DENMARK’S PROSPERITY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4748, 8 September 1924, Page 1

DENMARK’S PROSPERITY.

• SECOND RICHEST COUNTRY. THE KEY TO NATIONAL WEALTH. "In so far as successful development in rural co-operation is concerned, Denmark at present still le'ads the way. The total population of the State is, approximately, three and a half millions. Quite two-thirds of the people live in the country and depend entirely on agriculture for their support. They are mainly of the peasant class. Last century all lands were in the hands of large landowners, and the peasantry were then poor,” pays the ‘‘lrish Statesman.” “Denmark is the second richest country in the world, as hei’ national wealth in proportion to the number of her population is larger than that of any other country in the world, England excepted.

“In the fundamentally important matter of securing a high culture for the peasantry the necessity of establishing a suitable education for each citizen of the State was clearly visualised by the founders of the rural cooperative system ap being the sustained root of all national prosperity. Out of this idea arose the establishgq},—sfooqos uon'enuijuoo jo lueur famous ‘High School’ —that have played so important a part in the moulding of the moral character and in sustaining the industrial prosperity of the Danish people.

‘‘The object of the High School system, as stated by the founders, was to impart to the pupils a certain amount of intellectual culture without putting them put of conceit with agricultural work. A Danish authority tells us that there is hardly a home throughout the whole country, that does not subscribe for one daily papei, and that good weekly papers have a wide circulation. Cheap and instructive books of moderate size nave an immense sale, especially among the peasant population. The agricultural societies, which cover the whole country, organise local, lectures and social evenings for the people, and libraries are established in every parish.

“An exceptionally interesting, shilling booklet by W. Meakin on the Danish Co-operative Movement, under the title, ‘Where Farming Pays, and Why,’ just published by Msesrs Iliffe and Sons, Tudor Street, London, should be read by everyone in Ireland interested in co-operation. Ite author visited Denmark to ‘study broadly the agricultural situation as it exists in relation to the general post-war conditions of Europe.’

“Speaking with regard to Danish agriculture, he says: ‘Out of this industry. operated under a highly-devel-oped co-operative system, »t sustains a relatively high average standard of life, both urban and rural. The fine quality of its peasant culture can only be realised by actual contact with it. It has an educational system unlike any ether in the world- —deliberately designed and .adapted for the development of this peasant culture, and the progress of the most democratic institutions any nation has yet evolved.’ BOW THE STATE HELPS. “Mr Meakin tells us further tliat “the Government is spending this year, in spite of the burdens caused by postwar conditions and trade depression, no less than one-fifth of the total State income on its schools and universities, on agricultural education and research, and grants to other agricultural institutions, apart from the contributions of local authorities to education.’ “Again, in reference to industrial prosperity, he writes : ‘The secret of this success iis found in co-operation and education, in the adaptation of the best business me.thods in the industry, in the elimination of waste and profiteering, and in the application of the results’of scientific research.’ “In a chapter descriptive of the Danish Co-operative Creameries, after giving a brief account of the large trifolium dairy at Hasler, the author proceeds: ‘lt is a memorable experience to vijsit this trifolium factory. Nevertheless, I was even more attracted by the smaller dairy of Skbvsgaarde, because it is perfectly typical of the rural, factories which are organised and managed by working farmers, unassuming men of ordinary ability who have had their native talents and intelligence quickened and their outlook widened by the folk schools and the agricultural and dairy training schools. . . . “ ‘These rural dairies are all-em-bracing in their membership. The Skovjsgaarde factory takes tne milk of 1200 cows belonging to 250 farmers and smallholders within a radius of five miles. At one end of the membership scale is the part-time labourer with a tiny holding and tow cows, and at the other four big farmers with 30 cows.’

“It may be here remarked that 85 per cent, of the 198,600 agricultural holdings in Denmark do not exceed 7'5 acres. There are over 50,000 farms, ranging from 4 to 12 acres, and there are thousands of small holdings of from a half to 4 acres owned or occupied by farm labourers, very few of whom are entirely landless.

“To quote 'Mr Meakin again : ‘For the smallholders and the men with anything up to 50 acres, the dairy is the mainstay of the livelihood. A staff of only six men and boys, aided by a small.steam plant and an equipment as up-to-date in its modest way as that of the trifolium dairy, undertakes the whole of the ■ butter and choose making of the 250 members. The butter is despatched to the cooperative selling society, and. reaches the consumer swiftly and cheaply. It is difficult to imagine a further limit

to economy of production and distribution.’ “In further reference to the relatively small village creamery : ‘lt is a pleasure,’ says the writer, ‘to watch the manager and his staff at work* The place is constantly flushed with water to eliminate dust. There i« abundant boiling water and steam for sterilising. The effect of the instruction in hygiene at the dairy school is visible in practice. . . • The manager, who receives what in a smal* village is a good salary of £250 a year, is a typical product of the Folk High School and the Dairy Training School.’ PEASANTS AS CO-OPERATORS. “In the last chapter, ‘How success has been achieved,’ the author reminds us that ‘the co-operative movement was started by the peasants.’ It has been built up by them without outside aid, and often in the face of strenuous opposition from interests that were menaced. The attitude of the Government in recent years has naturally been sympathetic, because Parliament is controlled by the peasant farmers, but there is still a robust faith in the doctrine of selfhelp, and it is firmly believed that a coddled industry cannot he heatlhy and prosperous. ... The farmers

realise the fact that markets can only be captured and held by commodities of unimpeachable quality produced and distributed at the. lowest possible cbdt. . . . Incidentally, Denmark

has proved that a peasantry may be enlightened, democratic, and progressive, given the right educational system.’ ”