of new cooperatives and help increase the awareness of members of cooperatives already in operation. According to the minutes, there was also long discussion anent the necessity of having their own news media, but since it was recognized that `their organization was still weak' it was decided to request `newspapers established by the workers,' the Sosialisti, the Työmies and the Pelto ja Koti to allot space to the discussion of cooperative movement issues. They were to be asked to do so under threat that `any paper, which in any way misinterprets the aims of the organization now formed be declared an opponent of this organization.' As a matter of fact, however, the organization was not merely `still weak,' it was nothing but a decision made on paper.

After this unsuccessful Minnesota attempt, a Finnish Cooperative Association was started in Waukegan, Illinois, and several Minnesota cooperatives joined this organization. However, it was an ambitious organization which hoped to embrace all America, but the only sector of its program that it succeeded in putting into action was a publicity program.

In 1917 the drive for a central organization once more gained momentum, and this time to meet a need which had suddenly become acute : the lack of Finnish bakeries in Minnesota had brought about a shortage of rusks and hard tack, so dear to the Finns. It was an appeal by one of the Minnesota cooperatives, the Farmers Coop Trading Company, which called all the rest to action: "The state of war once more gives speculators a greater opportunity to exploit the producers and the consumers. We have noted that prices go down when producers begin to place their products on the market. We are approaching harvest time, the time when these products will fall into the hands of the exploiters. Why shouldn't we take advantage of the opportunity and buy at the year's best prices? We believe that at least 10 of our cooperatives could buy goods to hold in storage for several months if not indeed for a whole year. Let's do our buying together, let's make one of our cooperatives the jobber through which we will buy for all the stores all that they think they can purchase. W' could order several carloads of sugar; we could order a carload of salted fish from Astoria, as well as canned fish. We could order a carload or more of fruit, and canned and dried fruits. We could buy flour, or even the grain, while the prices are low, and have it milled and distributed to each, as much as they can purchase. We could buy soap, coffee, etc., and avoid the middleman. In order to get this project going, we herewith urge you to send your representatives, your business manager and a couple of members

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