Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-14

Editor Every Evening: 1t may seem
strange that in these times, when scarcely
a week or day passes without some addi-
ton to the cost of living in spite oi ~
and % per cent reductions-theres should
he anyone left who could be shocked at the
most recent of them all | refer to the an
nouncement issued by the banks OF
charges to be levied against the poor man
account to take effect on july l. 1T IS true,
however, for the writer is one oi those
whose sensibilities to shocks oi TINS ma
ture are not quite dead yet ana ne mas
talked with others who still have some ne
left in them.
Bv personal solicitation, extensive
campaigns and advertising and many m
ducemcnts, the banks of the country have
for years striven to get persons OF limited
means to bank their money and pay theit
hills bv means of checks. This was called
educating the people, and much pride
was indulgcd in over the tact that INC
great American public was so much better
educated in this respect than that OF any
other country
This work, of course, cost the banks q
lotof money, but have they not thriven
and fattencd on 1t?
Now. however. that the great American
public. which after all is made up mostly
of pcrsops of small means, has passed
through the grammar school, IT is propos-
cd TO make it pay ut least IN this city, tor y
course in the high school OF finance TO the
tune 0f one dollar month twelve dollars
n vcar-unless it gives the banks tho use
Of two full hundred dollars at all times
This impOst may seem very sinait 20 tile
banks and would hc nothing TO the rich
man had he TO pay II, but to men oi small
means, especially those having large
families, IL is sir very serious additiohai
tov IN bis resources; II is almost the last
provcrhal straw
Would the banks he happy TO have All
accounts of less than 5000 withdrawn |
think not then does not this impost SAVIOR
of the gouging and squeezing Of the public
about which we have been hearing 50
much
Could bring mvsclf 70 believe that the
hanks we're really IN need ~ the money.
the extra money thus to he derived,
would grin rs pleasantly and hear u ~
gracefully as possible, but u ls common
rcnort that tho banks never before made
50 much money rs they are now, and nave
heen nmakInrforscveraly years and should
like to know If the stock Of any banN ~
town can be bought FOR SlOo. or even S1tn,
share.
Really however, there Is some humor
in the matter after all for accompanying
tbc harsh notice received from the bank
tbore i a MOI too we'll camOunagcd appeal
to tho poor nam to continue keeping mn
dear little account in the bank. thus ar
peal i, entitled What IS 4 hanh account
worth to the depositor9
The writer of il deserves commentator
for the pains hc has taken to thy e con
vince is of the awful Inconvenience Of
having our bills in cash, tho danger 81 loss
IL fire and theft. etc. and IN advancing
MANY reasons tor should say excuses for
the charges among which Is upkccp 81
buildings. hut not the cost Of those very
expensive buildings 50 loved and mdulgcd
in by banks.
Its claimed that il costs much IN excess
of 25 cents 2 week ~ handle chccklng
account. granted this Is true Ct ono %
saw one hundred accounts. but iSn true
of the several hundred that presumably
any large bank has | submit that 1t does
not take more or should not take more
than one hour time ot any clerk 70 handle
my httIc account against which not more
+ than dozen checks are drawn IN any one
month. whereas Il must take considerably
moro hours to handle accounts amounting
IL thousands q dollars against which
hundreds at chccke are drawn And We
little fellows are to pay the banks over SiN
pcrccntum for the use Of our money Whllc
the fellow Of larger means IS paid tor the
lse az his. and in addition has hls much
i more exclusive clcrcai work done irec q
An charge. Is It. | ask quite fair, IS i
good business?
Small Depositor.