The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
ENGLAND'SEYES
ON HER BANKERS
Whisperings Heard Against
Sir Felix Schuster, Finan-
cial Dictator.
RESIGNATION EXPECTED
Many Attacks Have Been Made on
Noted Official Because of German
a Birth and Associations.
RESIGNATION EXPECTED

l London, Dec. 26.-Is England's financial
world to experience a sensational retire
Hient as has England's navy? The
prospects that Sir Felix schuster. chair
man OF the London bankers and covers
nor OF the Union Of London and Smiths 5
Bank. and regarded as the mouth
piece OF the banking world. win prefer
to sever his connections with the bust
ness community rather than continue to
bear the burden of undeserved abuse
are excellent.
In his way Sir Felix Schuster is as
dominant a figure as was Prince Louis
OF Battenberg. But he is the victim
Of the same unreasoning prejudice which
compelled England's first sea lord TO
resign. There Is an intense irritation
felt by manufacturers throughout the
country at the restrictive banking credit
which has hampered trading operations
since the outbreak Of the war.
The course OF events during the past
three months has left on the public
mind an indelible impression that the
policy of the great financial institutions
Is largely in the hands Of bankers and
merchats Of German origin.
Attack on schustrr.
They believe that the gold which ought
10 have been used for the assistance OF
their own manufacturers and traders
has too largely been used in financing
foreign bills Of exchange and indirectly
for the assistance OF foreign trade. for
eisn banks and foreign stock deaIer<.
This is what the Globe has to say in
part in a long editorial attack on Sir
Felix Schuster:
when the character OF a policy is
called in question it is but an easy stage
haFpr. he fVrlo- NJ ha
spOnsible for that policy is challenged
at the bar of public opinion. II we
may Judge by the letters which reach
us and the criticism that has been ex-
pressed openly on public platforms and
in the public press, that stage has been
reached.
1T has come as a revelation to the
public that many Of the bankers who ex-
ercise a strong influence on our financial
bv ties OF birth and family with the
nation with whom We are at present
engaged in a death struggle in which
finance plays vital part.
Eject of German Birth.
"For years Sir Felix Schuster's Pc
riodIcaI address to the shareholders OF
the bank over whose dcstinies he pre-
sides has been ACKNOWLEDGED in financial
circles as largely Interpreting the ba"k-
ing policy OF the London banks. His
business acumen and personal integrity
are recognized throughout the city. He
Is the trusted advise Of thousands. Yet
his German birth and German associa-
tiOns are clouding the mind OF manS
business men at a time when race pas
sions run high.
Sir Felix Schuster has. we do not
doubt full knowledge Of whaI has been
written and is being said 1t is equally
an insult to him and to the London
bankers over whom he presides, to ex-
press our confidence in his personal in
tegrity and his desire to guard loyalty
the financial interests Of his ADOPTED
but II is desirable that there
should be a cessation OF the gossip and
personal criticism which Is being nour-
ished by the tales AMI whisperings hOth
inside and out Of :he bank pariors and
counting houses Of the city. II is cIet
atinE a feeling OF insecurity which may
touch the country in particularly vital
spot"