Board interprets the policj —Manager carries out the policy (over) 3-1-47 ADMINISTRATION-11 CO-OP HALL OF FAME 6. India V. RAMADAS PANTULU, 1873-1944 President, All-India Institutes Association and Indian Cooperative Banks Association ; editor Indian Cooperative Review from its founding in 1935, ga\e his library and part of his home to the Instmite of Co operative Research and Service 7. Russia PETER KROPOTKIN, 1841-1921 A Russian nobleman who renounced his title and devoted his attention to fostering the welfare of the underprivileged His well-known book, Mutual Aid, analyzes the democratic principle that is basic to co- operation 8. Switzerland BERNARD JAEGGI, 1869-1944 Assisted in founding Freidorf, cooperative suburb of Basle ; founded cooperative seminary in Freidorf and the first cooperative holiday home at Weggis on Lake Lucerne, president of Federation of Swiss Con sumers Coopéra ti\ e Societies , and member of the Central Committee and Executive Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance. 9. United States E G. CORT, 1855-1944 Established (1926) and managed for 14 years the Almnesota Cooperative Oil Federation which became the Midland Cooperative Wholesale, first cooperative oil wholesale m the world EDWARD A. FILENE, 1860-1937 A Boston merchant who in 1921 assumed the leadership (assi-ted hi Rov F Bergengren) in organ izing what later became the Credit Union National {over) 3-1-47 EDUCATION-13 BOARD OF DIRECTORS (continued from preceding \cconiphshed by— —written and comprehensive policies —statement of responsibilities, authorities, —immediate decision on new points —inclusion of manager at board meetings —frank, constructive, impersonal criticism Buaid hin.- manager, manager, tin emplojecs LIABILITIES— —may be held responsible for offense against the Lan. unless proved ignorant of offense or attempted to prevent it —loss to cooperative due to ncglig-encc WHAT DIRECTORS SHOULD KNOW— —the I a\\ governing Coopeiatives. —the duties and liabilities of directors —financial position, general pnlicv, of cooperative —how to read a financial statement —the cooperative movement generativ, vv hat his ovv n cooperative is doing- —that he is holding a position of trust —his place in the cooperative, movement REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS_ —upon two-thirds vote of the membership. BUSINESS AT DIRECTORS' MEETINGS— —reading of minutes of previous meeting —unfinished business. —manager's report on the bu-.infu> —report of educational committee —communications fri,in wholesaling and niann- factliiiiiR- cooperatives —other 101 lespondence —plans for improvement and expansion —approval of application- for membeiship —new business. —adjournment (Revised fiom Saskatchewan Co-op Union Fact Rook) ADMINISTRATION-12 o o o o o o CO-OP HALL OF FAME (continued from preceding 9. United States (Cont.) Association He contributed generoush to the develop ment and early grouth of the l S credit union move ment The Ldvvard \ Filene Good VA ill Fund Inc vv as incorporated in 1938 to ^pnnsor coopei atn e •irtmties CEDRIC LONG, 1889-1931 Pioneer in developing consumer kooperativ et« in the United States, paiticnlarly in Xcw Yotk Served ab executive secretary of the Cooperative League of the USA irom 1*524 until his death ALBERT SONNICHSEN, 1878-1931 Pioneer American coopéra t or who first "lifted Consumer Cooperation into its own true light" as *'an alternative to revolutionär} and political Socialism " Co-founder, with others, and editor from 1914 to 1918, i»f the Cooperative Consumer which vva^ taken over m I9I6 by The Coopcraliv e I eague renamed Cooperation in I91V, Consumers* Cooperation in 1935. and published b\ the League until 1°43 Author of the book Consumers1 Cooperation ( MacMillan, 1918) AGNES DYER WAREASSE, 1877-1945 V co-founder \.\ith her husband, Dr. James Peter Warbasse, and others, of the Cooperative League of the USA She was educational director of. the League lot many years, wrote extensively, and represented America at three International Cooperative Congresses. \s a social pioneer she turned over an inherited majori- ti interesl in the Dennison Manufacturing Co to its eniploj ee.st aided in founding the New School for Social Research, New York, and was active in the woman suffi age movement. EDUCATION-14 o o o o o o 9. The American population today is 90% urban and 10% rural. What is the percentage of consumer co-op membership among urban people and farmers? 10 What proportion of cooperative food stores and co-op gas stations are in towns of 5,000 and under: 7%; 17%; 77%; 97%? 11. The part of the country with the greatest cooperative development is: (a) the South; (b) New England; (c) the North Central States; (d) the West; (e) the Middle Atlantic States. 12. The Scandinavians and what other three immigrant groups have been highly successful in sponsoring coopera tives? 13. Cooperatives have their predominant membership among which two classes: (a) middle class; (b) lower income class; (c) wealthy; (d) families on relief: (e) farmers; (f) factory workers; (g) professional people; (h) small business men? 14. Consumer cooperation in America has grown in a series of up-and-down movements. Greatest growth has been dur ing periods of: war: prosperity; sun-spots; depression. 15. Although cooperation in this country is almost as old as in Europe, it has advanced less rapidly in America until recently. Which of the following reasons caused its slower growth: (a) Adverse government legislation hampered co-ops; (b) No central source of information existed until 1916; (c) Big Business set up special national police commit tees to prevent organizing of co-ops; (d) America was a new country with limitless oppor tunities which bred the spirit of individualism and prevented stability of population; (e) America was the melting pot of the world whose mixed population would not work together; (f) Influential business elements in America which dominate schools, the press, and public thought, as well as industry, opposed co-ops? 16. What major cooperative industry is owned by consum ers from the retail outlets all the way back to raw materials? 17. Cooperative organization in this country resembles a pyramid. At the base are local co-ops and at the very top are the national associations. What groups are between? 18. Name the coordinating body of the American coopera tive movement whose functions are public and organizational relations, research, and development: National Association of Cooperatives; The Cooperative Union of America; The Cooperative League of the USA; American Associated Cooperatives. 19. For which of these eight major cooperative activities are there national organizations: commodities banking credit health electricity housing insurance recreation? 20. What are the emblem and the brand name of consumer cooperatives in America? (Answers on page 21) Two additional double-faced pages for vour CO-OP Fact Book on pages 21-22. 12 CO-OP Magazine How a Group of Parents Operate a Cooperative Nursery They faced their problem with et plan, and it worked. Here are the steps and data to guide others in similar projects FROM 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 30 Chi cago children from three to six years old who would otherwise be cooped up in apartments or playing in alleys and streets follow a regu lar daily schedule of learning nur sery rhymes, hearing stories, play ing games, drawing, coloring, eating balanced meals, taking naps and re ceiving individual play supervision. This high quality care and training is being secured at cost in the Grover Cleveland Nursery School Coopera tive in Chicago. Lost Tax Support When federal and city funds ex pired last June, Chicago's nineteen Lanham Act pre-school centers for children of working parents were left without income. Although a few continued to operate with the sup port of special funds; those located in public school buildings were forced to close. But a group of enterprising par ents in the Grover Cleveland pub lic school district who could not af ford the $10 or $12 per week rate charged by private nursery schools, and who were not willing to discon tinue the high quality of supervision their children had been receiving, formed a parents' cooperative to care for their children during the day on a non-profit basis. Got School-Use Permil A few interested mothers sent a delegation to the Board of Education to present their case and ask per mission to continue using the nur sery school equipment which had been provided under the war-time Lanham Act but was no longer in use. After several days of hearings, the city issued a permit to the coop erative at $44.50 per month to cover use of the equipment and expenses of janitorial and maintenance serv ice. The next problem was to interest enough parents in the project to op erate the plan economically. Articles in the suburban newspaper, posters in grocery stores and contacts with By RUTH SCKUMM CO-OP Magazine Staff neighbors produced a nucleus of in terested families who set about to raise enough money to cover the original expense of getting their own co-op organized. They held bunco and other card parties, raffles and rummage sales. Finally they had enough capital and members to provide care for their children at $6.50 per week. This was more than the nursery school had cost when subsidized by the government, but from $4 to S3 less than private nursery schools op erated for profit. Then they elected officers and a board of directors composed of rep resentatives of their group and a civic organization which specializes in problems of child care. They hired a director, a teacher who had su pervised the school under the Lan ham Act, and a dietician to prepare the meals. Cod liver oil precedes each noon meal, and fruit juice is served after the daily nap. A special nurse has been hired to visit the The Cover Picture Alice Cully, director, supervises play of chil dien et Grover Cleveland Nursery School, Chicago. Closed when funds expired, the school is now operating under a cooperative plan worked out by parents of the commu nity reports hard-working chairman Mrs Theresa B Mueller. school once a week for health check ups, and arrangements have been made with a doctor in the same block to handle possible emergency cases. Expenses of the school are appor tioned approximately as follows for each month of operations: Salaries. $500; groceries, $90; milk, $16 to $20; and Board of Education permit, $44.50. Much of the equipment used in the school has been donated by members of the co-op. Members would like to furnish transportation but find the expense prohibitive un til the group becomes larger. Some Mothers Help In addition to participating in the democratic administration of their own nursery, two of the mothers, whose work schedule is irregular, took an eligibility exam from the Board of Education and volunteered to help out in nursery supervision on days when the school is particu larly crowded. The cooperative now has between 30 and 35 members, holds monthly meetings, and is planning to create more offices (four vice-presidents!) to spread responsibility among more members and increase the emphasis on publicity and membership cam paigns. None of the mothers could have provided this daily care for her children alone, but by getting to gether with other parents, these families are operating a pre-school center with the most up-to-date services available to all who want supervised day care. Suspicious Character Members of the local school board were visiting during the history lesson. Teacher: ''Who signed the Magna Charta? Robert?" Robert: "It wasn't me, ma'am." Disappointed Teacher: '"All right. Sit down, Robert." Elderly Board Member: "Not so fast. Get up, young man. I be lieve he did sign it!" March, 1947 13 Food Stores Can Effectively Merchandise Ice Cream Frozen food cabinets now make ice cream a natural for food stores. Here are the A-B-C's of the service GROCKRY store merchandising of ice cream in carry-home car tons is spreading rapidly from coast- to-coast. As in every new mer chandising trend there are kinks to iron out, but so far as ice cream is concerned these seem to be com paratively simple. First, it should be remembered that there is no standard price for ice cream. In the United States to day you can buy ice cream for 12c a pint, 2 pints for a quarter, or you can pay 60c a pint, $1.10 a quart, for a product of superior quality Be cause of this wide variation in price, consumers are not overly price-con scious so far as ice cream is con cerned. Wide Price Range In communities where competition is very keen and the lowest price is 12c a pint, it is very doubtful if con sumers would walk 3 or 4 blocks out of their way to get the 12c brand if a competitor operating a complete grocery store were selling ice cream at 15c a pint or even 16c or 17c and offering some plus value. This plus value might be a self-service display which makes it unnecessary for pa trons to stand in line, or an insulated bag which will protect the purchase for an hour or more, or delivery service, or ice cream cones in a carry-home unit so patrons can serve ice cream cones to the young sters upon arrival home and thus save dish washing. Check Competition If you are considering adding ice cream to your line, check your com petitors to see how they are mer chandising it and what their retail prices are. Then you will be in a better position to establish your own retail price and to determine whal services are desirable to make it worthwhile for patrons to make your store headquarters for ice cream. Once you have elected to sell ice cream, it is important that you ac quaint patrons with the fact, and this 14 is particularly vital if you display it in self-service cases. Signs will help; so will package inserts or a message printed on your coffee bag. If you decide to provide an insulated bag, be sure you tell in your copy what it is and how it will protect purchases of any frozen items for an hour or more. Incidentally, home- makers may also find many uses for these bags once they get them home, they will keep baby's milk formula warm if the family is going for an hour's ride, or they will keep a dish of baked beans or escalloped po tatoes hot for an hour or more if the family is going on a picnic. Displaying the ice cream is also important. Printed cartons which clearly identify the contents are much to be desired but will add to the cost of the product. Cartons printed with strawberries for straw berry ice cream or peaches for peach ice cream will increase the selling cost of the product about le a pint. Less expensive are cartons simply printed in a color easily identified with the product, such as brown for chocolate, pink for strawberry, etc. Since the design does not change, but merely the color of the ink used for each flavor of the ice cream, all flavors can be printed on one order. No! I want the size you have advertised1 If patrons are expected to serve themselves from self-service ca binets, however, every effort should be made to assist them in making se lections. The square-type package is the most popular, but a special shape has advantage if it is distinc tive and identifies the product with your store. Display Is Important While open-type, self-service dis play cases are to be preferred, it is still possible to do a good merchan dising job with chest-type ice cream cabinets, providing a large sign is suspended over the display, or a canopy top is arranged or the cabinet is placed in line with other cabinets and signs used to call attention to it. A chain of stores in New England gives the chest-type cabinet an is land location and uses a display sign over it. A super market in Jackson ville, Florida, places the chest-type cabinet in a line along the wall with open display cases, places a mirror in back of it, pastes an ice cream carton front on the cover to show where the different varieties are stored, and uses wall signs to at tract the patron's attention. Using Insulated Bags The insulated bags create a little problem. If they are distributed at the check-out counter, a patron who selects ice cream early in the course of her shopping tour and spends from 30 to 40 minutes making other se lections may arrive at the check-out counter with soft ice cream, and. of course, the insulated bag won't re- freeze it. If the patron selects the bag at the ice cream cabinet and closes it t'ghtly so that it will protect the ice cream, then the checker has an other task thrust upon her when checking the order. She must open the bag, check the contents and re- close it, and where volume is heavy this slows up the checking opera tion. One solution has been found in the installation of a service department CO-OP Magazine where empty bottles are returned, coffee is ground to order and ciga rettes and confections are sold. The ice cream cabinet is located adjacent to this department. The attendant at the service counter either places the ice cream (or frozen food) in the insulated bag or the patron does it and the service attendant checks the contents and staples the bag. The patron then pays for the merchandise at the regular check-out counter or at the service counter, depending on the policy of the store. If patrons drive considerable dis tances to get ice cream, ii is essen tial that it be well protected until ii is ready to serve. Insulated bags and dry ice are used, and a chart shows employees how to pack the ice cream. Here is how it works: Ounces of Dry Ice Hours Up to 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours Ice Cream None 1 oz. 2 oz. Sherbet 1 OZ. 2 OZ. 4 oz. The attendant weighs the dry ice, places it in the insulated bag with the package and closes the bag tight ly- A foot note on the chart should read: This is based on ice cream and sherbet that is hard. If the package should feel soft to your fingers, in crease the emount of ice. For ice cream when the temperature is 85° or higher, use the sherbet chart; for sherbet, add 1 ounce to the sherbet scale. Keep Plugg'ng Those who have had wide experi ence merchandising ice cream through grocery outlets say it is not necessary to have a wide variety of flavors—chocolate, vanilla and one fresh fruit, depending on the season, are usually sufficient to satisfy near ly everyone. The important thing is to keep patrons conscious that you are supplying ice cream and serving it satisfyingly. Co-op Tow Talk Highlighting N a - tional Cooperatives' Tour Bureau plans for 1947 is a six- weeks tour to Great Britain and Scan dinavia, taking in co operatives in England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The party will travel r n one of the famous Cunard liners, leaving New York July 2. Also in process are plans for a two-weeks tour of Eastern Coopera tives' territory, visiting co-ops and other places of interest in New York. Boston, and Washington as well as smaller Eastern cities, and a repeat of last year's successful two-weeks tour to Saskatchewan, which covered cooperatives in Northcentral U. S and Manitoba, too. For more details write National Cooperatives. 167 W 12 St., N Y. 11. When the User guides the drafting pencil expect top economy in operation _..„..,..