On Monday Lord Grey, as President, opened the first Inter-
national Co-operative Congress in the rooms of the Society of Arts. After pointing out that the English Co-operative Societies distribute annually between £4,000,000 and 25,000,000 of profits, he noted that England was behind other nations in the matter of co-operative production. In Italy, for example, there were associations of workmen "who, not having sufficient capital to purchase the raw material, contracted to supply the labour required to work up the material provided by the State or other outside agencies." In Belgium, again, vast co-operative bakeries had been established, and in Denmark co-operative creameries. The President next dealt with profit-sharing, and pointed out that wherever profit- sharing had been at work successfully for some years, the most satisfactory results were visible. "It acted as a great lubricant, reducing the liability to friction between indi- viduals and departments, it induced a system of mutual foremanship, it encouraged fertility of resource in over- coming difficulties, devised cheaper methods of produc- tion, and established a pleasant feeling of brotherhood amongst all connected with the work." The antagonism between employed and employer, under which each side gave as little as possible, was a serious eviL It not only diminished the output, but injured the standard of character. What was wanted was to convert the hireling into the partner. The whole address was excellent in tone and style, and thoroughly thought oat, and we entirely agree with Lord Grey in his belief that in the extension of profit- sharing lies our industrial salvation. We also agree that we must look to the Co-operative Wholesale and the Trade- -Unions to help on the good cause.
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