Evening star., 1919-06-25

ington is over-banked. This may be
true and 1t can perhaps be admitted
that proportionate to the population
there are more banking institutions
in Washington than in most Of the
American cities, and does not this fact
reflect a double credit when we real
fZe that all of our banks are abun-
them on the high road to prosperity.
rendering the best form of banking
service and financially compensating
their patrons and their stockno!ders
on lines most profitable, and yet 1t mas
been the observation of some whose
that the individual prosperity would
have been even greater had there no.
existed some absence of unity ana
lack of cooperation, an element when
it is hoped might be corrected ana
perhaps the get-together process ac-
,complished If the convention tneory
be regularly and periodically carried
into effect.
'"This unifcation would surely result
in the solution Of banking problems
affecting all institutions uniformly,
would provide better banking faciil-
ties, would safeguard the interests
of the Washington banks, would
facilitate their work along construc-
tive and progressive lines, and there
by finally elevate the standard OF
banking and promote the financial de-
velopment Of the District OF Coiumoia'
Citv in Process of Transition.
washington. as the capital OF the
nation, is in a process or TRANSITION
from a dignified capital city to that
of a busy metropolis where the popu-
lation has increased many fold ana
the financial interests have been null
tiplied. The population. it cannot ne
gainsaid for the past two years mas
increased by a hundred thousand, ano
the Disbursements OF the govern
ment departments alone have in
creased S1O0, 900. 900 annually. and all
lines of financial activities are forg-
ing ahead on a scale heretofore un-
heard of and all indications point 10
a continued prosperity and greater ex-
pansion of the commercial interests
than ever before.
true that the Washington banks have
great responsibilities to discharge in
shaping the financial destinies of the
District of Columbia along sound and
constructive lines commensurate with
this expansion of things financial and
commercial and with the future de-
velopment of the new and greater
Washington.
Il am informed that the business
of the clearing house has increased
beyond the most hopeful expectations
and which. in the month of May just
past. handled clearings amounting to
$4,000. 900. while in 1917 $50,000,000
ing month. Total clearings for 1917
were s565944,72S, while in 1918 they
were s714,S90,17S.
Hopes for Conservation of Labor.
"Another imnortant matter which we
are hopeful will be accomplished as
a result of this convention is that our
member institutions will imbibe
system calculated to establish con-
servation of labor and of expense in
their interior workings, thereby elm
mating the element of waste and of
leakage by standardized forms. by the
Introduction of new and approved
methods of accounting and by other
devices to be advanced by those pre-
pared to speak upon the subject.
The days of reconstruction are
here and never in the history of the
banking interests was there a time
more opportune than the present for
the purpose of successfully accom-
plishing financial commercial and
managerial reforms. and even when
the normal conditions are resumed the
be multiplied many fold, all of which
will undoubtedly prove an inspiration
to approach the proposition with
greater energy than ever before"
Tells. "Value of Audits."
The Value of ADULTS" an address
by A c. Ernst of New York. was the
second number on the program
The subject was treated in an emf
nently practical manner. showing to
the bankers the real necessity of
keeping their fingers on the pulse of
the bank. knowing just where the
dollars that were taken in. went to,