46 
American Agriculturist, January 19, 1924 
iP! 
The “U. S.” Walrus can be washed 
clean instantly. Its surface is as 
smooth and waterproof as a boot 
In the mire one minute— 
in the kitchen the next! 
But your feet are dry and 
the house is clean when you 
wear a pair of “U. S.” Walrus 
Out to the barn a dozen times a day— 
through muck and mire you don’t want 
to track into the house! 
That is when you’ll appreciate the con¬ 
venience of the “U. S.” Walrus. Water¬ 
proof as a boot—and you can slide them 
on and off over your leather shoes as 
easily as you slip into an overcoat! 
And afterwards—it makes no differ¬ 
ence how thick they’re plastered with 
muck. One good douse under the faucet 
—and their smooth rubber surface is clean! 
Cleanliness—convenience—protection 
—all these together make the “U. S.” 
Walrus ideal for the farm. 
Other “U. S.” Footwear — 
all huilt for long, 
hard wear 
“U. S.” Boots, built so tough 
and rugged they’re famous wher¬ 
ever boots are worn—Rubbers 
and Arctics, all styles and sizes 
for the whole family—“U. S.” 
Bootees, the all-rubber lace shoe, 
for spring and fall use—every 
kind of rubber footwear you could possi¬ 
bly need is included in the big “ U. S.” line. 
Every single one is backed by 75 years 
of skilled experience. It will pay you to 
look for the “U. S.” Trademark—the 
honor mark of the largest rubber organiza¬ 
tion in the world. 
United States Rubber Company 
Ask for 
Easy to slip on and 
off! One of the big 
convenign t fea tures of 
the “U. S.” Walrus 
Trade Mark 
66 
U. S: Walrus 
The Cooperative Play 
The Mythical Meetings of a Mythical Board—A ctJ f 
from 
T HE time is April; By THE SILENT DIRECTOR 
the place, the di¬ 
rectors’ room. The directors are seated around 
the table, with the president at the head. The 
secretary is just completing the roll call. He 
comes to the name of the newly elected 
director who has taken the place of the Always 
Absent Director, who will be known hereafter 
as the second businesslike director. At this 
point the president interrupts. 
President: Gentlemen, let me present the 
new member of the Board. He comes to us as 
the overwhelming choice of his district. I do 
not want to embarrass him, but I do want to 
say to you that he is a man with whom we can 
all be proud to associate. He lives on his own 
farm and manages well a large farm business; 
he is a director on the bank in his town, a mem¬ 
ber of the board of education, and he stands for 
the best in the civic and business life of the 
community in which he lives. We are to be 
congratulated to have him on the Board and organizations 
his constituents are 
to be congratulated — 
upon their foresight 
in electing him. 
The secretary com¬ 
pletes the roll call. 
President: Gentle¬ 
men, at our last 
meeting some ques¬ 
tions of policy were 
referred to our attor¬ 
ney for rulings as to 
the legality of cer¬ 
tain phases of activi¬ 
ties which we desire 
to undertake. While 
he has submitted 
a brief setting forth 
his opinions which 
our secretary has, I 
have thought it well 
to ask him to be 
present at this meet¬ 
ing of the Board to 
explain his rulings in 
person, particularly 
to answer any ques 
hand and to receive 
counsel which we 
members of his board have. 
Me-too Director nods his head. 
Nervous Director: Well, let’s get down to 
cases. Are we going to get into trouble with 
the Federal Trade Commission over this con¬ 
tract of ours? 
Attorney: I cannot see how we possibly can. 
Certainly our position under the federal statute 
is clear. Let me read from my brief which I 
have just filed'with your secretary. (Reads) 
“Among Federal laws we have the Sherman 
Anti-Trust act which forbids monopoly, but 
which is modified by the Clayton amendment 
to permit the existence and operation of labor, 
agricultural, or horticultural organizations, 
instituted for the purpose of mutual help 
and not having capital stock or conducted 
for profit. And the Capper-Volstead Act 
specifically exempts farmers’ cooperative 
the Anti-Trust Acts 
by the following 
language: 
‘Be it enacted by the 
Senate and House of Rep¬ 
resentatives of the United 
States of America in Con¬ 
gress assembled, that per¬ 
sons engaged in the pro¬ 
duction of agricultural 
products as farm ers, plant¬ 
ers, ranchmen, dairymen, 
nut or fruit growers may 
act together in associa¬ 
tions, corporate or other¬ 
wise, with or without 
capital stock, in collec¬ 
tively processing, prepar¬ 
ing for market, handling 
and marketing in inter¬ 
state and foreign com¬ 
merce, such products of 
persons so engaged. Such 
associations may have 
marketing agencies in 
common; and such associa¬ 
tions and their members 
may make the necessary 
contracts and agreements 
to effect such purposes: 
Provided, however, that 
such associations are 
operated for the mutual 
benefit of the members 
thereof, as such producers, 
tions which you as members desire to put to auc * conform to one or both of the following require- 
, • ments: 
, _ First — That no member of the association is allowed 
Fat Director (aside); J hat S a good idea; I more than one vote because of the amount of stock or 
never can understand what he writes anyway, membershipcapital he may own therein, or. 