„ Time and again improved construction features with definite con sumer benefits get no farther than the drafting board simply because of the higher costs involved. Yet a dollar spent in construction frequently results in many dollars saved in operation. Because the CO-OP Water Heater is cooperatively produced, consumer interest guided the planning so as to effect the most savings and efficiency in operation. Take the double brass shell immersion units, for instance. This low-density large-area unit costs more to make but it lasts longer and gives greater economy in operation than ordinary pencil-slim units. It permits easy, almost instant removal of the entire element —cuts down the cost of occasional "check-ups." Its large surface prevents the formation of deposits 'which cut down the efficiency of the element. This is not a patented feature—yet you find it only in the CO-OP Electric Water Heater. Best of all, of course, the CO-OP Water Heater spreads the savings of cooperative non-profit distribution from the drafting board to Regional«, to Locals and to the ultimate purchaser. The 50-gallon size is available right now. Order from your Regional. CO-OP Electric Water Heater NATIONAL COOPERATIVES March, 1947 15 Notes About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities T Do You Have Any "Boarder Cows"? Anyone familiar with dairy farm ing knows the expression, "boarder cow"—the critter that eats you out of house and home, and yields little or no milk. Right now we're con cerned about "boarders" in the Gro cery department—household clean ers that take up space, tie up capital, and slow down turnover. They come in powder, crystal, paste and liquid form and their claims are as pre posterous as their names. Give these "boarders" and poten tial ''boarders" the cold shoulder. You have two companion CO-OP products—CO-OP Dairy and House hold Cleanser and CO-OP House hold Cleaner— which will pay hon estly and well for their keep. These two products are identical. They're compounded of sodium sesquicar- bonate, tri-sodium phosphate and a wetting agent The addition of the wetting agent gives this compound excellent emul- cream sifying properties which increases its effectiveness. This is especially help ful in removing greasy film on dishes, household utensils, wood work, as well as in removing the milk film from dairy equipment. It may be used with soap where a greater sudsing action is desirable. For economy, suggest the five- pound package of Dairy and House hold Cleanser, especially for rural users. For trial purposes and for general household use, recommend the two-pound package. With the right kind of promotional "fodder," these two CO-OP cleansers will never be "boarders." New Shaving Cream Packaging CO-OP Brushless and CO-OP Lather Shaving Creams are taking a bow this month in their slick new packaging, which steps up their ''s.a." (sales appeal) considerably. So that no one can pick up the wrong carton by mistake, different color schemes were selected for each cream—a medium-toned Blue and White identifies the Brushless, and a deep Purple and White, the Lather. Both carry the distinctive COOP ICer sailing ship motif on carton and tube. More good news is that the tubet, are back to pre-war quality. And CO-OP Brushless has an improved formula that's more effective in use and will withstand abnormal ex tremes of temperature. These shav ing creams have always been a good margin line, well worth promoting. You'll want to do a promotional job when you see the new packaging. The Old Cracker Barrel "America's Favorite Cracker" will be featured in a full page Ritz ad in the March 10 issue of Life Magazine. The ad will display a big luscious fruit salad—tying it in with Ritz crackers for fine eating. At the height of the Lenten season, at the time of year when citrous fruits offer protection from colds—a combination sale of fruits and crackers is most appropriate. Use the page from Life Magazine as a background poster for a mass display of oranges, grape fruit and Ritz crackers. Your Na tional Biscuit Company district salesman will help you with promo tional ideas, displays and other mer chandising services. NOW—CO-OP Vegetable Soup Shipments are being made cur rently on CO-OP Vegetable Soup. CO-OP Vegetable Beef, missing since before the war, is promised by the first of March. Before long a full line of condensed soups should be available under the Co-op label CO-OP Brushless and CO-OP Lather Shaving Creams make the headlines this month in their smart new packaging Faster Milking Movie Ready "The Inside Story of Modern Milk ing"—a half-hour movie in sound and color is completed and the first film prints are being distributed this month. The purpose of the movie is an educational one—to help dairymen everywhere to reap the benefits of faster milking—more milk yield, bet ter quality milk, and improved udder health, while using less time and less equipment. The advantages of using CO-OP universal Calf-Ncse 16 CO-OP Magazine equipment is fully demonstrated in use. The film was taken on a typical dairyfarm in Wisconsin. The entire story of m Ik production—from pas- tureland to the full milk pail—is told clearly and simply. The film was produced by CO-OP Universal, with Dr. W. E. Petersen of the University of Minnesota as technical adviser. This new fJm offers a good half- hour of instruction and entertain ment. The color photography is magnificent Shortage of film has delayed the printing of all copies that have been ordered—however, it is expected that they will be completed by early summer. New Electric Window Sign All local societies handling CO-OP Universal Milkers will be interested in the newly designed electric win dow sign. Sturdily made of metal in Forest Green, its glass front lettered in Ivory on a Red background glows brilliantly when lighted. Three 25- watt bulbs are included. The sign can be hung in the store window—it has chains for hanging and rubber tabs to protect the glass. Or it can stand—on strong wire easels—in the window or on the counter. The metal panel in back removes so it can be used as a night light if desired. Size is 20 by 12 in. by 4^8 in. deep. Or der from your Regional. New Line of SEAT COVERS A complete new Co-op line of au tomobile seat covers is in the process of delivery now. Be ready for the spring and summer demand on this item when it reaches its peak. Seat covers have been in short supply all during the war and through the post-war period. NOW, this is IT, a unified national buy. With the prop er merchandising on your part, with adequate stocks and assortments available, your local CO-OP should become seat cover headquarters in your locality. Styles and sizes are provided for all makes and models of cars The color line is complete too, with a big assortment of colorful plaid designs to choose from. As summer protec tion for car upholstery—as year 'round-dress-up for any car, these seat covers are ideal! They are made of a tough paper fibre, with the color dyed into the individual strands composing the patterns These colors are fast—will not come off to stain clothing dur- This electrically lighted sign for CO-OP Milkers has attachments for hanging or standing ing summer heat, nor fade in sum mer sun Included in the line are the popu lar WEDGE CUSHIONS, designed to match the seat covers Household Oil Now in Cans It's true! CO-OP household oil, which has been suffering, and mak ing users suffer, by appearing in clumsy war-time glass bottles, is now available in 4-ounce metal cans WITH SPOUTS: Much easier to use —much more convenient to handle in stock—the cans are CO-OP litho graphed with our own label. Identification Badges Good-looking badges in Forest Green enameled metal with the CO OP insignia are now available. These badges have a slot for inserting the name of the person or organization. They are lettered in a choice of CO-OP OWIKP These identification badges, now available, are 2%" the long way, and are useful for service employees, also for meetings, parties wordings: "Patron Owned Service" or "Consumer Owned Service." De signed for use by store employees and for meetings, parties, store openings and other events, they can be used again and again Size is about 23/4 by 1% in. Price is very reasonable. You can get them through your Regional Wholesale. Speed Up Adding Machine Delivery Because of orders placed by Na tional early in 1946, better delivery service is now available to coopera tives on Burroughs Adding Ma chines. Burroughs Hand- and Elec trically-operated Adding Machines, with 7, 8 and 10 columns, are now available and will be delivered in 30 to 40 days. (Burroughs' regular delivery on orders is taking from 12- 14 months.) Orders placed for Burroughs Small and Large High Speed Bookkeeping Machines, which normally take 18 to 24 months, will be filled for coop eratives in from 9 to 12 months. Cash Register Deliveries On the other hand, deliveries on Cash Registers continue slow, par ticularly on popular models. These are now taking from 12 to 18 months. Local cooperatives are strongly urged to place orders for future an ticipated needs now to avoid serious complications in opening remodelled or new stores. Regional personnel have made every effort to anticipate March, 1947 17 such needs but must have firm or ders from local societies on the ac tual quantities needed. Trailers for Home and Abroad Trailers for use by Regional Wholesales here, and for possible ex port to cooperatives abroad, have been contracted for by National Co operatives, with a nationally known manufacturer. These trailers are de signed to meet all the requirements of cross-country hauls, local hauls and metropolitan deliveries of stock, grain, petroleum and general mer chandise. They're available in a wide variety of capacities, with a choice of under-construction, to fit almost any operation. The price on these tra'lers is very favorable—made possible by volume buying on a national basis plus the potential export volume which will be handled through the company's foreign branches. The maker is one of the nation's largest trailer manu facturers, with a great number of factory branch outlets throughout the United States. This assures con venient service coverage for Region- als, and Locals, in all parts of the country. New CO-OP Pressure Saucepan The new long-handled Pressure Saucepan, which replaces the casse role type, is now being shipped. This new Saucepan is equipped with a 5-10-15 Ibs. indicator weight—and it can be used in both canning and r cooking. It has the added advantage of the convenient long handle which many cooks prefer. Merchandise dis play pieces to call your patron's at tention to this new item are now in preparation = FUCKER = FMSHES New CO-OP Films Ready Three new films on cooperative activities are now available. The Power of Neighbors. Pro duced for Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperatives by Tomlin Film Pro ductions. 16mm, sound and color Running time, 30 min. Rental, $5.00. Purchase, $250.00. This film tells the story of the growth and development of Indi ana's cooperatives, particularly in the field of petroleum. It is an entirely different approach to this subject from CCA's excellent film. UP FROM THE EARTH, and should have wide use throughout all regional territories. A Vacation With A Purpose. Produced for Midland Cooperative Wholesale. Central Cooperative Wholesale, and the Cooperative League by Film Productions, Inc 16mm, sound and color. Running time, 30 min. Rental, $4.50. Pur chase, $300.00. """ """TU» A colorful travelog of the 1946 Co-op Tour through Northcentral U. S., Manitoba, and Saskat chewan, showing all types of co operative enterprises and the peo ple that make them work. An ex cellent film to show what our Canadian neighbors are doing, co operatively speaking, and a good promotion piece for National's tour program. The Inside Story—Of Modern Milking. Produced for National Cooperatives, Inc., by Tomlin Film Productions. 16mm, sound and col or. Running time, 30 mln. Rental, $5.00. Purchase, $250.00. Against the colorful background of a farm in the Wisconsin dairy- land this film demonstrates the ad vantages of fast milking, showing how it means both more milk and healthier cows. Animation is used throughout. New Film Catalogue Soon to be available is a new film catalogue brought up to date by the inclusion of the three new films mentioned above and including sev eral other new features—a new cover, a page on how to use films, listing of recommended documen taries, films in production, etc. The new catalogue will be available in about a month from your regional cooperative of National Coopera tives, Inc. Travelogue In Production A brief sound and color travp- logue based on Wallace Campbell's trip to co-ops in seven European countries in connection with the In ternational Cooperative Alliance Congress is now in production. For further details on these and other films, write to National Coop eratives, 167 W 12th Street, New York 11. This is the latest model CO-OP Pressure Saucepan—designed for both canning and cooking. Film on Housing Place to Live—(2 reels, 20 minutes, sound) Based on a survey by Philadelphia Housing Association, this film shows a school boy leaving school and coming home through typical city streets and back alleys infected with rats. Scenes of the slum home and squalid living con ditions are contrasted with the dreams the boy and his mother have for their ideal home. The problem is presented, but no solution is of fered. Could be used as a spring board for a discussion on housing. Available from Brandon Films, 16'JO Broadway, New York 19. 18 CO-OP Magazine Styrdiness, Security arsd lasting « Freedom Through Self-Help Is Aim ©I Philippine Co-ops The ideals, the techniques, and progress to date of the fast growing cooperatives En the Pacific's new republic \ r HEN independence came to the Philippines in 1946, serious economic problems came right along with it. Besides being confronted with great reconstruction tasks, Filipinos faced the situation they had anticipated for several years— U. S. tariff barriers resulting in de cline of export trade, the mainstay of the Philippine economy before the war Inspired by Chinese Encouraged by the success of in dustrial cooperatives in China, manv Filipinos now look toward coopera tion as the solution to these problems and as the basis on which they hope to develop their new independent economy. Senor Luis Agudo, general mana ger of the National Cooperative League of the Philippines and a re cent visitor to the United States, ex- r*- " - plained in his associations with many cooperators here what his country men hope to accomplish through co ops and how they are going about it The League is formulating ambi tious proposals for contributing to the country's economic development. Plans include: 1. Building a large warehouse and store plant in Manila; 2. Stimulating inter - provincial trade through the co-ops; 3 Fighting unemployment by en couraging household industries; 4. Entering fields of production and transportation to strengthen the consumer cooperative position; 5 Requesting public lands for co operative cultivation of rami and foodstuffs; and 6. Seeking collaboration of Phil ippine co-ops to develop production projects together. Sixty-seven pro- y Luis Agudo, Sr., General Manager of the NACOOP, and Patricia F. Caparas, treasurer, Pampanga Provincial Cooperative League, were sent to the United States to observe cooperative development here. After visiting the offices of National Cooperatives in Chi cago, they studied education, housing and health techniques used in the Ohio Farm Bureau Cooperatives. ducer co-ops are already in opera tion. The League, which was capitalized at $250,000, now has a total capital of $1,450,000 and a monthly volume equal to its original capitalization. 280,000 families belong to 690 mem ber cooperatives which operate over 900 stores. An eleven-member board of directors, elected annually by a delegation composed of one repre sentative from each local co-op, ad ministers the League's affairs. Commonwealth Act No. 565, passed before the war, set aside $2,- 500,000 to promote, supervise, organ ize and standardize all types of co operatives to insure a stable and in dependent economy. This Act is ad ministered by the National Coopera tives Administration. Tariff Prospect a Problem In 1939 the knowledge that inde pendence would bring U. S. tariff barriers and decreased exports prompted Filipinos to accelerate the growth of cooperatives through gov ernment assistance. It was in this situation that the National Coopera tives Administration was established, control to be returned to the coop eratives when the program was on an operating basis Government plans included: 1. Organizing farmers into coop- (Continued on next page) March, 1947 19 PhiEippine Co-ops fConfinufff from pffgf IQ) erative groups of about 1,000 mem bers to produce a given product, with sales to be handled through co op federations and the NCA- 2. Organizing manufacturing co operatives with distribution of goods through the same channels; 3. Importing foreign-made goods by NCA and distributing them through retail co-ops; and 4. Developing an intensive edu cational program utilizing the Con sumers Cooperative League, an edu cational association already in exis tence. The war prevented fulfillment of these plans, but 1946, the inde pendence year, was the signal for revival, and cooperative development took on renewed speed. f i 1* I Co-op float in the Independence Day Pa rade in Manila last July 4 Over 300,000 people jammed the streets during the cele bration, and hundreds of members of the National Cooperative League of the Philip pines came from all over the country to march in the parade. The Power of Neighbors Story of growth and development of Indiana'b cooperatives-, particularly in the field of petroleum. Effective commentary, delivered in "Hoobier' style, tells how people of Indiana have worked together to build their own business, lower prices and increase quality of the petroleum and other products they buy. 16mm, sound and color; running time, 30 min.; purchase, $250; rental, $5.00 The Inside Story—Of Modern Milking Demonstrates the advantages of fast milking, showing how faster milking means more milk, also healthier cows. Anima tion portrays the most recent findings of leading dairy exports concerning milk formation and extraction. Slorv of the farm famih woven into the picture adds popular interest and appeal. 16mm, sound and color; running lime, 30 min.; purchase, $250; rental, $5.00 A Vacation With a Purpose Colorful travelog of the 1946 Co-op Tour through TSforthceiitral I . 5., Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, showing varieties of coop erative enterprises both north and south of the 19th parallel — co-op refineries, elevators, bakeries, »tores, lucker plank, dairies, oil stations- and the people who make them go. c shuts of the Canadian prairies. 16mm, sound and color; running time, 30 mill.: purchase. $300; reniai, SS4.50 These und other rn-op films available from YOUR REGIONAL CO-OP or NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC., 167 West 12th Street, New York Lubrication Service (ConfinuLfl irorn pa^e 7) made of the number of lube jobs per day or per week which would be large enough to justify one or more lube specialists. The time spent per car can average from 20 minutes to an hour. Some models have more fittings and some fittings are in less accessible locations on the car. An other variation in time results from fittings which have become plugged or blocked with dirt and are gen erally described as being "frozen." Other and greater variations in time result from the amount of ad ditional work done at the same time, but not strictly a part of the chassis lubrication. Most common of all is of course the oil change. Transmis sions, differentials, clutches and wheel bearings may also require at tention, and a long list of other items should be checked if the job is done right. Part time help should never be used on lube jobs, except alongside an experienced lubrication man. Let Patrons Know Any station big enough to r-nploy a lubrication specialist should ad vertise it. Car owners are influenced by the fact that the station has such a man. His special training and long time experience should be played up. Smaller stations where lubrication does not require a specialist, can just as well advertise their personnel experience record. Many station workers have spent a lot of time learning their business and can qualify at* experts on lubrication; such a good talking point is well •worth passing on to patrons and prospects. Good to Remember ''How much are your pork chops?" asked Mrs. B. (That was when pork chops were quite commonplace ) "Thirty cents a pound," was the reply "Why, Mr. J. down the street, sells pork chops for twenty cents a pound " "Why didn't you buy them there, then?" "Well, Mr. J. didn't have any pork chops today." "Oh. Well, when I don't have any pork chops I sell them for ten cents a pound.'' The Truth Will Out Flim: "That fish I caught was simply enormous. I never saw such a fish." Flam: "1 believe vou. my boy." 20 CO-OP Magazine fo (Questions on pages 11 and 12) 1. In 1845, only one year after its beginning in England, the Workingman's Protective Union opened a cooperative store in Boston. Another labor organization, the Knights of Labor, en couraged cooperatives as part of its economic program in the early 1880's. The farmers, however, are the earliest pro ponents of the movement as it is today. Some of the Grange stores founded by the Patrons of Husbandry shortly after the Civil War still survive. 2. (c) 7,900,000 or 5.9%. 3. Sorry, but this is a trick question! In all these fourteen fields—and many more!—there are well-developed coopera tives. 4. 21,000. 5. (c) increased over the best previous year, which was 1945 for a record. 6. $1,300,000,000. 7. 1%%. 8. (a) Credit unions have the greatest number of associa tions with 9,099. The others in the top five are telephone as sociations, 5,000; food stores, 2,810; service stations, 1,425; and farm supply co-ops, 1,353. (b) Credit unions also have the largest membership, 3,037,700. The other ranking four are rural electric co-ops, 1,149,700; service stations, 810,000; farm supply co-ops, 710,000; and food stores, 690,000. (c) Farm supply co-ops lead in business volume, $480,000,- 000. The next four are food stores, $280,000,000; service sta tions, $270,000,000; credit unions, $212,305.000; and rural elec tric co-ops, $60,960,000. 9. Reverse the percentages and you have the answer; co- operators are 10% city-dwellers and 90% farm-folk. 10. 77%. 11. (c) The North Central States, which do 70% of total co-op business. 12. Slovenians, Czechoslovaks, and Finns, of which the lat ter have been particularly outstanding. Immigrants from Fin land came to the United States in the 1910's and organized consumer cooperatives of which there are over 150 today, such as at Maynard and Fitchburg, Massachusetts, at Waukegan, Illinois, at Cloquet, Minnesota, and others in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They established one of the earliest cooperative wholesales in this country, the Central Cooperative Whole sale of Superior, Wisconsin. 13. (e) Farmers and (a) middle class. 14. Depression. 15. All but (a) and (c) were contributing factors. 16. Petroleum. 17. There are three groupings between the local and na tional levels: (1) Local co-ops in one or more counties, prin cipally in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, have combined into district associations to handle commodities and services. (2) Local groups in a number of states have formed regional wholesale cooperatives. (3) Some regionals have formed in terregional cooperatives such as National Farm Machinery Cooperative owned by thirteen regionals. 