ELECTRIC POWER FOR COUNTRY DISTRICTS 



is preferable to the formation of special local co-operative societies for 

 the supply of electric power. 



Unfortunately, this principle, in itself excellent, cannot always be 

 applied, since the adherence of the communes is very often impeded. 

 This is partly owing to the difficult}'' of forming the capital, partly to 

 the want of a sufficient sentiment of solidarity. There are always some 

 members of the commtinity and of the administration who are anxious 

 about the financial burden the commune may be undertaking in adhering 

 to a central electric power society. Often also party divisions in the 

 commune hinder the undertaking being agreed to. 



When the commune as a political body is not willing to make pro- 

 vision, a free union of those concerned is substituted for it under the form 

 of a co-operative society for the supply of electric current: a course similar 

 to that which gives rise to co-operative water supply societies. They also 

 are formed when the commune cannot decide on undertaking the necessary 

 installation for the water supply at its own expense. Similar reasons 

 have in recent years led to the founding of many hundreds ol local 

 co-operative societies for the supply of electric power. They are often 

 small societies with but a limited number of members. As happens 

 often in the co-operative world, it is frequently a few energetic and willing 

 persons v/ho open a large field to co-operative action. And it is indeed 

 to be hoped that larger groups will follow on the road, traced out by 

 them when the happy result of their efforts is seen. 



The co-operative societies for the supply of water or electric pov/er 

 resemble in their organization co-operative purchase societies. We must 

 draw attention to the obligation of the members to have recourse exclus- 

 ively to the societies for the electric light and power they have need of. 

 While such a provision is in itself easy to understand, it might have con- 

 siderable importance in case of a rival society being started. 



Another provision which has been much discussed is that of the 

 monopoly of electric plant. This means that members must entrust 

 the installation of plant in their houses and the provision of motors 

 and fittings only to the co-operative society or to firms authorized by it. 

 This monopoly has been keenly discussed both in the co-operative world 

 and in the daity press and even in Parliament. Some have wished to see in it 

 a violation of professional liberty, and an injury to the industrial middle 

 classes. In consequence of this monopoly, small and medium sized firms 

 for the supph^ of electric plant find themselves at a disadvantage as 

 compared with the large firms. Some have even seen in the above 

 provision an unlawful attempt against professional liberty and an offence 

 against the general principles of law, so that legal action has actually 

 been taken by suppliers of electric plant not authorized by the co-oper- 

 ative societies. In a suit of this kind, the supreme court of appeal for Ger- 

 many, the Imperial Court of Leipzig, laid it down, however, that the 

 provision in question is not contrary to the principles of law in force. 

 It Vv^as stated in the judgment that it is a.bsolutely essential for the 

 electric businesses or central societies that the connections be good and 



