rclncr, Alaska Dorothy ", Dell, Editor
Mblishod once a rook at Talnor, /J.aska, for tho T'atnnuska 'Talley '’art:rs' Cooperating
Association for the purpose of giving nevs o:’ the .tssocintions' • ork problems end
accomlishncnts.
XllClirTIor :r.T*i *1.75 per year. >1*00 for six r.onths 10? a copy
" WHY NOT TRY CO-OPERATION?
3She ink on last reek's Editorial ras hardly dry rhen another damaging article appeared
in an Anchorage paper to tho effect that tho Co-op had outlived its usefulness and was
going to fold up. To say that Co-op mombers rerc surprised is putting it mildly. They
rero aghast at tho audacity of some unknom porson in so boldly making such an unbound
ed statement. But as .the saying goes: -"Givo a man rope onough'And he rill hang him
self," holds true again. Tho public rill srallor small untruths, but rhen thoy got
too big, they bogin to got skoptical—and this last statement ras roally gotting out
of bounds.
Last rock ro bcliovcd that it ras time that the Association made a for things clear
to tho public. Having pointed out several portinont points in regard to the set-up
of tho Association and its rolation to tho govdmmont as roll as pointing out semo
important paragraphs in tho Marketing'Contract, ro bolievo that this also covers this
second on-slaught, Suffico it to say, tho Association is still doing business, is
still making money for its membors and oxpects to bo doing tho same thing a year from
nor.
Having established it30lf in tho Alaskan markots, the Association also bcliovcs that
it is in a position to give tho best'service to its members—.if the members trill co
operato to the best of their ability. In any ontorpriso—wo got out of it just that
wo arc willing to put into it.
Actually no don’t believe that to need any outside'help to solve our problems. No '
outsider fully understands them in the first placo. As far as an impartial decision,
to arc more likely to got the most partial, ’TThon an argument is settled poacably,
both sides arc going to hate to eonccdo some. No ono donics that thoro has boon causo
for complaint on all sides, but these cannot bo ironed out by pulling out and setting
up other organizations. This only adds competition and in tho long'run rill result
in lorrcr pricos to tho producers. T7o have all ready found that out.
As long as the members can soo rrhero tho mistakes have boon in the past, thoro is hopo
of a solution, providing of ccurso that all arc billing to do the things’that rrill
correct past mistakos. This is tho biggest stumbling block that to have.
It must also be remomberod that it is impossible to have Board members that everyone
likos. Vfo all have likes and dislikes. That docs not mean'that one person is any
better than the other. All too often to jump at conclusions about the other fellows*
motives-—and oven his honesty. AA long as a Board membor is wholo-hcartcdly working
for tho benefit of the Association, why not coopcrato with him whether he is your per
sonal friend or not. It will do you no harm and will probably do you a lot of good;
You might bo surprised to find out that he is just as honest and sincere as you arc.
It is a strango thing in this world, but all too ofton wo dislike a person bocausc
wo do not know him.
The Board members arc donating their time to your businoss. True thoy get paid for
any expense involved in acting in this capacity, but othor than that they arc spodding
timo trying to solve your problems when they might be out fishing or doing somothing
else that carries loss grief. The Secretary of the Board is the only one who is paid
for his work and at"the prosent time, he is giving full time to'the Association for
a moro $100 a month. If there aro things you do not understand, come to tho quarterly
meetings and find out about them. That is why they are being held. It is surprising
how many misunderstandings como to light whon the members begin asking questions. Tho
Board is glad to answer your questions and explain why and how cortain things were
dona. Members arc not always in a position to soo why many things arc done tho way
thoy arc dono, but they can find out.
Finally, rcgardloss of whothcr you still dislike your neighbor who sits
lot*3 put the shouldor to the whcol and rork for a better cooporativo.
be so busy that no won’t have tirao to worry about whom wo like and uhomi
liko.
"Cooperation'is a cablo, and each day to woavo a thread of it, until at
not break it.”
on the Board,
T7c will all
wo do not
last wo can