“I would rather be out of the world than out of the Pool.”
— Mrs. Annie Bunce of Baldwinton, Sk, was thus quoted as she sent in her new contract, 9 August 1928
“In retrospect it is fair to say that the achievements of the pools in the early years were such as should have satisfied all reasonable expectations. At that time, however, the expectations of pool members were by no means entirely reasonable.”
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| Optimism was high. 192 |
“ We will no more go back to the old way of marketing our grain than we would take a horse and buggy if we were going to Winnipeg.”
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| Grower support for the Pool. 193 |
“ I stated a good many times that I would travel a hundred miles barefooted to sign a wheat pool contract.”
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| 2 | 3 "The Flag of Co-operation" 194 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 The Pool even inspired music, at one time. 197 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 "The Wheat Pool Special" 202 |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 "Jog On, Wheat Pool!" 206 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Wheat Pool Song Book 210 |
In spite of the enthusiasm of its membership, the individualist nature of small business and farming was often a paradox for the organization. The temptation to make a few cents more per bushel occasionally undermined the principles that had necessitated the pools in the beginning. The Pool struggled to encourage loyalty amongst its membership.
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| Carloading bees. 218 | The meaning of Co-operation. 219 |
“ Use pool elevators whenever possible and get your share of terminal earnings. Or believe me, if your wheat goes through the line company terminals, you won’t get a smell of it.”
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| Wheat Pool loyalty cartoon 220 |
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| Pool member displays dissatisfaction. 221 |
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As in any democracy, members of the Pool were free to express their opinions through resolutions, as above, or through direct dialogue with the organization. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Letter from [Freeman] to Baker 222 |
“ To what extent is there ‘bootlegging of wheat?’ It is not possible to estimate at all accurately. The reported cases are few. It is quite likely the great majority of the pool contract signers will live up to the terms. After that what? Will they renew? Who knows?”
The degree of loyalty that members displayed toward the Pool was often a source of speculation:
“We continue to hear the Pool signers breaking away from their Pool contracts and we understand that in quite a number of towns the local lawyers are busy transferring farms to wives, sons and daughters.”
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| The Pool had to keep its members convinced of the ultimate goal: security for the prairie producer. 226 |
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