18. The Cooperative League of the USA. 19. For all but insurance and banking. They are as fol lows: Commodities—National Cooperatives, Inc. Credit—Credit Union National Association O O O O O O V O O O O O COMMODITIES BEARING THE CO-OP LABEL AUTOMOTIVE Accessories Fan Belt, Radiator Hose Black Tire Paint Reach -Cut Bev el Patches Tube Patching Rubber Quick Cure Vulcanizing Cement Self-Curing Rubber Cement Tire Repair Unit Assortments Quick Cure Tube Repair Cum Friction Tape Tube Repair kits Batteries Chemical Products Hydraulic Brake Fluid Iron Cement Shock Absorber Fluid Radiator Stop-Leak Hydraulic Jack Oil Motor-Weld Gasket Shellac Compound Radiator Cleaner Chromium Cleaner Automobile Cleaner and Water Mix Vahe Grind- Polish ing Compound Automobile Cleaner and Top Dressing Wax (over) 3-T-47 DISTRIBUTION-IT COMMODITIES BEARING THE CO-OP LABEL O (continued from preceding page) BUILDING SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT Asphalt Roofing and Floor Leielling Posts Building Papers pamt Silo Papers Compressors Insulation FARM APPLIANCES Milking Machines Milk Pasteurizers Milk Coolers Water Systems Dairy Water Heaters Fence Controllers FOODS Coffee. Tea Cocoa and Chocolate Cold and Hot Cereals Ready to Serve Foods Soups Macai oui Spaghetti and Noodles Shortening and Oifs Fruits Fruit Juices Flours. Flour Mixes and Vei?etables ^eals Vegetable Juices (over) 3-1-47 DISTRIBUTION-13 March, 1947 21 COMMODITIES BEARING THE CO-OP LABEL Q (continued from preceding page) (AUTOMOTIVE— Com.) Touch-Up Fnatnel Fabric Cleaner Neatsfool Oil Compound Oil Absorbent Graphitcd Penetrating Oil Fire Extinguisher Fluid VI Q Household Oil Oil Filters Rubber Lubricant Di-Zolv-It Oil Gaskets Hea\y Service (Truck) Passenger Tires and Tires and Tubes Tubes Bicycle Tires and Tubes Implement Tires Tractor Tires and Tubes Spark PIuR> Battery Cables (continued on next page) DISTRIBUTION-12 COMMODITIES BEARING THE CO-OP LABEL (continued from preceding page) o o o o o o (FOODS— Cont.) Dried Vegetable* Cooking Supplies (ex- tracts, spices, baking ponder, etc) Peanut Butter Meats and Fish, Canned IK ln£s Condiments Sjrups, Molasses Vitamin" Bain Foods HARDWARE AND FARM SUPPLIES Milk Filter Disc« Farm and Garden Tools Pump lacks Rigid Clipper Cutters HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES Refrigerators Home Freezes Kadios Washers Ironers Vacuum Cleaners Flectric Water Heaters Gas Water Heaters Electric Irons Pressure Cookers Pressure Sauce Pans Electric Clocks Flashlight Cases Dr\ Batteries HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES Laundry and Household Cleansers Soaps Waxes and Polishes Paper Supplies o o Cosmetics MISCELLANEOUS Toiletries Tobacco O DISTRIBUTION-14 Electricity—-National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Health—Cooperative Health Federation of America Housing—National Cooperative Mutual Housing Association Recreation—Cooperative Society for Recreation Education 20. The Twin Pines Emblem is the symbol of The Coop erative League. It consists of two pine trees within a circle formed by their roots, dark green in color against a yellow background. The pine tree represents endurance; the pair of them and the circle represent all-embracing cooperation. "Co-op" is the trade-mark and brand name of several hun dred manufactured products distributed by National Coop eratives, Inc. (More next month) BOARDS of directors should watch closely any trends which appear dangerous to the ultimate welfare of the cooperative. Certain of these trends might be enumerated here. 1.—There is a tendency for directors who have held office for long periods of time otassume dictatorial powers not in keeping with the office of directors. The basis on which the cooperative movement rests is ownership and control of the enterprise by the members. Directors who abrogate to them selves either ownership or control of a cooperative enterprise are no longer cooperators in the true sense of the word since by their attitude they destroy membership interest and mem bership participation in the enterprise. 2.—When a cooperative appears to be functioning smoothly and successfully under an able manager, the board of directors tends to relax its vigilance and to leave questions of policy and conduct in the hands of the manager. From a cooperative viewpoint this is a dangerous practice. It is entirely unfair to both the cooperative and the manager. Directors should their own responsibilities. 3.—Directors of affiliated associations may feel that their responsibilities are lessened since the central body generally performs some service or exercises some supervision over the affairs of the affiliate. They cannot, however, shift their re sponsibility to a central body. They have exactly the same duties and the sime responsibilities as directors of any other cooperative. All that happens is that bookkeeping and ac counting is centralzed to some extent but the directors have the same responsibility in evaluating the work of the manager and in recommending ways and means whereby the coopera tive can be of greater service. 4.—There is a tendency on the part of some presidents of cooperatives to neglect the calling of regular board meetings. This may be corrected by a resolution setting definite detas for directors' meetings. This resolution may be adopted at a meeting of the directors or at a general meeting of the mem bers. 5.—There is a tendency among certain boards of directors to look to outside agencies to undertake those responsibilities which they as directors should assume themselves. The strength and future growth of the cooperative movement de pends on the ability of cooperatives to solve their own pro blems in a cooperative manner. 6.—There is tendency to overlook the fact that complete membership loyalty and adequate cooperative expansion can be secured only by those associations which maintain a stand ard of high class service, of continuous education, of coop erative action. A cooperative cannot be static. It grows or declines. It lives or dies. (From educational bulletin of Saskatchewan Cooperative Union) Other Fact Book pages on pages 11-12 22 CO-OP Magazine Material For Study-Action Groups— Won't Somebody Do Something? "Adult Education as to the causes of booms, busts and wars is the key to developing national leaders and a strong co-op movement."—Dr. M. M. Coady THIS subject of inflation touches us all very personally. Take the following story, for instance: If Mark Twain were alive today 111 bet he'd say, "You know this 'in flation' is just like the weather: everybody talks about it but no body does anything about it." "One day last week my wife was screaming about the prices. 'I've just been to the grocery store,' she said, 'and spent ten dollars—and just look at what I got! Why it's practically nothing! I carried it home in my arms!' "What are we going to do? That was the question we talked over that same evening. After a lot of talk we realized that we didn't know ex actly what inflation was—except it meant high prices. We didn't know what it meant for us—how we should act now, and how to prepare for the future. "Well, I carried home a lot of pam phlets and books and we went over them—pretty gradually. Pretty soon we realized how ignorant we had been—and how much that ignorance had cost us. "We saw that we had made mis takes and were on the brink of mak ing worse mistakes. A little touch of information really set us off. Now we are at work on a long-range program to 'get wise' to the causes and effects of inflation and depres sion. And we feel a lot better now; we used to be sort of worried in general, now we know what is bad and what is good for us, economi cally."—E. A. Any study-action group will be very much interested in devoting an evening or two to this problem. Here are a few materials for your group to chew on— To Begin With Inflation—Here It Is! July, 1946. Advisory Council Guide; from Ohio Farm Bureau Cooperative Assn., 246 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio. Back To The Twenties, March, 1946, FORTUNE. Facts About War Debts & Taxes. CO-OP League Study-Action pam phlet number 4, order from regional or League. Facts About Inflation and Defla tion. CO-OP League Study-Action pamphlet number 6. Money, Goods, and Prices. By E. R. Bowen, CO-OP League pamphlet. 25c. To Go Further How to Check Inflation, John M. Clark, Public Affairs Pamphlet No. 64, lOc (22 E. 38th St., New York 16, New York). Collapse or Boom at the End of tk-e War, by Moulton and Schlotterbeck, Brookings Institute, pamphlet, 1942. ABC of Inflation, by E. W. Kirn- merer, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., New York, 1942. Inflation Is On Our Doorstep, Harper and Curtis, Cornell Univer sity, Ithaca, N. Y. lOc from National Cooperatives. The New Philosophy of Public Debt, H G. Moulton, Brookings In stitute booklet. $1.00. Have You Seen These? What good is it for me to skimp and slave, if you continue to squander money on income taxes' What Do You Know About Blind ness? Public Affairs Pamphlet No. 124. lOc from Public Affairs Com mittee, 22 E. 38th St., New York 16, N. Y Did You Ever See a Dream Growing? Handsome pamphlet on how Gary, Indiana, conquered race problem. At cost from National Ur ban League, 1133 Broadway, New York 10, N. Y. How the Atomic Energy Act Works. 6-page folder, outline and diagram of civilian control law as is sued in War Department discussion guide. lOc each. Nat'1 Committee on Atomic Information. The Southern Farmer: What Fu ture? Nov., 1946, issue of Southern Patriot, 808 Perdido St., New Or leans, Louisiana. lOc. 8-page pub lication with excellent charts and treatment of regional problem of south. Correction In the January, 1947, "Discussion- Action" page on Monopoly, there were two areas not covered. E. R. Bowen has suggested the addition of Financial Monopoly and Agricultural Monopoly. Two books on financial monopoly are Other People's Money by Louis Brandeis, and America's Sixty Families by Ferdinand Lund- berg, Viking Press, 1937. On agri cultural monopoly, read Factories in the Field by Carey McWilliams. March, 1947 23 Another Trust on the Block THE Swedish cooperative whole sale is out to bust another trust— linoleum; and prices have already dropped. The tactics followed by Koopera- tiva Forbundet take a new form this time. The Swedish wholesale has bought up 25 per cent of the capital stock of the Swedish branch of the European linoleum cartel and is at tempting to reform its operations from the directors' room. The chief grievance of Swedish people against the cartel is that prof its of the Swedish branch have been transferred, through a profit pool, into the tills of divisions in other countries. Co-op representatives, led by Albin Johannson, at first at tempted to persuade profit-minded directors to break up the cartel and return Swedish money to Sweden in the form of lower prices to the con sumer. This effort has failed, despite live ly public interest. Mr. Johannson in a press conference has now an nounced the failure of the more peaceable approach to the problem, and forecasts a hard struggle. Prices have been cut to some extent in a campaign by the cartel to calm the waters Public Relations Michigan has just had Co-op Month, with Governor Sigler re marking that people ought to or ganize co-ops eveywhere—town and country. Wisconsin has celebrated its tenth Co-op Week. The Senate Interim Committee in the State of Washington has issued a report praising farm cooperatives, which are "rendering such valuable eco nomic service to the farmers of this state and to the general public as well." In Minnesota the commis sioner of agriculture has submitted his biennial report to the governor and legislature in which he rebukes the National Tax Equality Associa tion and other anti-co-op groups for unfair propaganda, specifically for calling co-ops socialistic and com munistic. None of this has ruffled the Na tional Tax Equality Association, and in Maryland a bill has been intro duced to tax patronage refunds. Tar get for the month, as far as NTEA was concerned, was the Dairymen's League Cooperative Association, giant New York milk marketing co operative, which has just been f ned $25,000 for manipulating butter prices. (Four of its officers were fined $1,000 apiece.) Conservative and liberal papers alike jumped the dairymen, and the NTEA found "evidence" for its charges that co ops are dangerous, though not, per haps clearly socialistic. In England the only cooperative coal mine, at Shilbottle, was taken over as the government nationalized the pits. In France, the new premier Paul Ramadier, writing in the Dan ish cooperative publication Sam- vlrke, urged cooperatives to resist public ownership. "Yesterday," said M. Ramadiei, "industry with few exceptions was capitalist, tomorrow it will be na tionalized. But will we reach our goal if we entrust management of great industries exclusively to the state? . . . State interference can not possibly be a permanent condi tion without threatening the liberty of the individual. . . . The new post war world must return to its school desks, adopting the principles of the cooperative movement, if democracy is not to prove a delusion. The co operative movement must give re newed strength to the world in which destiny has placed it." Expansion of the work cf the Rural Electrification Administration has been urged on the president, Congress and the Secretary of Ag riculture in a petition from the di rectors of National Cooperatives. In the past ten years the number of electrified farms has increased from 10.9 per cent to 52.9 per cent, the di rectors' message points out. It is also urged that rural electric cooperatives be encouraged to retire as quickly as possible the loans made to them by the Government, in order to estab lish democratic local control. Group Health Association, Wash ington, D. C., seems to have estab lished the principle that medical co ops are entitled to qualify as fee- basis physicians for the Veterans Administration. In a letter to the Veterans Ad ministration, Melvin Dollar of Group Health complained that the VA was making contracts only with state medical societies: that this looked something like monopoly in medi cine; that the District of Columbia Medical Society was interpreting regulations to mean that only physi cians in private practice could ac cept Veterans Administration cases; and that Group Health's doctors op erate as a team and do not carry on private practice. Health Groups Advance Replying for the Veterans Admin istration, Dr. Paul R. Hawley said that contracts with the state medical societies had been worked out to avoid signing thousands of contracts with smaller groups; that there is every intention to avoid monopo listic tendencies; that no separate contract could be offered a group like Group Health Association, but that the co-op was invited to accept the status of fee-basis physician. Meanwhile, working with Coop erative Health Federation of Amer ica, four regional cooperatives are drumming up interest in cooperative medicine in their areas—Midland and Central Cooperative Wholesales in Minnesota. Wisconsin and Upper -.„« A. F Wallace J. Campbell, publicity director. National Cooperatives, represents the International Cooperative Alliance at a session of the Social and Economic Council of the United Nations, Lake Success. Surrounding him are representatives of the International Charrber of Comrrerce (extreme leFt), American Federation of Labor and World Federation of Tiade Unions. 24 CO-OP Magazine Michigan, Central States Coopera tives in Chicago, and Eastern Coop eratives in the Northeast. In Indiana, Farm Bureau co-ops are building themselves a super phosphate plant. Sale of stock by Midland has exceeded the quota. The city-wide co-op in Chicago has leased a site for its second super market, and the city-wide co-op in Detroit nears incorporation. Coop erative Trading Company in Wauke- gan, Illinois, has bought its second dairy in six months. The tour bu reau of National Cooperatives an nounces plans for a six-week tour of European co-ops next summer and shorter tours in Canada and the northeastern United States. Iver Lind of Midland takes up a new pub licity post, to handle radio, films and pamphlets, and is succeeded by Davis Douthit as managing editor of Midland Cooperator; plans are in work to make the paper a weekly. Record Credit Union Growth More than one hundred thousand new credit union members were en rolled during the 1946 drive in the United States and Canada, reports the Credit Union National Associa tion. The best previous year was 1944, when 64,000 new members were recruited. The Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe (CARE) has announced a new food package to replace the 10-in-l food package (Army rations), stocks of which are rapidly dwindling. The new pack age includes seven pounds of Co-op flour and Co-op dried whole milk. The CARE blanket package got a boost February 3, when the New York Dress Institute gave a fashion show to demonstrate how blankets can be made into suits, coats and hats; each CARE blanket package contains sewing materials, and it was announced that patterns are avail able at CARE distribution points in Europe. Again at the United Nations social and economic sessions, an attempt was made to give the World Federa tion of Trade Unions preferred status among the permanent consul tants. A resolution to this effect, in troduced by a Polish delegate, was passed ten to four, as it was argued that the WFTU, with 75,000,000 members, represented the most sub stantial mass of common people. Three days later, a speech by Helen Fuhrmann gave the group a fuller picture of the significance of the In ternational Cooperative Alliance, with its 85,000,000 members; there was another vote on another resolu tion giving further preference to WFTU, and this was defeated, five to six. The retirement of George Keen, veteran Canadian cooperator, was announced in conjunction with the suspension of the Canadian Coop erator, which he has edited since 1909. A. J. Hayes, manager of Cen tral Cooperative Wholesale, stirred up considerable interest when he said he saw no insuperable obstacle to prevent eventual merger of CCW, Midland and the Farmers Union Central Exchange. Murray D. Lin coln, president of Cooperative League of USA, and Toik Tenhune, manager of National Cooperatives, warned that cooperatives should protect themselves by keeping inventories and receivables down. Jerry Voorhis, ex-congressman from California, spoke to several co-op groups in Vermont. A load of motor oil and kerosene was shipped to China late in Janu ary, paid for by Freedom Fund, to aid in Chinese cooperative recon struction. In Austria a former di rector of the Cooperative wholesale, Otto Sagmeister, has been appointed minister of food. A German coop erator, Victor Agartz, now is chair man of the econom'.c executive coun cil of the Anglo-American zones. Danish cooperators in Copenhagen plan a supermarket, the first in the country. The British Cclenial Off ce will send members of its staff to the cooperative College for training in cooperative principles. Scottish co- operators are studying the possibil ity of national membership—in other words, making it possible for a co-op member to shop in any co-op. Want Hefp? Many persons are seeking em ployment in co-ops. They are 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 will soon, let it be known. Use the Classified Column in CO-OP Magazine. See page 29. K See Cooperative Europe OTK Headquarters. Helsinki Make your travel dreams come true this summer. Or if you're an o'd timer at globe-trotting, do it this new, inexpensive, fascinating way. Spend six weeks touring Europe . . England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Your ocean trip will be made on one of the luxurious Cunard liners. You will visit all the traditional places of interest, the famous resort spots. But . . . you will aEso see another side of these countries, the way their peoples live and work. In London, Manchester, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, in other large cities, you will observe all types of cooperatives in action. Let your next vacation be a constructive one, packed full of NEW sights, NEW things to be learned. WRITE TO US NOW . . . WE'LL BE GLAD TO FURNISH YOU WITH DETAILED INFORMATION. NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, Inc. 167 West 12 Street, New York 11 March, 1947 25 Gl's Building New Cooperative Suburb Homes for 2,000 families Expected to cost From $6,500 to $10,000 each ANEW and entirely cooperative subdivision is being developed on the northwest side of Chicago by the Home and Community Planning Association, a group of G. I.'s who are determined to build their homes and community as they want them and without profit to anyone. The model in the picture is hold ing an architect's miniature version of one of the homes—with house, lot and landscaping in proportion. The Association plans to build homes to cost between $6,500 and $10,000 each for 2,000 families, many of them vet erans. Have Large Land Parcel "We're going to build ourselves a neighborhood," these veterans de clare. They plan to reduce the high cost of new housing and of already- developed lots and still get the bene fits of modern construction in a com munity not too far from their places of work or business. They are doing this by working together in purchas ing a large tract of land, developing their own community on a coopera tive basis and pooling their efforts and resources in the non-profit en terprise. Surveyors began laying out plots in January on 70 acres in Park Ridge and Niles northwest of Chicago for which the Association paid $114,250. These tracts comprise the first pur chase, and the group has an option on another 27 acres along Milwau kee Ave. A total of 154 acres is planned for the co-op enterprise. The National Cooperative Mutual Housing Association is encouraging the formation of similar cooperative housing groups in as many commu nities as possible. It is hoped that some of the public housing projects which are being sold by the govern ment can be organized on a co-op basis instead of being handled at v Gloria Hunter, a Patricia Stevens model found it a pleasant chore to hold an architect's version of one of the new homes to be built by the Home and Community Planning Association. greater consumer cost by speculative private real estate interests. Organizational know-how for ten ants of these projects is being dis tributed through the education and organization departments of regional cooperatives Sample operating statements, maintenance costs, by laws of several successfully operat ing mutual ownership projects, to gether with step-by-step organiza tional procedure, are furnished groups interested in building coop erative projects. Already existing co-op lumber yards and mills can supply mutual home ownership groups in some areas with the ma terials necessary for construction. Sorry no vacancies here either Hell, isn't it' CARE Every Day You can help in "Operation Peace" by sending a CARE food package to a European family to help them rebuild their strength, their industries, their country, their lives. 