me manager. He insists upon
scrupulous bookkeeping methods, careful buying, close supervision of his
work by the board of fifteen directors, strict regard for the needs and
desires of the membership, and exceptional precautions against waste and
leakage. The president, a man having a private business of his, own, has
an idealism almost religious in quality. These two men cooperate closely
on matters of policy and provide much of the leadership which has
brought success.

The membership is now 380. The capital stock has increased from $1,250
to $27,594. The business in 1921 amounted to $105,598, forty per cent of
which was done by the bakery. Since 1915 the rebates to members on
patronage have totaled $8,207, fluctuating from nothing at all in some
years to eight per cent and ten per cent in other years. During this
period the lump sum saved to purchasers, including rebates, the earnings
on stock shares, and reserve fund, amounted to $12,642. This sum would
have gone into the pockets of private storekeepers except for the
cooperative store.

The Utica Society has succeeded because it has met the prime
requirements for effective cooperation. The greater part of the
membership was loyal during critical times when the easy way would have
been to withdraw and trade at chain stores. The management worked
unceasingly to put the business on an economical basis. Finally they won
out because they put Service over Profit and carried out that rule in
the most practical and businesslike way they could find.

* * * * *

Our Cooperative Cafeteria.

If you should drop in for lunch at any one of the three branches of our
Cooperative Cafeteria in New York City the first thing that would strike
you would be the friendly spirit of those back of the serving tables.
Before you paid your check you would observe further that the food had a
variety and flavor not found in the ordinary restaurant. If you were
discerning you would detect that a complex machinery was at work which
had nearly escaped you because of its smooth operation.

That genial spirit which infects the whole place and those subtle things
which appeal to your eye and palate explain the success of the
cafeteria. But there are some underlying causes for these things that we
must get hold of and to do that we must go back to the year 1919. In
October of that year a private cafeteria was started by two women with a
record of successful cafeteri