18 | DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 407, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
TABLE 14.—Repiies to question, “ What mistakes do you think the association 
has made?” 
Members reporting 
Reply Association 
Total 
1 2 3 
Number Number) Number| Number, Number 
Eoldingathe:contmodityeee ae ee eee es BY aa ee , 36 73 
Doni knowe esse pseee ee ee ee ee ee ae ee 5 13 36 30 84 
SNC a eh og RP RA Ua I ee ars a oe 202) ou 22 9 51 
MetiSniercincicOnUEAaclSeie ee Seu ae hen Ee nest aE Seas 2) ee | Sek cater | eR 12 12 
‘Tool chysalanysOr CXpense = yor es eee es ee eee 6 | 20 3 4 40 
WatolatingesettlementS= 0.5222 o tee oe eat mee ees Elk een {Rieke Sas Se Se ea 5 5 
Don’t give members enough information_________..______----__|...-_--- 4 2iELEE ETE 6 
Allowing officers to contract with themselves_________...-_---- EAE ae Sidhe Se ee ae 8 
OthervanSwens sibs ok) NA ee a ee a he ee ede oe 18 | 26 8 28 80 
As) 1 (OO ea ce gc De RR AE. ey Fe Gar eer ee 84] . 78 73 124 | 359 
A considerable proportion indicated that they knew of no mis- 
takes, or had no criticisms to make. These answers for the most 
part probably indicate satisfaction, but in some cases may have re- 
sulted from lack of knowledge. The number who answered, “ Hold- 
ing the commodity,” suggests that many have watched the effect of 
holding the commodity for too high a price. The emphasis placed 
on delayed payments in other connections suggests that this may 
explain at least some of these answers. Naturally the experiences 
and condition of each association are important factors in determin- 
ing the type of answers to such an inquiry. 
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION 
Centralized associations of the kind covered by this study are of 
such size and they cover such a wide territory that many members 
are a considerable distance from headquarters. A member often has 
no direct contact with his association. This, of course, adds to 
the difficulty of disseminating correct information about the 
organization. 
The schedule contained the question, ““ Have you ever visited the 
central office of the association?” ‘The answers are shown in Table 
15. Of the members interviewed, only about one in eight had visited 
the main office of the association with which they were connected. 
Clearly, personal visits by the members must be supplemented by 
other methods of contact. 
TABLE 15.—Replies to question, ‘“ Have you ever visited the central office of the 
association? ”’ 
Members reporting 
Reply Association 
Total 
1 2 3 
Number| Number| Number| Number| Number 
INQ ee ee a a ae RRR SINE ROS 71 71 108 117 367 
Seem meee my ge Ee EES R Lene 2 eee ee ee 1 24 a 9 15 55 
CTE Tig YN eel i Hd a tN ems ce Ra 95 78: \0, Sin7 182 422 
1The higher proportion of members who had visited the association in the case of this association 
probably is due to the fact that a large percentage of those interviewed were located within 75 miles of 
the headquarters. 
