The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-15
USE OF WOMEN
 AS BANK CLERKS
By HOLLAND

l shortage in experienced clerks which the war has occasioned. For in the federal reserve district of the north west which Is empire like in area, al. though there Is only one large financial ccnter. almost all of the banks have been greatly embarrassed by reason of the demands of the government for men for the army and other service The federal reserve bank of the Ninth district which is located at Minneapo- lis, is now employing women who have taken the places of more than one-half or the clerical force as that was>before the united States entered the war. Un- less the government rules, as some think it will, that the clerical forces of tho banks are engaged in an essen tial occupation. then there will be throughout the northwest as probably in many other sections of the ccun- try within a short time, more women employed in the banks than men. on the "hoie in this city, at least, the women who have taken the place of bank clerks seem to have adapted themselves speedily to conditions with which they were unfamiliar It used to be said said very few women DOS sessed more than the faintest knowI, edge of banking methods. Even those who were depositors in the banks were in many cases negligent, not under standing what the requirements were.
 NOW the young women who have taken the place of bank clerks ara very rapidly learning the duties placed upon them so that 1t would not be astonishing if after the war is end ed 1t would be discovered that many of the banks have we'll trained and adequate force of women, who will be retained
 This replacing of men by women in the banks of the northwest has taken place at time when these institu- tions were especially busy. For be- cause of the harvests which are ex- cepticnal Tn that district the banks have been heavy borrowers cr funds in the large financial centcrs. The reason for this demand is to be found in the fact that the farmers of the northwest have been successful in their harvest and the handling of the crops which are record making. has put a heavy strain upon all financial insti- tutions there.
 This strain has occurred at a time CO., incident with subscriptions to the treas- ury department certificate issues. Then again the banks have been taking heed or the movement for the further restric- ton Of nonessential credit
 But with the marketing of the harvest there will speedily follow payment of the loans which the banks have made in order to finance the movement of the crops. In all probability liquidation of these loans will come or will perhaps be at It's heighth at a time when the campaign for nationwide subscription for the fourth Liberty Loan is under way. In addition to these highly import ant undertakings the banks of the north west have been acting with other organi- zations so as to perfect plans by which every farmer and every citizen in the northwest can be approached for the pur- pose Of giving him an opportunity to sub scribe to the fourth Liberty Loan This organization has now been perfected and 1t is believed by the leaders that 1t will compare favorably with Liberty Loan campaign organizations in any other part of the country.
 With all these responsibilities, some of them unusual. all of them heavy, the banks have had also to replace experi- enced clerks who have been called into service and there were many of them, by women, all of whom were inexperi- enced when called into this service They have learned rapidly and it has been their energy. faithfulness and patience, which have in considerable measure en- abled the banks of the great northwest federal district fully to meet the respon- sbilities which have been placed upon them.
 There should be abundant response to the offering of Liberty Loan Bonds after September 2S throughout the entire agri. cultural district of the northwest For reports have been received in New York this morning from Minneapolis stating that as good a grain crop as the north western states have ever produced has now been safely harvested. The prospects are excellent also for gathering record corn crop. Although in some other parts of the country corn has been impaired by draught and excessive heat yet in the northwest the corn harvest promises to be large. Furthermore the quality is high, and practically all danger of a kill ing frost is ended.
 The experience of the farmers of the northwest who have this year been cul- tivating corn furnishes an excellent il- lustration of the fact that the corn belts in the United States are so many and cover so wide range of latitude that un- favorable weather in one section is usually offset by excellent weather in another section. Last year the farmers of the northwest who cultivated corn were in despair because the climate was not favorable and the quality of much Of the corn that was harvested was very poor. so poor in fact, that great apprehension prevailed last winter lest these farmers would be unable to secure an adequate supply of seed corn.
 But in other parts of the country an excellent harvest of corn was secured so that if the average harvest of the northwest had been maintained the az gregate corn harvest of 1917 would have been the greatest on record Conditions are somewhat reversed this year In the northwest, unless frost should come speedily, there is to be garnered record corn crop. whereas in other corn belts which last year harvested better than an average crop there has been much impairment hy reason of unfavorable weather conditons. The farmers. of the entire country may not gather this year as many as 3.OO0, e00,G00 bushels of corn but it is believed here that the harvest will be above the average and much of the corn will bs found to be of the finest quality.