PALMER, ALASKA
Dorothy M, Bell,
Editor
Published every Thursday at Palmer, Alaska, for the Matanuska Valley Ehrmers*
Cooperating Association for the purpose of giving news.of the Associations Work,
Problems and Accomplishment*,
SUBSCRIPTION- BY. MAIL$1.75BOX $1,00SINGLE. COPY 10? ,
DO WE APPRECIATE DEMOCRACY?
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'"The- inertia of rank-and-file members of local units of cooperatives is mainly re
sponsible for too little democracy at the bottom and too much control at the top.
True, each member has an equal vote. But if, as is so frequently the case, only a
small percentage of the members take an active interest, attend meetings, and use
their votes constructively—what then? Of course, this is the’same fundamental pro
blem that plagues other organizations and democracy as a whole. Economic success ait?
{Her"body'Of cMporativd'progress, but democratic success is its soul. Of what avail
to magnify the body and atrophy the soul! Both-must go forward together. That is the
fateful fact which Cooperatives and Cooperators must facd squarbly when quiok and
big material advance is so alluring," John Daniels in "American Cooperatives"
We in America pride ourselves on living in a domocratice nation and yet—how often wo
fail to use that privilege and take an active part in local community affairs let
alone national. You say—"My one little voto won’t make any difference." Multiply
yourself by thousands who say the seme thing-does your vote count?
When it comes to practicing democracy, our first fault lies with not being interested.
We don't take time to find out or wo toko the other fellows opinions rather than to
bother our own hoads with a little thinking. This is our first fault. Then because
we fail to inform ourselves and do our own thinking, we don’t voto. Wc are not sure
that wo agree with the other fellow so wo just lot it slide. If you had boon better
informed and had thought the question at hand over, you might have been so interested
that nothing could have kept you away. But who is it that often does the hollering
after the election? It is all too often the non-voter. Thor6 are always plenty of
kickers to find fault—but .very few to help with the building.
Democracy begins in the community. Your local organizations offer the best place to
practice democracy and express your views as a citizen that you have. In the higher
forms of government—the comity, the state or torritory or the nation,' you have re
presentatives to speak for you. How does that representative know what you want?
Local organizations play a very activo part in formulating community policies and in
oxpressing the noods of d community. Thoy wield a much stronger influence than people
realize! Well organized, activo, interested commodities cen wield a tremendous in
fluence, But who knows what an inactive, dividod or disinterested community noods of
wants? Tho attitudo of communities reflects in the life of the nation, political as
well as economic. The interests and neods of the communities in our nation are wido
and varied, and unless groups with common interests work together, they might get
left out. For that reason organizations have grown reproscntating the varied inter
ests of the nation. For that reason formers aro now organized.
Have you evor considered what farming conditions were beforo tho Cooperative? Your
grandfather can probably toll you. Ho could tell you how farmers took what they could
get and how thoy wero at tho morcy of the unscrupulous buyers. They had no bargain
ing powor. There was no agency to which thoy could turn for holp. 'It was to solve
those problems that farmers finally banded together in Cooperatives. And‘this has
gained for them a bottor price for what thoy havo to soil which is turn has roflcctod
in a higher standard of living on farms throughout America, Every farmer whethor ho
belongs to a Cooperative or not has benefited ffpom Cooperatives. The averago farm
homo is more convenient and comfortable, farm boys and girls have gained bottor edu
cational advantages, and tho life of the farmor is far easier than in former''years.
Begardless of the past success of the Cooperatives, it must constantly be on the job
lest it fall prey to those wh6 would destroy it.' We must not forget to educate and '
work for a bettor cooperative. Lester F. Ziegler, Editor of the Creamery Cooperative,
Log Angeles, California says: ” The Cooperatives throughout America have a big job to
do in coming months. I think that every member should know all about his own business.
I think that every member should boost his own business. No Cooperative con figjit best
for all the'things it stands for unloss every single member of that -cooperative hitches
up his belt, spits on his hands and wades in with all his might. If you*re a Co
operator, for gosh sokes be one—100 per cent!"