Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-23
COULD EvADE OPPOSITION
BY RECESS APPOINTMENT
Held to Be Needed as Member of
Federal Reserve Board to Or
ganize New Banking System.

10 MS cno1ce OF Mr.. Williams by an
nouncing tomorrow the appointment of
Mr.. Williams as controller of the cur
rency, so that he may join with the
Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary
of Agriculture in the organization of
the new banking system and the force
that will operate it.
Inc information today is that II the
nomination Of Mr.. Williams were sent to
the Senate today it's confirmation would
be objected to and. going over until after
the recess, would prevent Mr. Williams
serving on the board. II given a recess
appointment. however Mr. Williams could
at once enter upon his duties and con-
tinue to perform them under a nomina-
ton going to the Senate after the recess
The question of confirmation or rejection
would hang in the Senate a long time.
possibly. but the services Of Mr.. Williams
in handling the organization work under
the new law would be obtained in a legal
way.
McAdoo Has Big Problem.
A huge and important problem con-
fronts Secretary McAdoo in instituting
the machinery of the new law. Banks
have sixty days in which to apply for
membership. The assistance of a man
Of Mr. Williams ability is practically
imperative at this time. from the point
OF view of Mr. McAdoo.
Without an experienced man. who has
had much to do with the framing Of the
new law. the whole responsibility of
fall upon Mr.. McAdoo himself, wilh the
aid of Secretary Houston. Mr. McAdoo
and Mr.. Williams have both put in a
hard summers work in the distribution
OF crop moving funds. the selection of
hundreds of Treasury employees the de-
lrfn nd 10, ffo-
tons over various features of the cur
rency law now about to become opera
tive.
Mr.. McAdoo has the highest opinion
OF ms assistant. and freely expresses
the view that there is not another man
ne knows of more fitted for the work
OF successfully aiding in beginning the
new law than Mr.. Williams He does
not regard the selection of Mr.. Williams
as politically unwise, or as promising
the foundation for opposition that
the administration and the democratic
party will care a fig for
1t is to make the new law the big sue
cess the administration claims for it that
Secretary McAdoo is primarily concerned
about, and he holds the view that Mr.
Williams is the one man able to give
him the best help in that direction
Given Free Hand by President.
President Wilson has given Secretary
McAdooe a free hand in the Treasury
Department and is not likely to restrict
him now if he insists on Mr.. Williams
There is little doubt today that If Mr.
McAdoo insists on Mr. Williams be-
coming controller of the currency this
will be done, although it is pointed
out that as assistant secretary of the
Treasury Mr.. Williams could do the
bulk of the work of organization Just
as well as if controller of the currency
The ultimate aim and purpose of Sec
rotary McAdoo is said to be placing Mr.
Williams on the federal reserve board.
where he would be practically the head
OF that concern, especially after having
mapped out the preliminaries of organi-
zation and understanding the new law
and its operation better than any other
man except his chief. Mr. McAdoo
With the President standing strongly
behind Secretary McAdOo as to Mr.. Will
liamS, the Virginian would be ultimately
confirmed to whatever place he is noml-
mated for, 1t is said, but the prediction
was freely made today that the admins
tration would realize it had been I'M a
not fight when the affair was ended.
Many Banks Seek Admission.
From all over the country kilograms
and letters from financial institutions are
pouring into the Treasury Department
making application for admission into
the system of federal reserve banks un-
der the currency act. Hundreds of such
already have been received
and nearly every state is represented.
Unanimous vote of the executive board
to advise its directors to accept the new
law and enter the federal bank system
was announced in letter received from
the National Shawmut Bank of Boston,
one of the largest financial institutions in
New England. This is regarded by
Treasury officials as an indication of how
financial circles stand toward the new
federal currency system The great num-
Der of applications encourages Secretary
McAdoo to believe that large part of
the national banks of the United States
intend to come into the system.
There are about 1900 national banks
in the United States. Several hundred
already have wired their applications
for membership in the federal system.
As soon as the bill is signed, a rush of
applications is anticipated, on the
strength of assurances already given.
La Crosse Bank First to Apply.
The Batavian National Bank Of La
Crosse, Wis, has the distinction Of hav-
ing been the first applicant Its letter.
dated December 5. is signed by E. NJ
Wing, vice president. Anxious to be the
first applicant from Wisconsin, the in
stitution became the first of all. The
application was made subject to the
draft of the law. in advance of it's pas
sage.
The District National Bank was the
first bank in the District to apply for
membership.
New York was heard from today, with
applications from the Gotham National
Bank and the Hartman National Bank
Philadelphia's first applicant was the Sec
ond National Bank. Two big institutions
of st. Louis the Mercantile National
Bank and the Mercantile Trust Company;
the Seaboard National of Norfolk Va
and the Merchants National Bank of
Hampton. Va, were also among today's
applicants.
Two Virginia banks and a number of
Maryland banks have filed applications
They are the National Bank of Danville
Fl. c. Patton. cashier, and the Lynch
burg National Bank of Lynchburgh, the
home of Representative Carter Glass, the
head Of the committee on banking and
currency. which ha dcharge of the bill
in the House Eleven banks n the city
of Baltimore, Nd. unite in one
letter of application. They are
the Merchants Mechanics National Bank,
the National Bank of Baltimore. the Ma
tional Exchange Bank, the Farmers and
Merchants National Bank, the Ma
and Mechanics National Bank, the Ma
tional Bank of Commerce. the Second
National Bank. the Maryland National
Bank, tue National marine Bank, the
National Howard Bank and the Oldtown