The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-10-29
POSTAL
SAVINGS
GROWING
WAR IN EUROPE PROVING
BIG BOON TO POSTAL
SAVINGS

Postal savings in the Guthrie Of
flee have been steadily climbing dur
ing the past year. There are now
200 accounts on the books at the 10
cal office The total deposits amount
to $29,943 There have been 50 new
accounts opened since August ], 1914,
the total amount of which is S6I05.
The public in general appreciates the
postal savings bank feature OF the
Ipostoffice and patronize it literally.
Tie war in Europe is proving a
boon to postal savings in this coun-
try. From the very day hositlities
opened across the seas postal saw
I ings receipts began to increase by
leaps and bounds and Withdrawals
fell off, a result quite contrary TO the
predictions OF many well-informed
persons who, in their imagination,
saw lines Of feyerish depositors at
post office pay windows anxious to
again return their savings to the
boot leg or body belt repositories
when they came before intrusted to
Uncle sam But the forecasters fail
ed TO reckon on the absolute conf
dence OF the American citizen re-
.gard1ess OF the flag that first met his
eyes, in the ability and purpose OF the
government to carry out its obiga-
tions, not only among the nations of
the earth. but with the humblest cit
izen of our land.
Two important results have follow
ed; thousands of people, largely Of
foreign birth, accustomed to send
their savings abroad, are now pat
rons of our postal sayings system;
and enormous sums OF actual cash
have been released for commercial
uses among our own people at a time
when the need for every available
dollar is pressing.
The growth Of postal savings in the
United States has been steady and
healthy and the system has filled an
important gap between the tin can
depository and the factory paymaster.
on July !, when affairs we're running
smoothly here and abroad and the
Of money across the At
lantic was safe and expeditions there
was approximately $4300O,000 OF pos
tai savings standing to the credit OF
about 3SS,O0O depositors. Since then
over $1O,OO0,OOO of deposits have been
added and the number of depositors
has increased enormously. This un-
pre- edented again is the NOSE strik-
ing when it is considered that the
net gain in the last three months Is
larger than the gain for the entire
fiscal year 1914. Scores Of offices
have done more postal savings bust J
ness since the war has been going on |
than was done by them during the
previous existence of the service. The |
increases are confined to no special |
localities but have been felt in eG
cry nook and corner OF the country. |
New York City alone made a gain in
September OF more than a million,
while Brooklyn showed a relatively
BIS increase. Chicago reported a
larger gain in the past three months
han for the previous twelve months.
More than 1000 new accounts were
opened during the period bringing
he number OF depositors in that city
iD TO over u, 900.
The unexpected increase in postal |
savings business has not only added
greatly 10 the general administrative
.uuos of the system, but has brought
ip many new and interesting prob
ems which have called for the care
.ul personal consideration OF Post
master General Burleson and Cover
lor Dockey Third Assistant Post
master General. But their task has
leen ightened somewhat Dy the
lrompness OF depository banks il
urnishins additional security 70 meet
Dee abnormal deposit A number OF
he very largest banHs in the coun-
rtl which have heretofore declined
q qualify as repositories for postal
av.nss funds. are now am0ng the
-ser applicants for them