The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-26
MRS. |. H. MATHIS LIKELY CHOICE FOR MEMBERSHIP ON FARM BANK BOARD Alabama Woman Called to Washington and Friends
 Are Active in Her
 Behalf HER KNOWLEDGE OF FARMERS NEEDS IS EXCELLED BY NONE New Farm Board Will Have Four Members, Whose Salary Will Be $1O,-
 900 a Year

Mrs. G. H. Mathis of Gadsden, whose work in behalf of diversified farming and the improvement of agricultural conditions in this section has attracted national attention, may be one of the four members of the federal farm loan bank board.
 Information to this effect was received in Birmingham yesterday from sources considered authoritative, and it is known that Mrs. Mathis has been urged to come to Washington in connection with the matter. She is expected to leave her home in Gadsden without delay.
 The information received here yester- day was to the effect that Mrs Mathis had been advised by influential friends and men close to the administration in Washington that she stood a splendid chance of being named on the farm loan bank board. She was advised to ar this state and come at once to the na- ticnal capital to look after her interests
 ALL PRAISE HER WORK
 The advices were to the effect that the work which Mrs. Mathis has done in re- gard to improving agricultural methods had impressed the farming, banking and administration leaders of the nation that there was a strong movement on foot to have her named one of the four members of the board The fifth member is to be the Secretary of the Treasury, whose position is ex officio.
 Mrs. Mathis has been conducting her campaign under the auspices of the Ala bama Bankers association and her work has attracted favorable attention from most of the national publications, many of the leading newspapers of the ceuntrS and from some of the greatest financiers of the United States. The results which have attended her work have been so remarkable that the farming interests ot the country, according to these reports, would look with extreme favor upon her selection as a member of the farm loan bank board, which will have the respon- sibility of putting the new system into operation and making it a success.
 DIFFERS FROM RESERVE BOARD
 The board, which will have charge of the operation of the federal farm loan bank system, will differ from that which controls the federal reserve system in sev- eral respects. The federal farm loan board will be named prior to the loca- ton of the banks and before the dis tricts are decided upon. In the case of tho federal reserve board a commission located the banks and made up the dis trlcts. The comptroller of the currency will not be a member of the farm loan board, whereas, he is an ex officio mem Der of the reserve board. The regular farm loan board will consist of only four members against five of the reserve board. The Secretary of the Treasury is to be ex officio chairman of the farm loan board as he is of the reserve board.
 According to information reaching Bir- mingham yesterday, Mrs Mathis is to receive the almost unanimous indorsement of the bankers of Alabama and that she will have the support of the farmers of this and adjoining states is considered certain It is believed that her appoint ment on this board would be heartily approved by the agricultural interests of the nation generally.
 WOMAN IS ELIGIBLE
 Friends of Mrs. Mathis. when seen yes terday were of the opinion that she would not be disqualified because she was a woman, and they contended that that was about the only reason which could be advanced against her appoint ment. It was claimed that her familiarity with agricultural conditions and her knowledge of the needs of the farming in terests of the south would make her pe- culiarly fitted for the duties of the office.
 The members of the board will receive salary of $10O00 a year and will hold for two, four, six and eight years, ac- cording to the places for which they are named. After the expira ton of the first term, all future appointees will hold for eight years unless removed by the President for cause.