AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS 199 



vital problems which in most agricultural industries are 

 left to chance. The league was organized in 1906 to handle 

 all of the public policy questions which relate to the industry 

 as a whole. Such questions are control over the routing 

 of fruit, transportation and refrigeration chrages, pre- 

 ' cooling problems, customs tariffs, national and State regu- 

 latory legislation, orchard and packing problems; in short, 

 any general questions relating to the upbuilding of the citrus 

 industry fall within the province of the League. Member- 

 ship is voluntary, and "all growers, organizations of grow- 

 ers, or shippers of citrus fruits are eligible." Expenses are 

 met by assessing each member according to the number of 

 cars of fruit shipped by each during the preceding fruit 

 year, but no single assessment may exceed the rate of 

 twenty-five cents a car. 



The business of the league is directed by an executive 

 committee of nine members who are chosen from an ad- 

 ministrative committee of thirty members. This latter 

 committee is supposed to represent all of the large citrus 

 interests of the State. Withdrawal from the league is 

 possible at any time, but the fact that shippers representing 

 about 90 per cent, of the citrus fruit volume are members 

 clearly indicates that the citrus industry believes the league 

 to be worth while. The California Fruit Growers Ex- 

 change, representing dy per cent, of the citrus shipments, 

 is a member, as aire the Mutual Orange Distributors, who 

 handle about 14 per cent, of the crop and are by far the 

 largest cooperative organization handling citrus fruits, if 

 exception is made of the California Fruit Growers Ex- 

 change. In addition, the most important grower-shippers 

 are members. Since there are included as members of the 

 league shippers with all kinds of marketing policies, it is 

 definitely specified in the membership agreement that the 

 league shall conduct its functions "without reference to 

 the various methods of marketing." 



