The Report is stoutly opposed to the municipalization of trades
in which the co-operators are engaged. Natur- ally ! Branches of the Labour Party continually pass resolutions .in favour of municipalizing milk, meat, bread and coal,. but as the Report points out; if these trades were municipalized the municipality would find itself in competition with co-operators, who also happen to be rate-payers. - That conflict would become worse if municipalities widened their range and took to importing goods from overseas, and. perhaps setting up municipal banks. The argument of the Socialists that in most eases they would. deal only in the bare.necessaries of life leaves the Co-operators cold, because the Co-operators recognize that if part of their trade is . lopped off the whole will suffer, In many. societies it is the profits on the necessaries that make a dividend possible upon other branches of trade,
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