The Washington times., 1912-01-07

II appears that Bank Examiner Ham
has not accepted the proposition of the
District Bankers Association to act az
private examiner for that Organise
ton as well as performing the duties Of
examiner here and at Baltimore for the
Comptroller Of the Currency.
An effort IL now being made to bring
the bankers OF Baltimore into harmon-
.ious action with the District Bankers
Association for the purpose OF engag-
Ing an examiner. the salary that the
two cities can pay being sufficiently at
tractive to secure competent examina-
ton.
Examiner Ham 10 one Of the most
thorough on the Comptroller's staff and
Is thoroughly in sympathy with the bet
terments that have been suggested by
Mr.. Murray in recent months.
The Clearing House Association is
and the Bankers Association has gone
too far to recede from it's position. It
IL to be hoped that the matter. will
work out to successful issue. These
are prosperous days for the banks. but
lean days will come-history will re-
peat and the added check of an exam
when stress makes II especially desir-
able.
Washington is a peculiar place for
bank examiners. Some Of our banks in
their advertising use this phrase: I'm
der the Eye Of the Treasury Depart
ment," etc. The bank examiner COM
, ing to Washington Understands that he
is directly under the eye of the Comp
trolier Of the Currency. That he is ex-
pected TO see to It that nothing goes
wrong here. and with an ambition that
Is laudable. the examiner looks upon
the ONCE as a stepping stone to posi-
ton and preferment.
1t Is natural and pardonable, more
over even the most conscientious exam
liner has the ambition. They have the
example OF their superiors in office
for the Comptroller, generally, is also
possessed Of the same ambition.
1t may not be the ambition of the
present Comptroller, but his predeces-
sors. Comptrollers Ridgeway. Dawes,
Eccles. Lacey. Hepburn. and others
stepped from the office to the presi-
dency Of great institutions and pros
pered.
And the examiner. imbued with the
good. may be pardoned IL he is a little
too energetic. too particular in the ex-
ercise Of his duties.
Credits are always delicate matters.
The banker with his local experience
Is a better judge OF lines of credit ex-
tended by him with the approval of
his finance committee than is the bank
| examiner-unless through examinations
made elsewhere the examiner has in
formation Of extended credit lines not
known to the bank official. Sometimes
collateral may not look Al. but the
names on the paper may be such as to
warrant the elimination OF collateral
entirely.
Officials of banking institutions and
the bank examiner ought to work in
harmony. exchanging credit informa-
ton and condolences that they may
mutually profit thereby. And 1t ought
not to be one-sided harmony. either.
1t would seem as II objections to
loans. criticisms on business matters
ETC., ought to come through the Comp
troiler or one Of his deputies rather
than through the examiner. Ability
to examine bank does not carry with
1t a Bradstreet or Dun knowledge as to
| reimbursement comes from famil-
tarfty and experience.
| Aren't nothing in particular--just in
| general way.
Pretty little dinner party at the
| Columbia Country Club last night, gwen
by the Commercial Bank to its officers
and employees. Short and to the point
| addresses were made by President Clap
ham and Vice Presidents Jordan.
Sands, and others. Cashier Poole turned
| loose an excellent assortment of epi-
grams, appropos growth in wisdom and
the banking business, for the benefit OF
| the. clerks.
| The latter enjoyed the dinner I'M