The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-11-06
A. B. (. OF FINANCE

The World War created new and gigantic problems of international if nance for the United States. And it placed new and increasing burdens upon our banks, not~the least of which is that of helping to educate the public to the international econo- mic point of view which postwar de- velopments and relations make inn perative.
 While we were engaged in develop ing our own country, our economic considerations, naturally, were chiefly domestic. But today we have billions of dollars invested abroad, through government and private channels, and the world is taking the products Of our fields, factories, and mines in quantities such as no nation has ever before been called upon to supply all of which must be financed And, consequently, there is urgent need for accurate, up-to-the-m1nute knowledge of worldwide financial and economic conditions.
 The American investor in foreign securities-and his number is rapidly increasing, and must continue to grow, if we are to take full advantage of our golden opportunity and to achieve our manifest national destiny wants to know about the character of the people of the country Tn when he is placing his capital. He wants to know their industrial character, their inventive qualities. the develop ment of the spirit of thrift, the degree of regard they have for faithfully fui- filling individual obligations, and the strength of their national Self-reSpect. He wants to know about the stability of their Government, and the attitude of their Government and the poht1cla clements making up that Government toward foreign capital. lie wants to | know about the social structure Of the | country and whether it has for years 1 maintained a. class of people In an ex- | plotted condition. He wants 10 know about the state of economy e2lsung In In 1 that country: as to whether it is in l the pastoral, agricultural, or indus l trial state of development, and the stability Of business life.
 Our foreign investor wants to know | about the VI :2riety of natural resource1 | the extent to which they have been developed, and the opportunities for | further expansior. He wants to know about the currency an dthe stability | of monetary values and exchange | yaI11es The prospective investor | must ge tan understanding Of how | the people live in the country IT | which he is making the investment ! characteristics of their life and the | relationship that we have had with | them in g. trade and investment way | These are all general questions tha' the American public must come to l appreciate and about WHICH they HhuS' | be informed.
 | In the case of a particular invest raent the American investor will want | in addition to this, information or more varied character If he Is making loan to the Government he will want to know about the state o1
 Governmen finance, the nat1ona
 debt. the revenues, the diversity o1
 revenues, the extent to which budgets ba1ance how the Government spends
 it's money, the relation of debt service Ito net revenues, the amount Of prop 1 ertv that the Government owns as al
 offset to the public debt, the extent tt
 which the Government is engaged II
 business undertakings, and a multi
 tude of other questions. In the cas-
 of a railroad, he will want to knov
 about the past history of the road, tn
 opportunities in it's territory, and tn
 character of it's management.
 To meet the demands for such in
 formation, the Guaranty Trust Com
 divisions concerned te a considerabi panv of New York has four sepafat extent with the gathering of it. The Foreign Credit Division eei lects credit information so that tn American exporter as well as fh American investor may have aeeufaf credit information about the firm with which he is doing business. For eign branches and affiliated institu tions having branches in other eoun : tries assist in the compilation of eredl
 information
 The Foreign Trade Bureau main ltains g special research bureau whic