Secretary goes out foi the Attorney, accom- on S £ OC k or membership capital in excess of 8 percentum 
pamed by the Fat Director, who, according to per annum; 
his now well established custom, stops to chat And in any case the following: 
Third—That the association shall not deal in products 
of non-members to an amount greater in value than such 
as are handled by it for members.’ ” 
THE STORY THUS FAR 
T HIS is the fourth act of the play which 
pictures the progress ox a mythical board 
of directors of a mythical farmers’ coopera¬ 
tive association from its first organization. 
At first little was accomplished but talk. 
Each succeeding act shows some real 
progress in a more businesslike conduct of 
the association’s affairs. In the third act 
the Always Absent Director’s position was 
declared vacant and steps were taken to fill 
his place. A cleverly planned political 
scheme to install an unworthy candidate 
was revealed and steps were taken to have 
a real representative of the farmers ap¬ 
pointed. In this act the new member is 
introduced. Be sure to read every act of 
this play to see how the farmers’ representa¬ 
tives conduct themselves and finally develop 
an efficient business organization.— The 
Editors. 
with the telephone operator. 
Operator: You should have heard the Presi¬ 
dent and the G. M. yesterday. They had 
some session! 
Fat Director: That so? 
Operator: Yes, the old boy told the G. M. 
This Act goes on to vest in the Secretary of 
Agriculture power to cause any association 
which he shall have reason to believe, “monop- 
that he’s got to cut expenses and the G. M. told olizes or restrains trade in interstate or foreign 
him if he thought he could run the organization commerce to such an extent that the price of 
better than he was doing to start in. 
At this point the Secretary, with the 
Attorney in tow, taps the Fat Director on the 
shoulder and they go into the directors’ room. 
President: Gentlemen, our attorney 
any agricultural product is unduly enhanced 
by reason thereof,” “to show cause through 
the courts why it should not cease such 
practice.” 
Fat Director, heaving a sigh: Well, that 
Attorney: I am glad to have this opportunity sounds pretty good, anyway. There was a 
to meet the members of the board. As you banker out to my place Sunday, and from what 
know I was born on a farm. ... he told me I was beginning to feel a little 
Fat Director (aside) : But he was wise enough nervous, 
to leave soon after. First Business-like Director: Well, you can 
Attorney (oblivious to the half-smile which see the justice of the government’s position in 
goes around the room): . . . and I have al¬ 
ways been interested in the farmer and his 
problems. I believe that I was among the first 
to realize that the passage of the cooperative 
the matter. Recognizing as it does the indi¬ 
vidualistic nature of a farmer’s business, it 
simply attempts to permit farmers to combine 
their interests along the same lines which other 
corporations acts gave to the farmer the first business men enjoy through the investment in 
opportunity which he had ever had to place and utilization of corporations, 
himself on a par, as far as the organization of Second Business-like Director: At the same 
his business is concerned, with other industries, time the public is thoroughly safeguarded, 
It is but natural, however, in taking advantage since the conditions are so worded that no small 
of the new cooperative marketing acts and in group of men can possibly get hold of a cooper¬ 
organizing and operating organizations like the ative association nor can men get exorbitant 
one you represent, that we must feel our way. returns on investments in cooperative associa- 
There have been no test cases to speak of under 
the cooperative acts. There are no important 
court decisions to guide us. For this reason and 
because we are all of us new at the game it is 
tions. The whole aim was to keep them on a 
service basis and we certainly comply with 
that requirement. 
President: Now that you have made our 
only good sense to pause occasionally to take position clear under the federal statutes, I wish 
a long look ahead. you would tell the Board just where we stand 
• Nervous Director (interrupting): Well, it under the New York State laws. We would 
may be all right to look ahead, but believe me particularly like to know whether it will be pos- 
we have some problems right now that we have sible for us to put into effect a long-time com- 
to meet. modity contract. 
Me-too Director nods his head. Attorney: As you know, we have two acts in 
President: Yes, there is no question but New York State permitting the organization of 
what we face the difficult situation of laying cooperative marketing associations. One of 
out a long-time policy and adhering to it and of these provides for a cooperative non-stock 
meeting present demands which may at times corporation, the other for a cooperative stock 
be at variance with that policy, 
Business-like Director: But we must adhere 
to our policy at all costs. 
Second Business-like Director: At times 1 be¬ 
lieve a middle ground must be taken. We must 
remember that the men we represent do not 
have the opportunity to get the facts first- 
corporation. We are organized under the 
cooperative non-stock law, popularly known ns 
Article A. Under it we are not permitted t<> 
make a long-time contract with our members 
for the delivery of their products. A year is 
the longest time possible, since the law requires 
{Continued on page 59) 