26 CO-OP Magazine How Are We Doing' (Continued from page 5) proportion to have an active part in the annual meetings. Management not only determines policy in most instances but also often is in a posi tion to perpetuate its control. The only reason for referring to this is that a similar situation tends to develop in large-scale coopera tives as well. The inference is not that this grows out of any deep- seated plot to take control away from members. It is physically im possible to bring together in person the membership of large associations for active participation in annual meetings. Federations of local co operatives have the advantage of a smaller number of members, but even here direct participation by the patrons for whom the organization purchases goods or markets prod ucts becomes rather remote. Members Must Participate Admitting the difficulties which limit participation, the question still remains whether cooperatives are doing all they can and should to encourage more active participation by the rank and file in policy mak ing. Are there not too many cases where management is bent on con vincing the membership that their management knows best? Self-preservation is a natural in stinct, and it would not be normal behavior for men employed in management positions to try to work themselves out of a job. This cer tainly is neither expected nor asked of them. However, there are cases in which it might be well to scru tinize the methods employed. All of us have noted wide differences among cooperative managers. Some dominate the board directors to the point where the latter are hardly more than rubber stamps; others fol low the more democratic process of presenting issues fairly to the board and leaving decision to it. The board naturally will look to the manager for information and counsel but it should not give up its responsibility for final decision in policy matters. Patron Service the Goal Can cooperatives in truth say that the decisions which are made always give first consideration to the in terests of the people and farms and homes whom the cooperative exists to serve rather than to the position of management and the employees? May not this, at times, result in blocking progress rather than help ing organizations play the role of pacemakers and trail blazers? There is no intent here to phrase a blanket indictment. It is, instead, an invita tion to engage in some self-examina tion to discover traces of weakness, and to apply correctives where needed. The relation between members and the association need strengthen ing in many cooperatives. There is also need for improvements in rela tionship between directors and manager. Reference was made above to the tendency of some managers to dominate the board of directors in policy decisions There also are cases where the board attempts to participate in actions which are the domain of the manager. The board clearly has responsibility for de veloping and deciding matters of general policy: the manager must have control over administrative de tail in putting these policies into effect Richard Pattee, manager of the New England Milk Producers As sociation, made a statement more than a quarter of a century ago that has stuck with me ever since. In talking about management of coop eratives, he said, "In a cooperative association, no man should be elected to a salary." This bit of philosophy has much to commend it. Coopera tives rather generally observe this principle in holding that directors or their close relatives are not eligible for employment. Some outstanding exceptions are found in which some such officer at> president also has the title, or at least exercises the functions of, general manager. With out condemning every case where this exists, one may question wheth er there really is need for exception to this rule. It would seem to in volve no extreme sacrifice to require any one occupying such a dual ca pacity to make a choice between oc cupying the position for which he has been elected or accepting ap pointment to the position of general manager. Personnel Must Progress Many of the larger cooperatives are still so young that they have managers who gained their experi ence by growing up with the busi ness. One remarkable achievement in the cooperative movement is the way in which some of these men have developed with little or no previous experience for such posi tions. However, now that these en terprises are established, they need to give heed to selecting and de veloping understudies for the major jobs. Business enterprises are giv ing increased attention to the selec tion of personnel. Not all coopera tives are as alert as they should be on this score. There are still too many instances of hiring men on the basis of relationships and connec tions rather than on their abilities and prospects for development. Care in the selection and training of staff members is important for the future development and success of coopera tive services. Many cooperatives have done a (Continued on next page) COOP \ a spring house cleaning MUST CO-OP household cleaner (with wetting agent) Truly a saver of time and work, and tun nays a money saver. It costs so little and makes soap go so much further! It's effective in both hard and soft water, and it's easy on the hands co-op managers: Here's a product that, once tried, becomes a constant repeat item. A product of count less household uses with full directions printed on the package, CO-OP Household Cleaner cuts down the number and variety of brands of cleaners you otherwise must carry And best of all, its low cost enables you to meet price competition and still .„. maintain an excellent margin' Spring housecleamng .— ,.._.„-„............ provides your chance to build, year-'round acceptance Order from your Regional. . . NATIONAL COOPERATIVES March, 1947 27 How Are We Doing? (Continued from page 27) remarkable job of developing a large business from a shoe-string start fi nancially. Patron-members are not noted for having too much idle money nor for their readiness to in vest capital in their service enter prises. Cooperatives consequently have often relied heavily on their ability to acquire the necessary capital by some form of withholding from proceeds which belong to the patrons. This has resulted in achievements of value to the patrons, but we should recognize also that there may be some element of weak ness in this process of building capital. At least, there is room for better appraisal of capital require ments and how they may be met. Actually what happens when capital is built up through retains is that funds belonging to patrons are invested for them. Part of the pa- Display of the Month V <;-•<• wi-S&i* fat*-» n _— ^ f Twenty co-ops, members of Tri-Sfafe Cooperative Council in and around Sioux City, Iowa, sponsored this Co-op feed and seed display at the Moville County Fair last year Members were in the co-op booth at all times to answer questions about this and other displays of Co-op groceries, grease and oil, tires, appliances and milking machines, and to talk about coopera tives in general. A good feature of this display is that it is limited to just one or two items, thus leaving a single impression on the visitor and avoiding the confusion which a jumbled display of varied articles creates. Perhaps the display could have been made a bit more effective by pinning sepa rate cards on each sack to repeat or elaborate the points made in the large sign above the exhibit. This would make the points easier to read and remember than having them all to gether in one long list. During the fair, people were requested to register for a drawing at which a Co-op pressure cooker and a basket of Co-op groceries were awarded holders of lucky numbers. Over five hun dred people registered for the drawing, but even this number was only a small percentage of those visiting the exhibit, reports Nathan Barr, public relations director of the Farmers Union Cooperative in Sioux City. 28 trons in some cooperatives have no adequate realization of the extent to which this has taken place. The in come tax controversy now raging may provide some gain if it leads co operatives to improve their financial housekeeping and needles them into keeping more adequate records of the participation and interests of their patrons. Where capital is ac cumulated by setting aside part of the savings for this purpose, it is only fair that the records show the source and use of such funds. How else can a cooperative live up to the obligation it has of apportioning benefits in line with the volume of business supplied by each patron? Distributing information to patrons in regard to their financial share in the business may also be of help in increasing their interest in their or ganization generally. Members Should Know In building up capital by with holding, some cooperatives may mis takenly assume that the funds involved are "pure velvet." What they need to realize is that actually they are investing funds for the members. The final outcome might be, in some cases, that members will discover some day that investments have been made for them which they were not ready to undertake on their own. Such investments are not nec essarily bad. In fact, they may rep resent excellent use of the members' funds; but it seems desirable that the real investors be kept informed step by step, rather than be told about it long after it is accomplished. One feature of accumulating capital from savings which deserves careful attention is that changing conditions may alter the savings pic ture. If an organization bases its financial program on the uninter rupted continuation of conditions which yield large savings it may find itself in difficulties if conditions change considerably. Adequate records for cooperatives have received emphasis so often that additional reference to them may not seem warranted. Large cooperatives have the facilities for doing a good job. Many smaller cooperatives are less fortunate. It is not always easy to find the talent needed for per forming such specialized services as accounting. It remains, however, that reliable records are essential in a cooperative where an accounting with each member and patron should be available at all times. Every co operative must be in a position to demonstrate without question that the business has been so conducted CO-OP Magazine that the returns have been dis tributed where they should go. How fast and in what direction should a cooperative grow? Is rapid growth as essential for success as some appear to believe? Is it de sirable to rely on expansion and more intensive operation within a limited field? Or is it better to diversify by taking on a great va riety of lines? No dogmatic answer will suffice because so much de pends on the specific conditions which apply in any given case. While growth is a mark of success, it is well for cooperatives to be con cerned with quality as well as amount of growth. A mushroom can spring up in no time at all: years are required to produce the sturdy oak. Growth which improves service is desirable; growth paid for in reduced quality of service is likely to be as short-lived as the mushroom. There are cooperatives which, like the knights of old, "get on their horses and ride madly in all direc tions." The grass over in the neigh bor's pasture frequently looks green er, and the temptation to go over the fence is often strong. Cooperatives which yield may find themselves in volved in handling commodities of Potlatch Pete I ' _L Bedecked in festoons of co-op apples, C. V. Cook of Los Angeles took second prize at a Junior Chamber of Commerce sponsored Appleweek costume party in Wenatchee, Washington, where he was vacationing. The sign on his hat reads, "Potlatch Pete, Big Appetite for CO-OP Wenatchee Apples." March, 1947 THE only club in the world in which membership or employ ment in a cooperative is a prere quisite for admission, the Winnipeg Co-op Toastmasters' Club serves as a speech and leadership training project for Manitoba cooperators. Mort White, vice-president of Red River Cooperative Supply and presi dent of the club, explains the ob jectives of "Toastmasters' Interna tional" as being "better speaking, better listening and better think ing" for co-op members. In describing the "toastmaster technique" for speech training at widely different characteristics and operational requirements. In trying to be jack-of-all-trades they find they are master of none. The rate and direction of growth ought to be the result of careful appraisal and planning so that it will fit in with the capacities of management, personnel and facilities. One approach to enlarging busi ness which offers decided advantages in certain fields lies in effecting con solidations of organizations where too many are trying to serve the same area. Some local cooperatives were established before the day of improved roads and motor transport. They suited their times. Now, per haps, a larger organization should serve a much larger area. Too often, however, the issue is not faced squarely on its merits. Community pride, jealousies, desire to retain positions, or other factors, may create resistance to desirable con solidation. Loyalty to a cooperative is much to be desired, but it should be intelligent support—not blind loyalty. Cooperative enterprises are not an end in themselves. They exist to serve their members and patrons. If some other than the existing ar rangement will do this better, the change should be made. Efficiency Is Vital Failure on the part of coopera tive associations (some of all kinds are guilty) to work out consolida tions where desirable, exposes them to the danger of fatal competition from other enterprises which may be less hesitant in adopting eco nomical methods. Unnecessary du plication of cooperatives means that patrons are paying unnecessary a recent co-op luncheon, Mr. White emphasized the possibility of ex tending the speech club idea to rural groups and incorporating it into ac tivities of regular organizations. This is just one of many topics discussed each week at a regular luncheon meeting held for Winnipeg cooperators to help them keep posted on latest ideas and methods for dealing with co-op problems. Other recent subjects have included "Should Milk Be Subsidized?" and improving physical training, health, and recreation facilities through a community center. overhead expenses and not getting the quality of service to which they are entitled. Labor relations create problems for some cooperatives — especially farmers' associations. Here is a field calling for balance and judgment. In con Lroversies between labor and management it is easy to picture one side as being lily white and the other as pitch black. Actually, the issues are not a matter of white and black but rather a combination of varying shades of gray. Questions freouently are not to be settled on an "either-or" basis. Settlement re quires ability to see the other side's point of view and frequently involves compromises. People organize cooperatives be cause they feel inadequate to deal with the market as individuals. That should make them sympathetic to- (Continued on next page) Classified Advertising Tlie classified section of CO-OP MAGAZINE is available to Individuals or organizations to advertise articles for sale or exchange or wanted, help or situations wanted, education al projects, or special services. Rieht reserved to refuse any advertising regarded by CO-OP MAGAZINE to be in conflict with cooperative objectives or programs. . Bates are 7c per word for one insertion ; be per word for two or more insertions. Minimum, $1. Abbreviations, signs, initials and complete numbers counted as words. First line in capital letters; no other display. Remittance must ac company order. Address Classified Department, CO-OP MAGAZINE, 343 South Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois. CO-OP GIFTS BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED TWO TONE WOOD circle pines costume pins Approximately IM," in diameter. Fashioned by hand and highly piilislied Plastic catches Made by coopéra tors Elegant all occasion gifts, membership workers' awards, etc $1 00 each Address Twin Pines, Care CO-OP Magazine, 343 So. Dearborn Street, Chicago 4, Illinois 29 How Are We Doing? 'Continued iront page 29 J ward the worker who joins a labor organization because of his inade quacy m dealing effectively with the large employer Cooperatives conse quently should—and many of them do—have an understanding and ap preciation of labor organizations. Too often they do not. This is not to imply that coopera tives should yield to every demand of a labor union. Unions as well as cooperatives are not above being unreasonable at times. Willingness to negotiate does not require giving up fundamental rights. A cooperative organization, wheth er of rural or urban consumers, has an obligation to serve its members. Its policies should be dictated by that service job rather than be formu lated to please some special group— be it the employees, a union, the management, or a small segment of the member-patrons. But in the service process, it should always give due regard to the rights of others. This surely is a good place for the application of the golden rule. Books in Brief Timely One-Act Play THE BOY IS BETTER, by Paul Tjnson Na tioiidl Cooperatives. 8 pages 25c Inspired by Dr. Michael Shadid's "A Doctor for the People," this play is intended primarily to function as a "starter" for discussion of problems of health service that can be solved best by cooperative methods. To do this, of course, the play must first be a good one—and we think it is. "The Boy is Better" presents the conflict in the mind and heart of a young doctor between staying with a cooperative hospital and losing his license, and leaving the hospital and causing it great hardship. The char acters are real, and the situation is one that grips your interest—you really care what happens. Here is the answer to the ever- present need for a short play for co operative meetings that can be easily produced. The set required is sim ple, and the characters number five -three men, two women. Playing time, about fifteen minutes. This is not a propaganda play that solves the problem of cooperative health. It does, however, present a problem, and you are eager to go on talking about the situation at the curtain. There is nn royalty; the copy price includes the right to stage the play. Groups are urged but not required to purchase five copies. Stage dia gram included m book. Find some members interested in drama, and give this a try. Copies available through regional cooperatives. SUGGESTIONS REGARDING COOPERATIVE ACTION BY WOMEN. IBSUPC! by the Depart ment ot Cooperation and Cooperative Develop ment, Legislative Building-, Regina. Saskat chewan 8 pages A suggestive outline of specific ways in which women may contribute to both cooperative and community advance ment Nn prj^p listed I -UurJSRATIVE FCNJBRAL ASSOCIATIONS. By James Mjers. Jr Published 1046 by The Cooperative League 42 pages 25c One chap ter discusses the high cost of dying under the private funeral business practices, another presents data on existing- cooperative funeral associations, types of organization, and exten sive a-b-c's or organizing and operating such a service, including errors to avuid and legal prublems Appendix contains list of existing associations MITUAL HOUSING——A A KTER W'S GUIDE. National Housing Aerenry 15( Write Superin tendent ol Documents, Washington M5 tor publication NHA 398-12 46 Bioad in scope the Pamphlet dolls with 01 gamming, (OnstilKt ing and operating valions types of co-op hous ing- associations with special reference to available Fédéra] aids. Thirty-three steps covered in detail include FHA financing re quirements computing of monthly charges and member-owner responsibilities and benefits THE G. I. ROUXDTABLE SERIES. Prepared by United States Armed Forces Institute Avail able from Superintendent of Documents Wash ington 25, D C. 15c each (3 exceptions, lOc each^ Originally piepaied for exclusive use of discussion gioup leaders in armed services personnel, here is an excellent assortment of pamphlets now available to the public, and they are of special value to discussion group leaders, students, debaters teachers No 23 is "Why Co-ops? What Are They? How Do The} Work?" Nu 1 is a "Guide for Discus sion LeaOer." No 33 is "\\liat Will Tour Town Be Like?'