Published once a reek In Palmer, Alaska for the Matanuska
Valley Farmers' Cooperating Association for the purpose of
prlvlnr news of the Associations work, problems and
accomplishments.
COOPFRQTIVE mEmBERS (DUST STICK TOGETHER
Despite the tremendous growth of the Co-ops in the United States during the last
fifty years, it appears that they may find the sledding much tougher in the next
few years.
Some countries where Co-ops were well established a few years ago are now exper
iencing difficulties. Germany and other European countries had excellent Co-ops
ipany years ago, but two devastating wars and the Nazi and Facist movements almost
killed what had been accomplished. Since the end of iVorld War II, people in those
countries have largely become "reliefers", that is, they have lost their initiative
and are willing to let someone else furnish them with their requirements in food,
clothing and other things of this nature. One can not blame these people entirely
for this attitude, it has been difficult to accomplish anything for themselves.
It will probably be a long time before a stable cooperative movement can be re
established.
Russia allows cooperatives, but they are so closely regulated by politicians and
bureaucrats that no one can call them true Co-ops. England, the country where the
cooperative movement started and where it made its greatest gains is now going
through a period of socialistic development, that may force the cooperatives to
become a part of the program. Only the United States and Canada have the kind of
cooperatives that we are familiar with, and in both countries a well financed
movement is being organized to harass the Co-ops, by various means, especially in
the field of taxes-. Some of the recent suggestions made by the enemies of the
Co-ops, is to place special taxes on them in order to make it difficult for them
to function.
It seems unlikely that much will be done along this line because farmers and union
labor will fight anything like this, and when these two bodies combine to work for
some specific thing it usually means victory.
Farmers are interested in Co-ops because they can sell their products to a greater
advantage through them than elsewhere, and both the farmers and the laboring men
can buy the things they need at an advantage by using the consumer co-op. However,
neither the farmers or the labor unions are united within themselves and this is
the reason that they frequently take a licking from the politicians who represent
the so called big money interests.
Some farmers who are very conscious of the importance of farm organizations and
cooperatives, are not at all happy about unions of labor. Some feel that the labor
unions get too much for too little work, and on the other hand some labor union
ists feel that the farmer gets ^oo much for the things that he has to sell. It is
indeed unfortunate that this condition exists but as long as it does neither the
labor unions or the farmers can feel secure. The two groups could control the
country politically, and while it appears that their interests are almost identi
cal, it still remains true that neither will be able to get the things that they
feel they are entitled to until they are able to get together and work for a com
mon purpose. It seems like that purpose should be to secure a higher standard of
living, more education, more leisure time, and finally security from want.
Both the farmers and the labor unions want to own their own homes, have enough to
eat, some leisure and usually a better education, and become financially secure
for their old age. Farmers want a home and enough land and capital to enable them
to retire when they get old. Union labor wants a home to live in and a pension
large enough to insure them a good living when they become too old to work.
C. R. R.
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