CO-OPERATIVE TOWN

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1939, Page 5

CO-OPERATIVE TOWN

NOVELTY' IN AMERICA. \ town to accommodate nearly IfffiO families has heen built, under the New Deal, to bo rim on a cd-opc-rative lasi;:, ni Grermbelt. Maryland, EyTA, Work was stalled in Detober ITG. w absorb thousands of iinriiipb'yed in I’mltimcre and the dislrict of ColiimIna it was completed in Septc-mher. HG7. al a. vusi of 1 l.imb.faiii dollars. 'I he Clovcrnment rents the homes and apartrnents tn families whose income is Imlwo e n IPOO and 2000 dollars;. ami who ’nave not more than j.mi- children. A period of till years is allowed for repayment.

'flic record of the first year of m-tm-panoy shows Hio Temarkab.Ho progress of an idea. Tlio residents liav: ((mirol of stores. Imsinoss. ihoaums—

cxi.i-ythittg .is co-operatively owned, in t.’iio first exporimr-nt of the kind in American history.

Tim first, sores were opened 11 buildings built. by the Administration ami operated by the Consumer Disirihution Corporation, which advanced ihe necessary funds from a bequest of I .not).(iiiti dollars by the. late Mr Edward Filene. Boston merchant tm-n philanthropist, who founded Ihe organisation. Dor its services during ihe first year, the corporation Hmk no profit. The town’s enterprises are imw being turned over to rhe citizens. Ownership of the stores will be acquired through the. sale of stock ! r. one co-operative unit, which will manage all Greenbelt's enterprises. L'aeh share of stock will cost ten dollars, ami. although one family may buy tts many shares as it likes, each family will he limited to one vote. Tito stockholders will receive a maximum of I per cent mt Htoir inve.llmeni: .ill rhe remaining profits will then, he divided among' Ute ctmyitmeis. .-irictly in proportion to th-'ir ! iO'cltasc?. Beftil’i- full owm'iship id the stores can be obtained, half I'.m tamilie.- mm.i inw.-'t in th<- eo-<>r>erti-ijyi to make it I’t'foct.ive. lit'dov th ■ lease granted to t he- town. Housowires moot regularly to sttidv tii.c marketing of meat am! vegel aides. < o-oit'.•rm ivc health assoeini ton h;t;, set lip. ('iiiltlrmi buy candy ami i-chci.! Sitpjili< - ; in i imir own ro-opora-[ive in Hi,. S(-imo|, in which the shares cost Jo cents each. Titov, rno, disiribiiio profits among ;hem-M vo u in proportion to their ptirchnse-s. Ha<h family i- provid'd with a aOii garden plot for its exclusive us.;-. Sc.fr.ty for chihlreu is assured by un ib-; passes, holo.’ the main ‘-•tree:. Tliei e is sew or am? mid v a mil di.-> mod-rn phirnlyin'.-' am! (-•leetti’ii ,■ 11..• la. 11 tig civctrie <■ ooiie t ■: in .Try home. Titov- arc tvv... well litl.ll: i-iodi'i il -a ib'.’. 'l' The siiem i> iim wiinoiti ii-'. Ciiiaes. ;) i;:. 'a c - i;? . i i j >r. aI mg f’> ■ H.'i tlii. • j;if- . oil.c'li-.i iliui a i iii-'s i'id-i■■pend&n. ,j,:, iitltsif i'.nvf"’irictr-d comiti.ai affords lower prie-’r. ihan ;i .:. operai i vgroup imuld sei. Othe 1 ' wonder if it was worth -o mttch of Hie cot:nt.ry's money even to build Greenbelt and three similar prn-jt-ci.s. Tn iltis the citizens retort that ( "iwo Greonbelis could im built for the cost of one battleship."