* Thei e are 41 titles nuw a\ ail able, and they include "What Is Proimgimda?", "Can We Prevent Future Wars?", "Does It Pay To Borrow?", "Will The French Republic Live Asain?" Catalog-lie Number is W l 55 EM editorial— a CO-OP Magazine is published primarily to inform local co-op managers, employees and officials on how to do things, when to do them, and the availability and specifications of materials with which to do them—including merchandise, equipment and supplies. We want to do this as thoroughly and dependably as possible in every issue. In too many instances in the past year, however, we have fumbled the ball. Particularly, in our information about commodities, we have had diffi culties and caused difficulties. Industrial reconversion has been a disturbing problem, and unforeseen delays have combined with inaccurate data from suppliers. The result has been too frequent misinformation about the availa bility of goods. Too often we have accepted the word of our supplier at face value and it was wrong. Too often we have said "available from your region al," only to embarrass the regional organizations and disappoint the locals. Circumstances were further aggravated by late issue of the magazine. We are sorry for these occurences. They are "errors"—just as much as when the fellow in center field doesn't catch the ball. We are taking every precaution, however, to provide accurate supply and service information, henceforth—and in good time. Recent issues, we believe, demonstrate this. It is our paramount duty to supply all possible correct information to our member local cooperatives, and, thus, to coordinate and accelerate the opera tions at all levels—local, regional and national We are anxious to do this with increasing effectiveness, and we want to hear about it when we slip. (Incidentally, we appreciate very much the letters of suggestion and con structive criticism we receive. But we welcome more of them ) More and more groups of subscriptions are being received for 100% of this and that local co-op staff. Nothing challenges us more to supply all possible functional information—and with utmost accuracy. We may make a mistake now and then, but it will not be because of inadequate effort or investiga tion. As we try to reduce accidents to the barest minimum, will you please help us spot causes of any that occur by calling them to our attention? It will help us help you. People .... I, Lawrence G. Koepke, formerly dis tribution manager for Midland Coopera tive Wholesale, has been appointed direc tor of training to lead an intensive co-op employee education program for Mid land's affiliates. The training schedule calls for a series of circuit schools, re gional and local schools of various types and employee meetings at which films, slides and other training materials will be used. Arnold Waller, formerly Dis trict D field director, will take over Koe- pke's job as distribution manager. Horace R. Hansen, counsel for Group Health and Cooperative Health Federa tion of America, member of the board of directors of National Mutual Coopera tive Housing Association and vice presi dent of the Minnesota Association of Co operatives, has resigned as assistant at torney of Ramsey County, Minn., to go into private practice. He plans to spe cialize in legal problems confronting co operatives, credit unions, and mutual in surance companies. Quentin Reynolds was re-elected presi dent of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives at their annual meeting in Chicago in Januaiy C. H. LaSalle, head of Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association's insur ance service from 1930 to 1946, and or ganizer of the state's first rural credit union, retired to his Wabash County farm in December Another IFB veteran co- operator E. I. Barrows, also retired at the close of '46. Barrows helped work out the law permitting organization of rural electric cooperatives and then planned and saw the campaign for members car ried through to success. Judge John D. Miller, dean of agricul tural cooperation and president emeritus of the National Council of Farmer Co operatives. Washington, died Nov. 26 in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was 89 years old. A few years ago Senator Arthur Just Hearsay Capper said that it was Judge Miller who, more than any one else, drafted the Cap per-Volstead act of 1922 which cleared the way for the progress of agricultural cooperatives by providing a sound legal basis for the handing of farm business. August W. Appel, member of the board of directors of the Co-op Consumers of Milwaukee and president of the co-op credit union there, has been appointed district manager of the Cooperative In surance Companies in the district com posed of Racine, Kenosha, Waukesha, Jefferson and Walworth counties. Pro moted in recognition of his success in co op insurance sales work in Milwaukee, Appel began a new program of sales agency development Jan. 1. He first be came interested in cooperatives while attending the Summer School for Work ers at the University of Wisconsin. W. A. Amos, former president of the United Farmers of Ontario and the Cana dian Council of Agriculture, recently resigned his post as president of the United Farmers Co-operative Co., a posi tion which he held from 1929 to 1935 and from 1945 to 1946. He has also served as president of the Canadian Livestock Co-operative and as a member of the Hydro Radial Commission. Elmer E. Milliman, president of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Em ployees and chairman of the Committee on Cooperatives of the AFL, died Dec. 31. Largely responsible for stimulating AFL interest in co-ops, Milliman under stood the basic philosophy of cooperation and insisted that any cooperative de velopment must have open-membership and be free from labor or any other control. Good Idea for Your State A big special mailing early in January told Wisconsin people that Cooperative Week would be ob served throughout the state begin ning February 17 to focus public at tention on the accomplishments and objectives of cooperatives. The Wisconsin State Co-op Week Committee offered substantial prizes to essay contest winners in each of three divisions, in addition to twenty-one prizes of $10.00 each to be given to writers of as many ''next best" essays. Radio talks and spe cial features will emphasize the im portance of cooperatives in all their phases—producer, consumer, com modities, services. No better time than now for coop- erators and education committees to lay plans for getting Co-op Week proclaimed in all states. Courtesy N Y Herald Tribune Syndicate. "I think he's gone crazy warden. He keeps saying, 'A whole room to myself and a ten-year lease!' " Chicken Talk Conversation overheard in a chicken incubator: "Come on fel lows. Let's go. Last one cut's a rotten egg.—Cooke Clarion. 30 CO-OP Magazine if takes PULL to get spring field work done! CO-OP tractor tires have what it takes! CC CL Order from your regional NATIONAL COOPERATIVES, INC. traction,durabslity,self-cleaning tread ALL THREE are important features of CO-OP Tractor Tire design. The TREAD is now wider than ever before to give excellent trac tion in all soils the deep lugs are correctly spaced and angled to give high draw-bar pull and to clean themselves. This tread design is backed by finest tire construction and materials. The rubber is com pounded to resist aging, sun action and the grinding wear of daily work. The cord body is engineered to stand up under the extreme flexing and strain all farm tires must take. Stress these value fea tures—tell your patrons! Now is the time to push all CO-OP farm tires! .CO-OP front tractor tires Perfect team-mates for the CO-OP Rear Tractor Tire are these CO OP Front Tractor Tires . in the same rugged construction. The high center rib gives positive steering in all soils. The "semi-block" shoulders are designed to resist scuffing. CO-OP implement tires Smooth-rolling ribbed design of the CO-OP Implement Tire de livers maximum efficiency in all implement operation. Ribs hold sideslip to a minimum . reduce the drag on towed implements COOP tractor tires a full line for tractor, implement, truck or passenger car ... make it CO-OP all around o _Q O O _o o §> 5. 3 O >* O U (A g c o u o Ü \ o> c o o c < c o 'a. E o U -o c I g o o "c U GO GO s»: Co-op all the way HAVE YOU EVER FIGURED THAT... >33.00 WIN pay for your food for about three weeks (at $12.00 per week), on WIN run your cor for more than 2.000 miles (at 15 miles to the gallon), OR Will buy about 3 tons of coal, or 350 gal lons of fuel oil? BUT WHAT MAKES THESE SAVINGS POSSIBLE? ». The focf that there u a CO-OP in this eitv. from the Co-op It you c&n twve $33.00 on $825 worth of patronage, why not expand the Co-op's aervlOM M yoa can twve on purchase* made in milk, garage service, drug «applies, clothing, cleaning, bakery, and other lines' This spells Co-op Ownership, so... I. Pat omze the present *.er\ices offered bv the CO-OP ftillj,. fty LQ UP tu feien c full créait fqr-purr hasi -, A fie inve^LAüiir ^arh patronage r€ -k out of each dollar ypuld slip oui of v our hands and be used bv Matron» ^p. Boosl your shore holdings /o of /cos/ $100.00 Do if today! BACK CENTER THE PRINCIPLE OF PATRONAGE REFUNDS Some ot the money you spend for goods belongs to you even after you have spent it. For example .... This item sold for a dollar. What happens »o that dollar? 77e U used to buy »h« itcmi wholesale. lOc pay» for labor for handling and »Hing. le pays for freight and hauling. le pays for »ipplics. heat, light, power. le pays for renf. repair, maintenance le pay» for insurance, taxe», interest on investment lc pays for worn out equipment I depreciation 1. 2c pays for management overhead. 2e pays for advertising Tec of the dollar 'i spent fe oet fhe Ifem In your hands. 4c * U left over. (In some lin« cl merchgndia* thu IB much higher) Thii FOUR cent*, a profit in other business, belongs to you who paid for the dollar item. No one else has a right to it btc«iM> adequate wages, other costs, and interest on invw»t- ment are all paid out of the 96c. CO-OP os a Patronage Refund 'In 1945, thb rigor« wu tc for food; 5c lor ftr-itt BUIMW 7t f«r f FOUR CENTS MAY BE PEANUTS, BUT... Take if oui of all the dollars you spend and it becomes a tidy sum you can have each year by patronizing a Co-op for ALL your needs. Twelve dollar» worth of food, exclusive of milk, per week. Then ^oor yearly food bill is Ten gallons of gasoline per weïh, »nd get normal grease &nd oil changes and other car services. Then your yearly car bill is Six tons of coal, or 800 gallons of fuel oil pr year Then your yearly fuel bill is H you bought ALL the«! needs at Vm Cp-W. YW yearly pcrtrottooc would be S625.00 S125.00 S75.00 S825.00 90c oui of each dollar will supply you with the above goods. 4e oat of each dollar is yours. YOUR PATRONAGE CO-OP This thirty-three dollars is included in the money that you spend for similar goods in any other business Nowhere else do you receive it back, except at the Co-op. Constant and faithful patronage at the Co-op builds D p the «lie of the patronage re fund. Are yon enterprising enough to take advantage of it* III you do not own wij A*n* "I CO-OP «toek. your ptlron&g« refund »-ill IK crwSlKd to you in ib»n* of .toci until you own Uu** Un OeUti Inter.« btartnj HUM Refund* fUä in CM* lh«r*4ner In Uu mtuillm« you become t voting In Uw Coojwntlvt) 'nderhned portions of this 4-pag~e Racine (Wie.) Co-op folder were printed in red. Note order of patres a« larked. Pag~e size of original was 5" by 7"—larg-er margins A good membership promotion folder 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. James L. Proebsting ADVISORY COMMITTEE Editors ..........................Erick Kendall Educational Directors . .. .. ....Orrin Shipe rei'sonnel Directors............Herbert E. Evans Saies & Adv'g Directors.........Charles G Pool Officers and Directors THE COOPERATIVE LEAGUE Murray D Lincoln, president: Howard A Cowden, vice president; E R. Bowen, acting secretary; L. E. Woodcock, treasurer; Mary Arnold. Charles Baker, R. N Benjamin, Terry L. Green, I. H. Hull, Andrew P. Jensen, Win Liimatainen, Orrm Shipe, A J Smaby, Dwight D Townsend, J P. Warbasse, E. A Whitney NATIONAL COOPERATIVES. INC. A. J Hayes, president; J L. Nolan, vice presi dent; Howard A. Cowden, secretary treasurer; T. A Tenhune, asst. secretary-treasurer; H. S. Agster, W. A Amos, Hugh Bailey, Charles Baker C W Bauer, B. N Benjamin, Wm. M. Blaisdeil, E B Chown, Leonard P. Cow- den. J A Geddes, B W Hogg, H H Hogue, I. H Hüll, C S Jones, J B Jones, J E Krlt- ner, Jacob Kupp, Laurie Lehtin, William Liima- taiiicn. Jacob Liukku, J R. Love, M G Mann, Bruce McCully, D G MacDonald, Bobert McKaj, Kobert Neptune, Hal Norton, C C Palmer, Boyd Bairiej, S P Hicketts, W B Robins William Sanderson, Jeny P Shea, J J Siemens, A J Sraaby, Dave Smeaton, W E Stough, L O TJp- ton, Geoige TIrwin, L. E. Woodcock, .T P Yeagcr COOP'VE FINANCE ASS'N OF AMERICA Perry L Green, president; Glenn S. Fox, first vice-president; J E. Keltner, second vlce-presi dent; E. R Bowen, secretary; T A. Tenhune, treasurer; Hariand Allen, Charles Baker, William M Biaisdell Emil Selvig, Arnold Itonn Regional Cooperatives affiliated with Natlonai Cooperatives, The Cooperative League, and the Cooperative Finance Ass'n of America ALBERTA COOPEHATTVE WHOLESALE Box 97, Edmonton, Alberta AMERICAN FARMERS MITT AUTO INS. CO. St Paul, Minnesota ARIZONA COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 200-202 West Adams St , Phoenix, Arizona ARTS COOPERATIVE SERVICE 519 West 121st St., New York 27, New York ASSOCIATED COOPERATIVES 815 Lydia St . Oakland, California BRITISH COLUMBIA COOP'TIVE WHL'SALE One West Cordova St, Vancouver, B. C. CENTRAL COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE Superior, Wisconsin CENTRAL STATES COOPERATIVES 1336 Pullerton Ave Chicago 14, Illinois CONSUMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 318 East 10th St., Kansas City, Missouri CONSUMERS COOPERATIVES ASSOCIATED Box 1150, Amarillo, Texas CCfNA SUPPLY COOPERATIVE Madison, Wisconsin EASTERN COOPERATIVES 44 West 143d St., New York SO, New York FARM BUREAU COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 246 North High St., Columbus 16, Ohio FARM BUREAU MTjTUAL AUTO INS CO 246 North High St, Columbus 16, Ohio PA11M BUREAU SERVICES 221 North Cedar St., Lansing aiichigan FAHMEBS COOPERATIVE EXCHANGE Raleigh, North Carolina FARMERS UNION CENTRAL EXCHANGE P O Box G, St. Paul, Minnesota I'ARMEltS UNION STATE EXCHANGE 39th & Leavenworth St , Omaha, Neb. INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSN 47 S Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis 9, Ind MANITOBA COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 230 Princess St , Winnipeg, Manitoba MIDLAND COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE 739 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis 18, 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 TENNESSEE FARMERS COOP'VE Institute Bldg , Box 473. Columbia, Tennessee PNITED 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, directors, employees, and commiltee members VOLUME 3, NO. 4 APRIL, 1947 CONTENTS Voorhis Is l\e\\ League Head ........__.......... ............ 5 Functions of CO-OP LaLelb ......... 6 Bv James L. Proebstinß Champion Membership Meeting . .............. .... ......... 8 By T. Warren Metzgei Cooperative Tours . ...._...ID By Caroline Me-yer Universal Patronage Benefits . ..... _..._..... ... . 13 Beyond Ordinary Merchandising ...... . . 14 By Merton J. Trast Attacks on Co-ops Intensified —.. 16 By Richard Giles Study—Care—Demand ... ..............._...................... ...._..._..... ....... .22 By Morris R. Mitchell The World Wait»—a mass chant ...... ....... .24 Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily the official policies of the publisher or sponsoring organizations Departments Letters from Readers ............ .. ...... ... ._.....—._ 4 Coming Events .... .............. .. .... ............... ..........._..... ._ 4 Two Wars and Aftpr (Business Activity Graphs) .............. ..... 9 Flicker Flashes.. .. . ........._......_.._..._.. . ...... ...... ...... 9 Co-op Quiz—Know About Co-ops ......... .......... .... ._!] Fact Book Pages ..... ... ..] L-L2, 21-22 Display of the Month ... ..... .................. ...........16 Vjteb About Commodities ... ........... ......_..._..._.____.._... . .......18 Material for Study-Action Groups ..... ......... .. ........23 Co-op News of the Month .. .... ... ..... 28 People ....... 29 PICTURE CREDITS Cover Paul S Harkonen Chicago, David W Corson New York, R Wurts, New York, Davis Studio, Auburn, Indiana, American Institute of Baking" page 4, Alta Photo Studio, Georgetown, B S A ; page 8, Pennsylvania Co op Review; page 1O, HSB Stockholm, R Wurts, New York, Consumers Cooperative Refineries, Regina, Saskat chewan, pai-e 14, Greenbelt (Maryland) Consumer Services, page 16, San Gabriel Valley Cooperative Association, Monterey Park, California, paye SH Leo Rosenthal PIX Inc , New York ; page 19, R Wurts, New York. CO-OP Magazine is published monthly by National Cooperatives, Inc Publication Business Manager, Oilman Calkins; Assistant Business Manager, Robert S Gauron 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 Chicago, Illinois, under tlie act of March 3, 1879 Printed in USA Copyright 1947 by National Coopeiatiies, Inc Title registered as trademaik In U S Patent Office by National Cooperatives, Inc, and used by permission Subscription Bates: One year, $200; thiee years, $5 Single copy piice, 25 cents Mailed anywhere without extra charge Unsolicited manuscripts submitted at author's risk; should be accompanied bv return postage Regional Circulation Manageis- Jean Long, CCW, Jean Johnston, Indiana, Larry Coilins, California; Jolin B Gordon, Texas; Albert E kstling Pacific Supply; Jean Groiei, Central States; Waltei W White, Midland, VT B Robins, Utah; Haloid Smith, Fastern, J B Jones, Tennessee 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 dass for correction of listing Letters From Our Readers Same to You Dear Sirs The Cooperative Press in the Netherlands of fers you its very best wishes for the year to come. May the true spirit of cooperation be tween our countries give utmost results J. F. van Netten Stichting- "De Cooperatieve Pers" Rotterdam, the Netherlands Dear Sirs. The Cooperatieve Groothandelsverenhjinsf De Handelskamer "Haka" G A., the wholesale su- ciety of the consumers' cooperative societies in the Netherlands, has pleasure to extend to you all g-ood wishes with regard to the New Year, 1947. Cooperation all over the world may develop in this coming year and contribute in a more and more considerable way to freedom, peace and prosperity of mankind. Your share in this work of our Cooperative Movement may be as important as ever and may give you all reasons for gratitude and hap piness at the end of the year J. J. A. Charbo Secretary, Cooperatieve Groothandelsvereniging De Handelskamer "Haka" G A. Rotterdam, the Netherlands Good Neighbor Needs Our Help Dear Sirs We haie to acknowledge receipt of your bill with respect to our order for 30 subscrip tions to CO-OP Magazine We have applied for Exchange Permits for the remittance of $fi 10 monthly, toward this account, but have been denied same on the grounds of currency control. We may, however, be able to com mence these payments in February, we under stand. We enclose a picture of our CO-OP Grocery, and trust that you will find it useful for your Magazine After one year of hard or ganizational work the British Guiana Coop erative and Credit Union League of 230 Camp and South Road, Georgetown, was able to purchase a grocery business for $3000. but laces the difficulty of securing necessary sup plies and is appealing to co-ops in the U S. and Canada for loan purchases Such loans may be sent direct to Gurarie and Jones of Toronto, Canada, or Cooperative Fédérée of Montreal, Canada, who are aware of our re quirements Kindly send us the three books offered in your November issue, MANUAL FOR COOP ERATIVE DIRECTORS, MANAGERS MAN UAL, and CONSUMER COOPERATIVE LEAD ERSHIP We would be glad also if you will send us and charge to our account 3 large size P«*als suitable for transport trucks S. F. Cells-more General Secretary British Guiana Cooperative and Oedit Union League Georgetown 10, Demerara, British South America For Education! Dear Sirs- Our Mr. Hanna was very much tickled to see his display in your February issue, as I am sure were all the committee people—most of whom take CO-OP The check, which came in my name, was promptly made over to the person responsible for the display, who as promptly turned back half of it to the edu cation fund ' Thanks ae-ain lor the episode "Vlorion S. "Vorton President Germantown Cooperative Association Philadelphia Fact Book Popular Dear Sirs If I am entitled to a Fact Book as a three- vear subscriber to rO-OP, I shall be very hap py to receive one Also, it and when the pages are ready, I should like to have you send me a set, and bill me, please I can use it daily, and yet I prefer not to mutilate my file of magazines, for I use them also. E. H. Runcorn Fipldman Associated Cooperatives Whittier, Calif Dear Su s Four letler relative to the Co-op Fart Boolï covers has come to my attention and I think that the program you have outlined is an ex cellent one I have kept a fact book personally, clipping from the magazine each issue I find that none ol the rest of the peisonnel of CCA have done this so that puts us in the position nf needing B. G. cooperative store in British South America five complete books with all the back leaves and the cover Please enter our order lor this number and deliver them as soon as they are available Let me commend you on the excellent infoi maticn you have placed at the disposal of cooperators through the Fact Book It is cer tainly a real service to all of us 1 find that I use mine with a great deal of frequency Donald W. May Educational Director Consumers Cooperatives Associated Amanllo, Texas Many are finding that maintaining their Fact Books with new pages provided each mnnth in the magazine does not mutilate the magazines, or damage their reference value. —Ed Coming Events I April 11-13—Ohio Credit Union League an nual meeting:, Toledo. April 12—Pennsylvania Credit Union -League annual meeting1. Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pa. April 17-18—Annual meeting1. Consumers Cooperatives Associated, Herring- Hotel, Am- arillo, Texas. April 19—Indiana Credit Union League an nual meeting, Claypuol Hotel, Indianapolis April 21—Annual meeting. Cooperative Pub lishing Association. Workers' Hall, Fifth Street, diid Tower Avenue, Superior. Wisconsin. April 25-26—Ontario Oedit Union League annual meeting, Prmre Edward Hotel, Wind sor, Ontario May 8-10—Decentralist Conference, Okla homa Oty, clinic on ro-op help for small communities to be conducted by Carl Hutchin- son of the Ohio Farm Bureau May 9—Annual meeting of policyholders, Cuna Mutual Insurance Society. Hotel Wiscon sin. Milwaukee May 10—Annual meeting of Cuna Supply Cooperative, Hotel Wisconsin, Milwaukee Maj 10-11—Annual meeting of national di rectors. Credit Union National Association, Hotel Wisconsin, Milwaukee. May 17—Michigan Credit Union "League an nual meeting, Statler Hotel, Detroit May 17-25—First postwar home show, Chi cago Metropolitan Home Builders Association Chicago Coliseum. May 19-20—Meeting, Board of Directors, National Cooperatives Chicaero June 3—Chicago Cooperative Symphony Con cert. Orchestra Hall, sponsored by Chicago Con sumer Cooperatives June 18-21—Summer Staff Conference for cooperative educators, publicists, personnel and sales and advertising people at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin June 22-July 5—Eleventh annual National Cooperative Recreation School, Mission House College Plymouth, Wisconsin. July 3 8—Eighth International Management Congress Stockholm, Sweden Delegation will sail from New York on the SS Drottningholm June 20 July 12 19—Annual Associated Cooperatives summer leadership training institute at Camp Sierra near Fresno California July 2-Aug: 13—Six weeks tour, Great Bril am and the Scandinavian countries, sponsored by Tour Bureau of National Cooperatives, also two-week tours of cooperatives in eastern U S and a repeat of the 1946 tour to Saskatchewan July 19-Aug 2—Two weeks tour of co-ops and historic sights in Boston New York, Balti more Philadelphia. Washington and vicinities Auspices Eastern Cooperatives and National Cooperatives Tour Bureau Auç 1-16—Two weeks tour of co-ops in Saskatchewan, Manitoba. Minnesota, North Dakota and Northern Wisconsin Auspices Tour Bureau, National Cooperatives and regional« visited. Aug 25-29—19th Annual Session, American Institute of Cooperation, Fort Collms, Colorado CO-OP Magazine Voorhis Is New League Head New leader of U. S. consumer cooperatives has long record as educator, public servant, economist, author, foe of monopoly and friend of the common man AS SPRING brings new life again to the world, it brings to the consumer (purchasing) cooperative movement in America a new leader —Jerry Voorhis. Murray D. Lincoln, president of the Cooperative League, announced, just as CO-OP Magazine went to press, that Mr. Voorhis, former member of Congress from California, was elected executive secretary of the League at a meeting of its board of directors, at Chicago, March 8. Voorhis agreed to accept the ap pointment and assumes his new du ties the first of this month. He suc ceeds E. R. Bowen, who served as secretary of the League for 13 years, from 1934 to 1947, and who insisted on his own retirement from execu tive responsibility at the age of 65. Voorhis completed ten years in Congress January 1. On two occa sions he was voted by newspaper men the most sincere congressman and one of the most useful. Voorhis has always been an out standing advocate of the cooperative movement and was active in the or ganization of cooperatives in Cali fornia before he was elected to Con gress. He served on the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep resentatives, and in that capacity he rendered great service in defending the interests of farm cooperatives. Voorhis is a graduate from Yale and he has traveled extensively through Europe. He worked in sev eral cotton mills and in automobile factories before he went to Califor nia, where he and his father estab lished the Voorhis school for boys. He served for ten years as its head master. It was a home for homeless boys as well as a training school. The school was given to the State of Cal ifornia by the family and is now a unit of the California Polytechnic Institute. The Cooperative League is the na tion-wide federation of consumer (purchasing) cooperatives with which 2Vz million families are affil iated. It includes commodity co-ops handling foodstuffs, petroleum prod ucts and farm supplies, and service cooperatives including insurance, housing and medical associations. The election of Voorhis was well re ceived by both city and farmer co operatives because of the former congressman's popularity with both. Mr. Voorhis is the author of three books: "The Morale of Democracy," "Out of Debt—Out of Danger," and "Beyond Victory." He is now com pleting two new books, one of which will be a history and analysis of the chemical cartel headed by I. G. Far- ben: the other one will be based on his ten years in Congress. Murray D. Lincoln, president of the Cooperative League, said in an- t " s, ; Jerry Voorhis nouncing the election of Voorhis that: "Mr. Voorhis brings to the American Con s u m e r Cooperative Movement a capable and dynamic leadership for the vast relationship work before the movement. His long recognition of the value of the co operative philosophy plus his facility for leadership give assurance that the League will be in competent and progressive hands." Said retiring Secretary Bowen: "It is a tribute to the consumer coopera tive movement that it has grown in stature to the point where it can at tract the high calibre of man repre sented in the person of Jerry Voor his. The movement is entering a pe riod of growth and achievement far above anything in the record." "Through cooperatives American people are right now solving their housing problems, their health prob lems, their credit problems, their in surance problems," said Voorhis as he took the torch from Bowen "American farmers are solving their marketing problems, bringing elec tricity to their homes, buying their supplies at fair prices. Co-ops are doing a better job of protecting the family-sized farm than all the gov ernmental programs put together. "Cooperation is the answer to mo nopoly. It is stronger than monopoly. It can break monopoly's strangle hold on our industries and give little business a chance. "Membership in a cooperative de velops in people the very qualities of character that make for a strong, hopeful nation—and the very qual ities on which alone world peace can be built. "The job of the Cooperative League, as I see it, is to build bridges between all the types of co-ops in America until we have a unified co operative movement; to interpret the co-op message, the co-op method of solving problems, to the people of America; to encourage better co-ops where they do exist and more co-ops where they don't; to discourage peo ple from forming co-ops when they're not ready and help them in forming them when they are. "The job of the Cooperative League is to convince cooperators that they have in their hands the answer to Communists and Fascists, the proof that democracy and free dom can work. The job of the League is to convince other people that co operation is not what its enemies have said it was, but is simply the application of one fundamental Christian principle to the everyday problems of life. "The job of the Cooperative League is to prove to the people that they need not depend on either gov ernment or private monopoly to take care of them. They can take care of themselves if they will only unite to do so. The League's job is not to run cooperative business, but to be the pioneer educational agency to culti vate the ground for the future growth of that business. I hope to help to do these jobs." April, 1947 MODERN merchandising, with its increasing emphasis on self- service displays, stresses the need for carefully-thought-out and well-de signed labels which will perform the job formerly handled by sales at tendants or clerks in the local retail outlet. In the old scheme of things, effec tive selling, seasonal suggestions, and even instructions on the use of mer chandise, were left to store clerks While experienced and well-in formed personnel is still of extreme value, the fact remains that the label plays an increasingly important part in bringing pertinent information to the ultimate user in order to con vince him of the worth, usefulness and desirability of the product in volved. This trend in labeling raises prob lems that are not confined to food store operations alone. They are rapidly developing as important fac tors in automotive, farm supply, hardware, and appliance outlets as well Functions of a Label Modern merchandising m e t h ods demand that a label must perform, not one, but many functions. It must, therefore, meet a number of specific requirements: 1) It must provide product identity 2) It must give brand identity 3) It must be neat and attrac tive in appearance 4) It should reflect or suggest the nature of the contents 5) It should furnish pertinent Let's Discuss the Functions of CO-OP LABELS Patron convenience and utility are as important as brand identity and beauty. How CO-OP Labels are service-tested. By JAMES L. PROEBSTING Advertising Manager, National Cooperatives information as to comparative quality, and instructions as to use 6) Packaging (an aspect of la beling) should be in convenient size and amount to meet the needs and desires of ultimate users 7) Packaging must adequately protect the contents 8) Label and package should have good display value. The above list is not in order of importance, as the importance of the factors varies with differing prod ucts. For example, breakfast cereals raise problems of product identity not encountered in the case of au tomobile tires. To attain product identity for CO-OP Wheat Flakes it becomes necessary to show the words "wheat flakes" in large, easily visible type. Otherwise the package will be too easily confused with other foods in packages of similar size and general appearance. Tires, on the other hand, carry no concealing wrappers, and obtaining brand iden tity through prominent display of the trademark is desirable and in no way conflicts with establishing prod uct identity. Product Identity By product identity, we mean the extent to which the patron can tell at a glance the contents of a given package. In most cases this demands that identifying the product (wheat flakes, for example) must be given more' prominence than identifying the brand (CO-OP). In order to analyze this conclusion objectively we can classify our patrons by two groups: (A) In the first group are those patrons who know the story of co operative enterprise and who have confidence in cooperative methods of business. These are your established patrons, and they will recognize and select a CO-OP package in prefer ence to any other brand you might stock. Whether or not the "CO-OP" Labeling Policy on CO-OP Products Adopted December 20, 1944, by the Board of Directors National Cooperatives. Inc. 1. National Cooperatives will at all times present 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 Integrate our labeling policy by em phasizing those names and methods which are applicable to all CO-OP groups (forest green and cream for ar chitectural trim, the name CO-OP so that publicity can be effectively pro duced on the national level, eliminating all restrictive terminology possible). 3. We shall zealously protect the in tegrity and the good name of CO-OP brand and assume the responsibility for increasing its acceptance in the com munities we serve. 4 In 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 purpose for which it was intended. 5. In all cases where patrons demand goods that are to our knowledge un economical in use, "shoddy," wasteful, harmful or for any reason represent a poor value, such products shall be denied the CO-OP label. We reserve the right to procure such goods but also reserve the right to deny them the CO OP label. 6 Where it is desirable and in the consumer's interest to handle several qualities of the same product the high est quality will be identified with the CO-OP Red Label; the second quality range with the CO-OP Blue Label; and the third quality range with the CO-OP Green Label. 7. In each case National Cooperatives, together with the commodity committee, will be responsible for the quality of a given product and shall specify and supply the technical material to appear on the label. 8. The Sales and Advertising Commit tee, as the group which is responsible for promotion and distribution, shall determine the merchandising content, appearance, display value, identity, etc., of the material on the label. 9. To win acceptance for the CO-OP label on a national basis all regionals shall agree to abide by the standards and specifications as set by National and its commodity committees. CO-OP Magazine is included in large letters is, for such patrons, not important—except that occasionally their interest causes them to question the advis ability of reducing the prominence of the trademark which they pride the most. Such objections usually disap pear when it is pointed out that case histories show pretty conclusively that improving product identity brings increased acceptance. The most satisfactory way of as suring product identity without sac rificing brand identity is to style la bels and packages so that they carr> a strong family resemblance within groups, and thus become easily rec ognizable by genera] appearance. When this is pointed out to coopera- tors loyal to the CO-OP brand, few object to reducing the size of the "CO-OP." Examples from profit business where an effective job has been done in this regard are the wrapper designs of Libby and Del Monte canned foods. There are many others, but these two examples are sufficient to illustrate the point that similarity or family resemblance brings instant recognition on the part of the shopper, and permits greater product identity and neater appearance since the brand name does not have to be so large. Must Help New Friends (B) The second group of patrons includes those who are but little ac quainted with CO-OP brand mer chandise. To these patrons and pros pective patrons it is generally of lit tle value to over-identify your goods as CO-OP, since the brand name as yet means little to them. With this group—which, incidentally, includes the millions of non-member patrons we are anxious to interest in our co operative methods of doing business —inadequate product identity means discouragement in their purchasing since finding what they want on the shelves is made too difficult. As a matter of fact, the more loyal the Co-op manager the more con fused the non-member patron is apt to be in seeking specific products on his or her shopping list. Historically, cooperatives have in certain lines used red, blue, and green labels to indicate first, second and third qual ity, respectively. This color differen tiation originated in the Central Co operative Wholesale area, and has been adopted by other regionals, particularly in food and hardware lines. Seemingly, it is most useful in the canned foods and hardware lines where two or three standards of quality are generally made available April, 1947 These CO-OP packages illustrate some of the eight essential labeling fundamentals. to patrons. Whatever its value, how ever, it complicates the problem of getting adequate product identity. Seeking a product one wants on shelves of solid red, blue and green, with large "CO-OPs" furnishing the predominating reading matter, sets the stage for a game of hide-and- seek which many non-member pa trons are not interested in playing. Brand Identity We cooperators feel that institu tionally we are in position to make a much stronger appeal to our patrons than is business conducted for profit. Certainly, then, the CO-OP brand name should always be clearly shown on our products. But where the contents of a package cannot be readily seen or distinguished because of its closure, the primary need for product identity requires that the brand name should be kept seconda ry. Through intelligent planning of labels to provide family resemblance among CO-OP items, however, there is no reason to sacrifice ease of brand identification. Attractive Appearance There are many case histories to show that attractive packaging, with and without additional promotion by other means, has increased sales two, three, five, and eight times. In view of the great amount of evidence available, we cannot safely assume that when folks become convinced that the cooperative method brings them better and more useful prod ucts at a fairer price than does profit enterprise, they thereby lose their desire for esthetic satisfaction. If our patrons preferred neat and attractive packaging before they became co- operators, they no doubt prefer the (Cnnlinued nn pagp 27> ;r ^ % I •*"*"• •"-'. *iiV « ' » ™ ÉP tf ff t ft i fa Some of the 2000 persons who attended the last annual meeting of the Somerset Farm Bureau Cooperative in Pennsylvania Champion Membership Meeting Several outstanding practices, worthy of careful consideration by any cooperative, are exemplified in this achievement record EACH year sees the "roof garden" co-op—the Somerset Farm Bu reau Cooperative—set new attend ance records at its annual meeting. This year it went over the 2,000 mark, temporarily upping the nor mal 5,000 population of Somerset, Pa., by 40 per cent. Most co-ops that really take seri ously their job of keeping associa tion control in the hands of members have to worry about how to get peo ple out to annual meetings—but not Somerset. The "roof garden" co-op, high in the hills just off the famous Pennsylvania Turnpike, has but one remaining problem—finding a hall large enough for the meeting. It has outgrown the largest hall in town, tne high school auditorium. How does Somerset do it? Deli cious food. A bang-up program. Adequate publicity. And big doses of pride and enthusiasm on the part of directors and employees who keep talking up the meeting. One of the keys to Somerset's suc cess is holding a memorable meeting members keep talking about. This year's meeting is the first step in getting next year's crowd out. This "roof garden" cooperative has found that its people like to have their daily chores out of the way be fore they set out for this little lark. The management long since aban doned daytime meetings. The stores of this town, the trades- By T. WARREN METZGER Editor, Pennsylvania Co-op Review men in every line, the citizens of every street, seemed to call it a day, and "folded their tents like the Arabs," when the 5 o'clock closing hour came. There was somewhat the same tense feeling that the populace feels when waiting for the circus pa rade! There was a note of expectan cy in the air. Somerset's six churches, three restaurants, the hotel, and the high school cafeteria —where the cooperative was to be host to its patrons—set the mark of a memorable occasion! 