The Promoters had soon discovered that it was extremely difficult to get the workers
interested in Associative work. The skilled workers, whose Trade Unions afforded
them a certain security against any undue reduction of wages, did not feel in-
clined to give up their relatively well-paid trades in order to embark on Associative
Production, the prospects of which were more than doubtful. The failures of earlier
Co-operative efforts were fresh in memory. Only when the Associations had
proved their ability to fulfil expectations could there be any question of joining
them. Even those who agreed in principle to Associative enterprises found enough
to deter them from active participation. The Associations as such were not re-
cognized by law. Not only did this hamper them in their dealings with the public,
but it made them an easy prey for any dishonest and fraudulent members. They
simply did not stand a fair chance of success.

During the first six months the Promoters managed to establish eight As-
sociations in the tailoring, the shoe- and boot-making, the building, the printing,
and the baking trades ¹. Their existence, however, was rather precarious. As
a rule, the associates were picked at random without any closer inquiries into their
qualifications. As a result they were mainly recruited from among workers who,
besides lacking the professional qualifications, were also wanting in the moral
qualities necessary in order to live up to the great demands on anyone engaged
in Associative work, if this were to succeed. Most of them had been prompted
to join the Associations by a desire to earn easy and comfortable money--and
they did not, as was voiced by the complaints time after time, have a proper
understanding of the principles of Association and of the need for self-sacrifice.
This caused numerous frictions and controversies. When to this were added many
external difficulties, such as the procuring of proper raw materials and the securing
of a market for the produce of the Associations, it was not strange that their
very existence was constantly at stake. Had not the Promoters repeatedly inter-
vened, settling disputes and advancing money when the Associations were
threatened with financial ruin, it is doubtful whether a single one of them would
have survived.

-162-