Palmer,Alaska
Editor....Dorothy L. Bell ,
Advert!sing.....Harriet Z. Bell
Published once a week at Palmer, -Alaska, for the I'atanuska Valley Farm
ers’ Sooperating Association for the purpose iSf giving nev/s of the
Associations work, problems and accomplishments.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE yl.75 yl.00 for six months_10/ a _copy
... LET'S LOOK AT THE RECORD
Co-dps are different but here are some don'ts to.help the public under
stand them.
C AP*?AR -V0L3TEAD ACT
Judge Hulbert, one of America's best informed on cooperative law, has
exploded the NTEA claim that farmer cooperatives are scot-free of anti
trust laws. Hulbert states that the exclusive purpose of the Cappcr
Volstead Act is to make it clear that the joining of farmers together
to market their products is not, in itself, a violation of anti-trust
lav.’S, Farmers can orga nize the same as’ any other group can organize.
However, a farmers.' marketing group, if guilty of restraint of trade,
is just as subject to the act as any other form of business.
LET’S THINK STRAIGHT
It's high time to do some straight thinking about cooperatives. Too
many apologist seek to justify the existence of cooperatives by explain
ing that they are no different than any other kind of business.
But cooperatives are different. They are under attack because they are
different.
LET' 3 LOOK AT -THE RECORD
If cooperatives are no different, why does the Capper-Volstoad Act rec
ognize cooperatives as an essential part of American agriculture?
If cooperatives are no different, why does the so-called National Tax
Equality association oppose then so bitterly?
If cooperatives are no different, why do certain Congressional Committees
indulge in unscrupulous attacks against them?
If cooperatives are no different, why is punitive legislation introduced
in Congress to cripple and destroy their usefulness to patrons?
If cooperatives are no different, why do farm leaders in Congress cour
ageously -defend them?
If cooperatives are no different, why do millions of farmers keep build
ing them bigger and stronger?
Let's stop apologizing for our cooperatives. Let's be proud that they
are different.
Let's take a more offensive attitude in behalf of our organizations.
PUBLIC RELATIONS DON'TS
1. Avoid calling cooperatives ''a way of life." They are "tools-" with
which the farmers gain .efficiency in marketing and" purchasing of supplier
and services.
2. Veit lambasting the "profit motive." Cooperatives are nonprofit be
cause the farmer gets the profit.
3. Avoid, desparaging remarks which cast reflection on other types of
business enterprise. Cooperatives regularly use, need and must work
with all typos of business.
4. Don't criticize other cooperatives—remember the "family of cooper
atives" rises or falls together in the public mind.
Reprinted from the Cooperative ^igest andCo-op Chick News,Bellingham