2,000 Patrons Sat Down Thus, promptly at 6:30 o'clock, 2,000 cooperative patrons sat down to the same dinner in every available spot in Somerset At 8 p. m. sharp, the patrons gath ered in the modern auditorium of the high school where they joined in group singing, heard well-organized reports on the year's business, and heard inspiring talks from leaders of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Co operative, as well as the manager of the Farmers' Cooperative Exchange at Raleigh, N. C. Women were not forgotten. A representative of the Ladies' Guild gave a talk. The election was democratic. Bal lots containing the names of two nominees for each vacancy were mailed in advance to stockholders who planned to attend. These ballots also contained space to write in the names of directors nominated from the floor of the meeting. Members Like Meeting All of these factors, with careful planning months in advance, result in a meeting members like. As a re sult, they look forward to next year's meeting and tell their neighbors about it. The patrons are given all possible information long ahead, and are therefore able to arrange their farm work to spend the evening in town. All along the line, Somerset's di rectors are active and take a gener ous share of responsibility for seeing that the meeting is a success. Actual letters go to patrons notifying them of the date, and are sent out by the secretary of the board of directors five weeks ahead of the meeting. A plea from Manager Myrl Ream for a record attendance goes with each letter. Three weeks before the meeting a second letter goes to all patrons. Enclosed with the letter is a return card on which the patron designates how many supper reservations he wants. Each patron is eligible for two free tickets. Additional tickets for other members of the family cost $1. A week before the meeting, pa trons ordering supper tickets receive them by first-class mail, together CO-OP Magazine with a financial statement and ballot for election of directors. An important factor in Somerset Farm Bureau Cooperative's success in getting members out to its meet ings may also lie in its history. Loyalty Pulled Co-op Through It has not been all a bed of roses. The "roof garden" co-op has faced keen competition from the start, but it has succeeded through a "pull to gether" sense of loyalty on the part of the patrons. Its investment, or net worth, accumulated since 1937, now stands at $263,000, and its patrons' purchases totaled $1,130,000. Its main business includes purchases of farm supplies and petroleum. Savings on this business plus in come from potato marketing, seed cleaning, truck operations, rentals, and elderberry handling, totaled $20,585, to which were added divi dends accruing from the Pennsylva nia Farm Bureau Cooperative and egg marketing operations of more than $22,000, bringing the total net savings to more than $43,000. The latest new project at Somerset is blending maple syrup. If to the $1,130,000 of patrons' pur chases are added the volume of eggs marketed—$397,527—and the volume of potatoes marketed—$66,822—the total business of the Somerset Coop erative stacks up to $1,594,443. Digging even deeper, we find those crowds at annual meetings may be due in some part to patrons' sense of ownership The ownership spirit un doubtedly springs from the attitude exemplified in the co-ops' financial statement There we find such items as assets replaced by the phrase "What You Own," and companion terms of "You Have Cash on Hand and in Banks" and "You Have In ventories." "What You Owe" and "What You Have Invested" replace old-line business terms of "Liabili ties" and "Net Worth." The operat ing statement becomes a "Savings Statement," "Sales" becomes ''Pa trons' Purchases," and "Incomes" becomes "Receipts." Is 2,000 a record attendance for a local cooperative? Somerset feels sure it is. Any claimers for the title will be welcomed, but make your claims big, because next year Som erset expects to go on to higher fig ures. Two Wars and After 2.IU 260 2£0 240 130 220 £10 200 190 160 170 160 ISO iao 130 120 no .DO 90 BO 70 60 sn - II 1945-48 x* If ul f- 1 1 ill hi 1! FAR PRIC Bei1*«! I'-lf H- jfVmr HKK •» ^ Pri ii i ifr w^mj 1918-21 J™ L rnt tt^ttji .M u m :ES -i ^io-o WE DEC .JUNE DEC- JUNE Pi r I I ÏÏ 1 ^ ^ "ÏÏ [F ÜÜ1 ^ i i 4--IOO C JUNE DEC STOCK n Pft,',«!! »-s e- tsio 194548 1918-21 JLJ IE. DEC. MINI DEC JUNE pEC Jl 1*1« I«IB i»+r É«*« Another extension has been made of the solid line in each chart—for ihe January-to-February period. Note that farm prices took a new upturn, wholesale prices continued upward, and stocks came to a standstill after three months rise Some have voiced the opinion that the June downturn of the stock market is still in process in spite of the recent slight rise. Note that the downward movement in the 1918-21 (dotted) line was followed shortly by steep drops in farm and wholesale prices Will it happen again—in six months—in a year? Watch inven tories, receivables, debts. April, 1947 Ê FL/CfŒft = FLASHES Our three new co-op films, THE POWER OF NEIGHBORS, A VA CATION WITH A PURPOSE and THE INSIDE STORY OF MODERN MILKING, have all received enthu siastic plaudits from those who have seen them, and as soon as more prints become available, we antici pate a much wider circulation for all three; we have not yet been able to meet all requests either for rental or purchase. Both THE POWER OF NEIGHBORS and THE INSIDE STORY are being rented through National for $5.00; A VACATION WITH A PURPOSE is renting at $4.50. Purchase price for the first two listed is $250 and the price of A VACATION WITH A PURPOSE has been reduced from $300 to $260. Power and the Land Available National has purchased a print of POWER AND THE LAND, the De partment of Agriculture's stirring documentary on the work of the REA cooperatives in electrifying the nation's farms. This film is now available through National's film de partment for a rental of $4.50. It is a 16mm sound film, runs 39 minutes. Brotherhood of Man One of the most eloquent and rea sonable pleas for racial tolerance and one of the best technical animated cartoons we have seen, this film should receive wide co-op distribu tion. ECL, CCA, Midland, and Indi ana have bought prints, and National has one on order. Write for preview or rental prints. The cartoon runs 10 minutes, is in 16mm sound and color, and is based on the Public Af fairs pamphlet, "Races of Mankind " Rental—$2.50; Purchase—$80.00. New Film Catalogue A new and enlarged co-op film catalogue is now at the printer's and should be ready for distribution shortly. This new edition lists our three new co-op films, gives sugges tions for effective use of films, de scriptive material on all co-op mov ies, including rental and purchase rates, running time, etc., and also lists and briefly describes good films to use with co-op movies, such as THE CITY, BROTHERHOOD OF MAN, DISTRIBUTING AMERICA'S GOODS, etc. Write your regional or National Cooperatives for a copy. 9 This summer brings more COOPERATIVE TOURS By CAROLINE MEYER Tour Bureau, National Cooperatives Cooperators and others interested in combining va cation with edu cation can choose among three co op tours this summer. Nation al Cooperatives' Tour Bureau is expanding its activities for the sum mer of 1947. Now in the works are plans for a six-weeks' tour of co-ops in England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland; a two-weeks' trip through North-cen tral U. S., Manitoba, and Saskatch ewan; and a two-weeks' tour of East ern U. S. Both tours will concentrate on co-ops in these areas, but ample time will be given for general sight seeing, relaxation, and recreation. The European tour will be the first since pre-war days. Sailing date is scheduled for July 2 from New York and return on August 9 from South- "I... ampton. Tourists will have an oppor tunity to see old-world landmarks they have always heard about and also to visit the famous co-ops of Britain and Scandinavia, and to meet co-op leaders. National's Tour Bureau is working closely with the British Cooperative Travel Service and Reso, Scandina vian travel agency, both of which have already submitted tentative itineraries for the party. According to present plans, six days will be spent in England and Scotland, four days in Denmark, four days in Fin land, eight days in Sweden, and two days in Norway. Total cost for the trip, including travel, hotels, meals, service of Eng lish speaking guides, etc., will be ap proximately $1.000.00. The Canadian tour will be very similar to that which the Cooperative League conducted last year. It will start either from Minneapolis or Su perior, go up through Manitoba, r. *• IL-.——— , ,"' " « ,. I * :* On the tours of Eastern U. S. and Canada, cooperators will visit the Eastern Cooperatives headquarters in New York (above) and the Saskatchewan cooperative refinery (below) in Regina. 10 W T r* A Swedish co-op apartment building. across through Riding Mountain Na tional Park to Saskatchewan and back into the states through North Dakota. This trip is at present tentatively scheduled for August 2-16. Travel will be done, as last year, by private car with those taking passengers re ceiving $50 per passenger accommo dated. Those without cars will, of course, pay $50 for transportation The total cost for this two-weeks trip will be approximately $150.00. The tour of Eastern U. S. will con centrate largely on the three cities of New York, Boston, and Washing ton. It will give cooperators from points west an opportunity to see and do all the traditional things that tourists do in these famous cities full of interesting and historic sites. The tour will include such well-known cooperative developments as the old Finnish co-ops in Massachusetts, the headquarters of the Eastern Coop erative Wholesale, Amalgamated Co operative Houses, largest U. S. co-op apartment project, and Greenbelt, Md., famous co-op community. Dates for this tour have been ten tatively scheduled as July 19-August 2, and the cost, as for the Canadian tour, will be approximately $150.00. Travel for the Eastern tour will be done entirely by bus and present plans call for the tour to start and finish in New York so that those with cars can leave their cars and pick them up again at the end of the trip. If you want an inexpensive, inter esting, and enjoyable vacation, plan to take a co-op tour this summer. Write National Cooperatives' Tour Bureau at 167 West 12th Street, New York 11, for further information. CO-OP Magazine Another Quiz to Help You KNOW ABOUT CO-OPS These questions (with answers also in this issue) will put a combination of fun and instruction in your meetings, discussion groups, and parties HERE is the third set in a series of quiz questions on co operatives, prepared by Robert Gauron, CO-OP Maga zine staff. They will provide interesting and valuable mate rial for discussion groups, co-op programs and member train ing sessions. Answers are on page 21. III. Co-ops Abroad 1. Of the world's population of 2 billion, how many people belong to some kind of cooperative: 1 million; 56 million; 143 million; 1 billion? 2. If you were on a world tour, in how many countries would you find cooperatives: 13; 36; 61; 102? 3. How many cooperatives of all types exist in the world: 250,000; 810,000; 1,150,000? 4. Before World War II, the annual business of all con sumer cooperatives in the world amounted to: $1 billion; $12 billion; $33 billion; $56 billion? 5. How many people of Europe were supplied by coopera tives prior to World War II: less than 1%; more than 25%; about 50%? 6. What is the most highly cooperatized country in the world? 7. In twelve countries of Europe over 50% of the popula tion were served by cooperatives previous to the coming of Hitler. Name six. 8. In what six European countries did the cooperative re tail societies handle more than 10% of the retail trade before the war? 9. Match the following names of famous foreign coopera tives with the descriptions below: Centrosoyus; Kooperativa Forbundet or KF; Pellervo; Verband Schweizerischer Kon summvereine or VSK. (1) An association organized in Helsinki, Finland, in 1899 to promote cooperatives. Represents hundreds of local cooperatives and several national coopera tive organizations. Has been a leader of the coop erative movement in Finland. (2) The leading cooperative wholesale in Switzerland with headquarters at Basle. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1940. (3) The Cooperative Union and Wholesale Society of Sweden. Organized in 1899. Has 5,000 stores. Broke monopolies in oleo, light bulbs, flour milling and galoshes. (4) Central Union of Cooperative Societies, USSR. 10. What makes the "Belgian Plan" of cooperation distinc tive? 11. In what country have cooperatives been formed to "re duce extravagant expenditures on weddings, funerals and other ceremonies," and to settle disputes in quarrels? 12. These may sound like thoroughfares to you, but be careful as you define them: Toad Lane; Rewi Alley; The Middle Way. 13. Before the coming of the Nazi Party, cooperatives in Germany: (a) were practically non-existent; (b) did 5% of the total retail trade with 12.5% of the population as members; (Continued on next page) HERE IS THE STORY To Tell Your Neighbon- O O O o o o April, 1947 11 o o o o o o V DIRCTORS uho pass cm policy , and employ A CEMERAL und€r \uhovn ^£W/> JI DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND OTHER .EMPLOYEES whose job it is to run STORES, and SERVICES for the benefit of AXEMBERS (over) 4-1-47 PUBLICITY-5 CREDIT UNIONS F W kaiffeisen established the first credit unions in Germany about 1848. He saw in user-owned savings and credit societies a way to relieve the distress—eco nomic and sociaî—of the Napoleonic Wars The first credit union in America was organized at Lewis, Quebec, in 1900 by Alphonse Desjardins, a jour nalist The idea was introduced into the United State» by Desjardins in 1909 Some advantages of credit union membership: 1 Helps cultivate the habit of making regular savings 2 Source of loans for all worthy needs 3 Safe place for regular savings plus fair return 4 Enables members to help fellow coeperators in meeting emergencies Through credit unions, members use their own money to help themselves Credit unions encourage thrift by accepting deposits of as low as 25 cents and enable members to obtain loans at interest rates far below those of commercial loan companies They help members to budget their finances soundly Credit unions are chartered under various depart ments of state governments or the Federal Deposit In surance Corporation They are supervised by public auditors and the laws are specific as to their organiza tion and operation The governing body of each credit union is a board of directors elected from and by the entire membership Credit Union Fundamentals: 1 Democratic control, one member, one vote 2. Loans for provident or productive purposes to members only. 3 Interest charged is 1 per cent per month or less on unpaid balance. (over) 4-1-47 FINANCE-7 •*• I WHEN YOU TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS- 3 a. Ik I f see preceding page) that you have joined a Co-op, some will say "Fine." Some will wonder what it is all about. Some will have heard about cooperation — maybe think it's a good thing. They may have a vague idea that it i^ folks get ting together for mutual benefit But if someone should ask you point blank. 'What is a consumer cooperative, anyway?", could you give them a brief and satisfactory answer? Well, it could be said this way. Pome 1—A consumer cooperative is a business organization operated by and for consumers. Point 2—It is a business democratically controlled by its owners—each one having only one vote regard less of the amount of capital he supplies. Point 3—It is a business which limits its interest on capital to a rate not to exceed the current interest on bank loans Point A—ft is a business which distributes its net earnings, in excess of interest on capital, in the form of a refund on purchases or for a purpose of common bene fit to its members The show is run by a lot of people. Objectives and matters of policy are controlled by members at mem bership meetings, and administration of the organiza tion is in the hands of a board of directors These direc tors are chosen by and from the members. In the United States alone there are more than 2,500,000 families who now supply themselves with goods and services through cooperatives like yours You are one of 70,000,000 persons who make up tht membership of consumer cooperatives around " world. (Adapted from Consumers Cooperative Services, *J*MV V™-1A o o o the /""\ the ^J PUBLICITY-6 New York) CREDIT UNIONS (continued from preceding page) 4 Earnings returned to members. 5 Encouragement of thrift. 6 Member^ can withdraw shares at any time 7 All transactions are confidential Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Kaiffeisen House, Madison, Wisconsin Edward A I-iIene, wealthy Boston merchant, financed as a dis interested public service the Credit Union National Ex tension Bureau [t obtained enabling; legislation and organized credit unions Tt was replaced by the Credit Union National Association in 1934 This org-anization is owned, operated, and controlled by state leagues, which in turn are owned, operated, and controlled by local credit unions. Services of CUNA : Publicizes services and bene fits of credit unions, prepares and distributes publicity and educational materials ; provides legal and legisla tive protecton and assistance, provides borrowers pro tection insurance and life savings insurance through the CUNA Mutual Insurance Society, provides bonding, hold-up and burglary insurance; distributes and manu factures accounting forms and supplies through CUNA Supply Cooperative. Managing Director: Thomas Doig Publication. Bridge, official monthly magazine, "the idea exchange of the credit union movement." CUNA Supply Cooperative is a member of the Co operative League of the USA. The Credit Union Na tional Association is a fraternal member of the League. Credit Union Movement in the U. S.: 11,000 credit unions; 4,000,000 members ; $200,000,000 loaned during 1946; $400,000,000 total assets. FINANCE-8 o o o o o o (c) did 30% of the entire retail business with 45.5% of the people in their membership. 14. Cooperatives under the Nazis in Germany and the Fascists in Italy: (a) were encouraged and expanded; (b) became the predominant type of economic enter prise; (c) were either destroyed or rigidly controlled; (d) were little affected. 15. What is unusual about the national organization of co operatives in Finland? 16. In what way do Swedish cooperatives depart from the eight Rochdale Rules? 17. What is the contribution of the Danes to the cooperative movement? 18. In what country is a cooperative the largest distributive business, largest shoe manufacturer, and largest flour and textile miller in the land? Name the cooperative. 19. "The Cooperative Party" exists in what country? 20. In how many of the 11 republics of South America are there cooperatives? (Answers on page 2.1) Does your co-op hold regular board meetings that are real business sessions at which the operations of the association are really looked into? There are far too many co-ops who hold infrequent board meetings with the directors drifting in at any old time, and when they do gather, they discuss nothing but the most trivial items and fail entirely to really examine the co-op. Do you have committees following up each phase of the work? Do you check up on these committees at board meet ings? Do you go over the bulletins from your regional at these meetings? Do you have a well planned agenda and conscien tiously attend to the co-op's business? Ttot . . . 3,000,000 adults living in the United States have never attended any kind of school. . . . 10,000,000 adult Americans have had so little schooling that they are virtually illiterates—they cannot read and write well enough to meet the demands of modern life. . . . half of the brightest and most talented youth of the na tion leave school prematurely—before they have had the kind and amount of schooling which would be justified by both their ability and the demands of our way of life. . . . 2,000,000 children, aged six to fifteen, were not in any- kind of school in 1940—and this number was substantially in creased during the war. . . . the schooling provided millions of American children who are in school is so inferior and brief that it leaves them unprepared to meet the demands made upon them as citizens and as individuals. (From UNFINISHED BUSINESS IN AMERICAN EDU CATION, published by The American Council on Edu cation, 744 Jackson Place, Washington 6, D. C.) Tuio additional double-faced pages for your CO-OP Fact Book on pages 21-22. 