The Washington herald., 1912-10-12

4 novel ana Interesting 6anA1ng enter
prise y that started st Bsriin undsf the
title Of The lndepsndent womAn's Joint
Stock Bank" and II enjoys ths disttnc-
tion Of being the nrst womsp's bank In
Europe. u not in the whole world.
The institution ie oG,esrsd altogether
BY women and only female customers. or
patrons. are admitted. The atmosphere.
quito naturally, Is charmingIy feminine.
Vases f,iled with 1ovess grace the coun-
tiers. The exterior Of the building also
has q picturesque appearance. shrubb
and flowers In pots making live screens
for the windows. The furnishingE OF the
banking room combine comfort with util-
ity. and the absence Of unnecessary dec
orative trifes give evidence that the
German business woman Of the twentieth
century has emancipated herself from the
thraldom Of the antimacassar.
The Berlin venture was started some
two years ago In order to meet the re-
auirements Of the largely increasing num-
Der OF females in the fatheriand who
are proprietors Of some business or MEN,
bers Of q profession. The new enterprise
Is N outcome of present social and eco
acmic eanditions Of women's position and
worth that have arisen in Germany as
well rs elsewhere. and which largely Ii
due to the prepondersnce Of the female
population.
In times of business strain or crises
these independent women often were In
rather helpless position and only sell
dom were able to obtain from the general
banks the ready funds necessary to tide
them over emergencies which. at one
time or another. beaet most commercial
undertakings. Many a business. built up
with industry and hope. often was wreck
Il because a few hundred marks could
rot be obtained at critical juncture.
The idea of having a special and sep
arate bank to meet the requirements
Of women following independent careers
first was mooted by a group Of promi-
nent women In Berlin. They were most
generously supported by the men in
the local banking world. and thus were
enabled to successfully float their
scheme.
All German women at home OF in the
colonies Of the fatherland are eligible as
members of the bank. In order to be-
come a member IL IL necessary to take
share in the company Of from 100
Which Be p2iu Dy
installments OF not less than marks
monthly. The entrance fee is marks
and the security per share. 800 marks.
Each member Is entitled to have more
than one share In the business. but 100
shares Is the limit granted to one share
holder.
The success OF the bank was assured
from the beginning. and women of an
classes applied for membership. The
financial year. 1911. has seen a most
satisfactory development OF the scheme.
The number of members has increased
from 80 to sSs and the shares taken
up have risen. from sos to SIS. The re-
sources have increased from 10000
marks to I77.coo marks
Caution is the characteristic Of the
women's bank. and although the man.
agement is satisfied with the results up
to the present time, they do not find
II possible or prudent to satisfy the
credit demands Settlements are made
according to available means. Some Of
fers Of membership are postponed and
people who wish immediate settlement
refused. The rush Of women to join the
banking Company was so great that II
all had been admitted there would have
been many thousands CT members to-
day.
Women who otherwise would have been
quite desirable partners in this tcopart-
nership o. co-operative) concern had to
be refused because they wanted money
accommodations at once. For the pres
ent the bank grants credit tdiscounting
Of notes on security.
As the bank had been started with the
object of being OF special service to in
dependent business women. efforts have
been made from the first to attract we'll
to-do women as depositors. thereby in
creasing the funds for giving temporary
accommodation TO their less fortunate