12 CO-OP Magazine British Co-ops Study PEan for UNIVERSAL PATRONAGE BENEFITS Special commission cites advantages of opportunity for members to trade in any co-op and share in savings same as local members [ANY a cooperator has wondered about the possibilities for recip rocal trading and patronage benefits in any other co-op than his own that he might visit in his travels. Here is a report from a recent issue of the Scottish Cocperator on a plan about to be given a try in the British Isles. Its methods merit study by Ameri can cooperatives. The Scottish story follows: A national membership scheme, the psychological and practical re sults of which, it is considered, will be of great importance to the move ment, has been worked out by the special commission on national membership, which was called to gether by the National Executive in 1945. The commission's report has now been issued. Limitation on Trade a Problem The commission was the first spe cial commission to be appointed un der the recommendation of the Co operative Reorganization Inquiry Committee approved by the Notting ham Congress in 1945. Scottish members of the commis sion were Mr. W. A. McPhail (S.C. W.S.) and Mr. T. D. Storrar (general manager, Coatbridge Society). The commission had to examine the problem presented by the fact that, apart from local and special arrangements, members of retail so cieties could not trade with any so ciety other than their own and re ceive ordinary dividend rights. Defining "national membership," the commission makes clear that lo cal societies will not become mem bers of a national cooperative soci ety. National membership, states the report, means giving the right to co operative members to obtain the economic benefits of cooperative purchases from other societies in ad dition to their own; an inter-trading scheme, in fact, on a national scale. The member will still be funda mentally a member of one society. What It Means Principal points to bear in mind when considering national member ship, according to the report, are: The national identification of indi vidual members, which will serve as a constant reminder that the mem ber is not cnly a member of a local society, but also a unit in a national movement; The automatic credit for dividend upon purchases made in any soci ety, which will encourage coopera tive trading wherever the member may be; The automatic transfer of capital when a member moves from one d's- trict to another, which will make easier continuity cf membership, trade, and investment. Finally, national membership is defined as follows: "That the term 'national membership' be intended to relate to a method whereby cer tain rights of membership in other retail cooperative societies will be available to any member of a retail cooperative society on a national plan, regardless of domicile, without vitiating the responsibility of mem bership of the retail society in which the member is registered." They recommend that the 23 socie ties with the greatest membership should be given one letter of the al phabet each, and the next 676 be given a two-letter identification. This exhausts the two-letter combi nations available from the alphabet, so that the smaller societies will have a three-letter identification. The identification letters should be noted with the member's share num ber on the share passbook. In spite of the difficulties the com mission has decided to recommend the automatic credit of dividend, without any claim being made by the member, for the purpose of national membership. It would be helpful, says the re port, if every shop had a reference book in which societies' names were printed alphabetically and their identification letters given. The dividend, which must be whclly paid by the society selling the goods or services, should be sent to the member's society as soon as possible, and should pe paid at the rate of dividend for the last account ing period. "Worth While" "In spite of the difficulties likely to be experienced in putting such a scheme into practice," the commis sion concludes, "the results, in our opinion, would be eminently worth while. "The first effects of the operation of such a scheme would be, in the main, psychological rather than practical, in the sense that the 'na tional' implications of cooperative membership would be impressed on the individual member. Later, how ever, -we consider that the practical results of such a scheme may be of great importance to the movement." BEWARE! OST cooperatives have had highly successful opera tions during the past six years— so have most other businesses," says Murray D. Lincoln, President of The Cooperative League of the USA. "The real test lies ahead. "Losses from uncollectable ac counts receivable and losses from obsolete and over-priced inven tories will spell the doom for many businesses in the next few years. (A regional cooperative recently reported a loss of $63.000 on its in ventory of citrus fruit juices be cause of price declines. Possibilities for repeated occurrence of this are great.—Ed.) "The time to answer the ques tion is NOW, or better yet, have answered it yesterday and the days before. "WARNING: Collect your re ceivables, get on a cash basis, get rid of obsolete and 'ersatz' inven tories, keep good merchandise in ventories to a workable minimum and watch your future commit ments." April, 1947 13 «'"H •'' i î A. -t l V** One of a series of monthly special window displays presented by Greenbelt Consumer Services as part of consumer education program. A YEAR of experimentation with a Consumer Aid Program has been of so much value to cooperation at Greenbelt, Maryland, that record ing the story seems appropriate. New programs are often started because the right personnel happens to come along to fill a need already felt. This scene was re-enacted in the fall of 1945 when Rachel Garner, a cooperator -with experience and training in foods, came to the atten tion of Greenbelt Consumer Serv ices, the cooperative operating 13 stores and services at Greenbelt. She was first employed to -work in the two food stores to give the kind of aid to the consumer that goes beyond ordinary merchandising practices. Just •what those extra services •were to be was at first vague. The guiding principle of the program was, how ever, clear since the cooperative be longs to consumers. The program was somehow to help consumers be wiser purchasers and •wiser users. During the first few weeks on the job Rachel did numerous tasks in the stores. She bagged groceries, produce, and cookies, stocked shelves, replaced price tags (dis turbed by the numerous and playful children—one of Greenbelt's strong points), etc., etc. The purpose of this approach was to give Rachel an op portunity to observe customer hab its, and to become intimately ac- 14 Greenbeit Consumer Services go Beyond Ordinary Merchandising A patron-aid program, tied in with services, should work wonders for any co-op quainted with the merchandise car ried in the stores. Gradually Rachel extended her program. She held -weekly demon strations in the stores. These ranged from free drinks of CO-OP Orange Juice to cleaning of fabrics with CO-OP Synthetic Suds. She began spending regular hours in the stores, "being available" to talk with shop- By MERTON J. TRAST Public Relations Director Greenbelt Consumer Services, Inc. Greenbelt, Md. pers about consumer problems, and to answer complaints about products. Soon she set aside one day per week to check food prices and quality in nearby food chain stores. This has been of great value because of rapid price fluctuations. One cooking school •was held as a part of the program, but the response did not seem to justify continuing the plan. As a substitute, neighbor hood meetings -were held to demon strate best methods of utilizing cer tain good buys in the stores. Thus Carolyn Miller had the -woodwork CO-OP Magazine in her living room cleaned one aft ernoon in the presence of a group of neighborhood house-wives. Rachel cleaned the woodwork -with CO-OP Dairy and Household Cleanser while the guests drank tea and "marveled." The neighborhood meetings have enjoyed good response. Size of the meetings has varied from 6 to 20. They are informally conducted. When foods of any kind are prepared as part of the demonstration, every one participates by eating the food and giving taste reactions. As the neighborhood meetings be came successful, it was clear that the Consumer Aid program should no longer confine itself to the Co-op Food Stores. "Why not better qual ity children's clothing in the Variety Store?" "Could the Beauty Shop stay open more nights?" "Do you think the proposed increase in thea tre prices will be adopted?" It be came clear that the Consumer Aid program -was a necessary education al service, and so it became a part of the education department. Three- fourths of the cost of the program now comes from educational funds, and one-fourth is charged to the Food Stores. The next job to be added to the Consumer Aid program was the vis iting of new residents. Rachel now visits each family as soon as possible after they move into town. The visit is one of welcome, but an attempt is made to acquaint the new family •with the town organizations, the meaning of co-op membership, and to advise on any buying problem facing the housewife. Of course, the CO-OP label is mentioned -with a bit of extra emphasis. Rachel finds lots of -ways to be helpful to the store managers. When complaints came in recently on the quality of eggs sold, she tested sam ples. Finding the complaints justi fied, she visited the suppliers and persuaded them that some corrective action was necessary. Periodic tests are now being made. Help -was given the Variety Store manager recently -when new smocks were to be purchased for employees. Rachel selected samples, advised on quality, placed the order for the smocks, and aided in fittings. Rachel has had very useful help from a committee of house-wives -who have met regularly to advise -with her. They have arranged neighbor hood meetings, worked on displays, met and advised -with managers, and in other -ways been most useful. The newest phase of the program is to organize a large advisory com mittee of housewives. The goal is at least one member from each "court.'' Each member -will be ap pointed by the board of directors. Responsibilities -will be to welcome new residents in their courts (neigh borhood blocks), arrange consumer aid meetings, spot leadership, and advise the co-op from time to time through questionnaires, meetings •with the board or managers, and by frequent use of the telephone -when there is "something on my mind." This story -would be incomplete •without relating the following inci dent. Recently two families, kiddies and all, paid an unannounced visit to Rachel's home. They -were new res idents •whom she had visited. They introduced themselves with the re mark: "We •wondered if any one ever thinks of returning those welcoming visits you make?" On The Cover National Cooperatives Artist Doug Edmondson has prepared for our cover this month a montage of pic tures that uniquely symbolizes the Easter season and also shows how cooperative action now serves in creasingly at every stage of the pro duction and distribution of our daily bread. Pictured with the ripened grain is the •wife of Paul Harkonen, adver tising department, National Coop eratives. Typifying the successive stages from the grain field to the dinner table are: Co-op elevator. Alberta, Canada; National's flour mill, Auburn, Ind.; CCS bakery, New York; Co-op food store, New York. the new COOP pressure saucepan SAVES TIME cooks in 1 /3 the time SAVES FLAVOR food tastes better SAVES FOOD VALUE preserves vitamins four quart size Easy to use as an open saucepan . . . PLUS all the advantages of PRESSURE COOKING! Thick aluminum sides—ma chined flat bottom distribute heat evenly on any stove. Gravity operated pressure release, with 5-10-15 Ib. indicator weight . ran be used in both canning and cooking. Cool, conven ient long handle. It's a family size, for daily meal cooking. Order from your regional. ad mat available through ynur Regional April, 1947 15 Attacks on Co-ops Intensified Enemies of cooperatives are publicity opportunities—but only if we follow the lies and innuendos with the truth if [1OW does the press treat co- *-*- ops here?" asked a British cooperator visiting New York the other day. "Quite fairly, on the whole," he was told. "In England they never have a decent word for us," he said. It was the mouth of news com mentator Fulton Lewis, Jr., that ap proached the Mutual mike a few days later, but the voice was the voice of the National Tax Equality Associa tion, crying woe to co-ops. From North Carolina, North Dakota, Kan sas. Maryland and Minnesota came news of legislative attacks; if the bills recently introduced in North Dakota are passed, say Farmers By RICHARD GILES Cooperative News Service Union men in Bismarck, co-op life insurance will be doomed. The state of siege normal to the cooperative movement in Britain seemed suddenly to have spread. The charges made by Fulton Lew is, Jr., were so patently cribbed from the book of the National Tax Equal ity Association, anti-co-op-adjective trust, that nobody was surprised to hear of an NTEA letter that went out announcing the Lewis broadcasts be fore they happened. "So-called co operatives," as Lewis called them, are guilty of tax evasion, sharp busi ness practices, socialism, profiteer ing, price rigging, putting honest men out of business, and growing. Display of the Month M. and A O Grote, in charge of advertising at the San Gabriel Valley Cooperative Asso ciation in Monterey Park, California, have introduced a novel idea into their displays—that of tying in a meal planning scheme with CO-OP products and recipes. In conjunction with seasonal menu displays in the window, two displays inside the store feature the various recipes and products to be used in preparing the menu. Handbills distributed in the neighborhood and printed sheets of Free recipes (with a new one each week to show how to carry out the menu) are helping to interest shoppers on a long-term basis in the prod ucts and suggestions displayed in the "menu window." The display itself loses some of its effectiveness in this photograph because of lack of color, but several points may be noted. While of real instructional help to the housewife, it also serves as a center of interest to attract the casual passer-by. The simplicity of arrangement and obvious relation of products gives unity to the display, while circular signs emphasize specific products without cluttering the window. More specifically, Lewis said (and we quote): "It's a question of a new and high ly threatening form of super-big- business, which already has reached the point at which it is doing a 12 billion dollar a year business ... by the exploitation of special privileges. . I'm referring to the so-called 'cooperatives' . . a sort of sacrosanct monopoly, in many cases more om inous than the worst of so-called pri vate big business in the past. . . . •'Smart operators and promoters have edged into the picture . . . they have reached the level of a 12 b-llion dollar a year business . . . for your information it was one of these co operatives which, a few weeks ago, was exposed as being responsible for the exorbitant price that butter was bringing . "If that surplus for a year is not actually distributed to the purchas ers in full rebate, it is—regardless of what you want to call it—still profits, nevertheless. . . Manifestly no pri vate enterprise can endure in such competition. ... If there really are no profits, why should they be ex empt from taxation?" Other targets were the Farmsrs Union Grain Terminal Association, Murray Lincoln, National Coopera tives and Southern States Coopera tives. A later broadcast exonerated the Cal'fornia Fruit Growers Ex change cf all these charges (without explaining how it grew so big unaid ed by "tax exemption"). National Cooperatives' answer was a petition to the Federal Trade Com mission, arking that Lewis be sum moned to substantiate the ''half truths," and "distortions," which tended to damage honorable coop erative competitors. Similar petitions were submitted by the Potomac Co operative Federation (in which the local sponsor was also named as an "unknowing" accomplice in unfair competition), Midland Cooperative Wholesale, Central Cooperative Wholesale, Central States Coopera tives and Eastern States Coopera tives. Mutual received complaints from several sources and requests that 16 CO-OP Magazine equal time be given for a reply to Lewis. The network responded to the request by offering time on the program < f news commentator Ar thur Gaethe, and Dr. Raymond Mill er of the American Institute of Co operation and W. G. Wysor of South ern States Cooperatives were invited to present their case. This answered to some extent the grievance of spe cifically farmer co-ops, although Gaethe's program is a morning broadcast and not equal in prestige to that of Lewis. The point of view of consumer cooperatives had not, at the time of writing, been afforded any expression. The Lewis affair had some of the qualities of a Punch and Judy show, but meanwhile a life-and-death struggle got under way in North Da kota. A series of bills have been in troduced in the North Dakota legis lature designed, in the words of the North Dakota Union Farmer, to "hamstring, cripple and destroy the North Dakota Farmers Union, its co operatives and cooperative insurance services." As hearings developed at Bis marck, it became pla:n that there is a real drive on to kill co-ops; Sen ator Carroll Day, who is staging an investigation of the National Farm ers Union Life Association, has threatened the insurance co-op with "a million dollars worth of bad pub- 1'city.'' Day is private counsel for several private insurance companies. What Your Co-op Can Do— © One or more persons should "spe cialize" in the subject—assemble and read thoroughly all the literature pro and con (see page 23), be ready to advise others. © All who will and are prepared should welcome chances to speak to other groups or lead discussion. © Put the truth in your own co-op bulletin—especially to answer charges or questions heard in your community. © State the case in ads in your local paper as often as you can afford. Re member, too, that friends of coop eratives can finance ads as indi viduals. 6 Never let a false statement go un challenged; challenge by presenting facts and sources, not by simply denying or calling names 9 Get friendly civic leaders to state their views on co-ops—how they are democratic, American, just economic enterprise, etc. Officials of the state insurance de partment admitted under examina tion that the bills recently introduced were meant to give them the power to stop the Farmers Union insurance company from operating in North Dakota, and that the old law was unsatisfactory because it did not make this possible without showing cause. When word got around among North Carolina cooperators that a bill to hit co-ops was scheduled for hearing February 18 at the State House in Raleigh, three thousand farmer-cooperators flocked to the capital. Letters and wires of protest were sent to legislators by many groups, including, for example, all church groups in Chapel Hill. No news has emerged from the hearing —which may be good or bad. The Kansas Independent Business Men's Association has flooded the state with letters calling on business men to write to their legislators and demand that CCA be defined as a profit business. Hearings in the Maryland legislature on a new co-op tax bill have quieted down, although the local Tax Equality Association took a big ad in the Baltimore Sun during the Fulton Lewis broadcasts. (Also see "Co-ops anil Taxes," page 23) More Milk... Higher Quality ...with less time, work and equipment Milking increases milk yield ... you get all the milk each milking; you keep milk production high throughout lactation. Here are two exclusive CO-OP Universal features that make machine milking faster . . . simpler: CALF-NOSE INFLATIONS-patent- ed off-center openings do away with "crawling," eliminate need for strip ping with but rare exceptions. Large size accommodates flow of easy milkers as well as hard milkers. CALF-NOSE CLAW—scientifically designed, it places heavier milking action where it is needed—on the heavier-milking r ear quarters. Thus, all four quarters finish milking at approximately the same time. PLUS Protected Low Vacuum CO-OP universal Mak ers milk fast and efficiently on only 10 to 11 inches of vacuum . . . controlled and protected by a weight-type relief valve and a mer cury-column vacuum gauge. Remember, too, there is a CO-OP Universal Milker to best fit your individual needs. Only your cooperatively-owned CO-OP Universal Division makes a complete line of milking machines: Standard Calf-Nose Milkers... Short- Tube Milkers . . . Floor and Track- type Portable Milkers. at your CO-OP (This ad, with space for price display, is available for inser tion in your commu nity newspapers—or der from your Re gional.) April, 1947 17 Notes About Commodities A regular CO-OP Magazine department supplying important data about availability, specifications, distribution and uses of CO-OP commodities Bicycle Tires and Tubes— Good prospect for 1947 Sounds like whistling in the dark, doesn't it, to talk about bicycle tires and tubes as a good prospect for 1947 —especially after our difficulties and feeble showing in 1946? But there are good reasons for being enthusi astic about 1947 possibilities. For 1947 we can get all the bicycle tires and tubes we can sell! Stock is now ready for shipment on all orders received. Furthermore, there is plen ty of additional production to back up that stock, so shortages of supply will no longer hinder our program. For 1947 we are ready to start our season NOW—at the beginning of the cycling season. This is a big advance over 1946, when we were able to hit only the tail end of the summer sales period. We v/ill have the entire spring, summer, and fall season to promote bicycle tires and tubes, v/ith adequate stocks on hand. The new 1947 CO-OP Tubes are made of Butyl rubber and not the GRS used in 1946. Butyl is the new synthetic, proven better in passenger and truck tubes—for retaining air. requiring less frequent inflating. This will undoubtedly help consumer acceptance everywhere. HT™ CO-OP Tube Repair Kit—Shop size and RetaU size. NOW, to take advantage of this decidedly changed situation, every one concerned will have to move fast to meet the needs of patrons in 1947 with CO-OP Bicycle Tires and Tubes. The 26 x 2.125 size, which covers about 60% of bicycle casing requirements, is available in a Co-op mold, and the corresponding size tube is also under the Co-op label Other popular sizes are available in a well-known manufacturer's brand. Check your stock position imme diately and make the mos1 of those good prospects in 1947. Order from your Regional. CO-OP is the name ... in Tube Repair Kits Too! Out in front—on your shelves—in your displays—and across the coun ter to your patrons—CO-OP Tube Eepair Kits arc an important item. Yes, you're right, they don't add up to much in annual dollar volume. They don't form a significant per centage of your total distribution of automotive supplies. Potentially, CO-OP automotive accessories and supplies can a