New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Banks Balk at
Order to Tell
Salaries Paid
Comptroller L Williams Ac-
cuses Pittsburgh Clearing
House of Forbidding the
Giving of Information
Stock Loans Data Sought
Treasury Official Again Hints
at Fancy Rates Obtained
on Loans i'm New York

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-The Pitts
burSh Clearing House Association was
accused by Comptroller Williams of
the Currency to-day of having forbid
den it's member banks to furnish data
asked for in the national bank call
Issued yesterday by the Comptroller.
Several items not heretofore given
ON the face OF the reports were re-
quested in the current call, the Comp
troller explained. These items, he
said, included a statement as to the
amount OF money which was being
loaned on bond and stock collateral in
New York City, statement showing
the aggregate amount of salaries paid
to the executive officers of banks and
the number of such officers and the
amount of salaries paid all other en-
ployees of the bank and the number of
such employees.
"The obvious purpose of inclusion Of
the clauses, apparently found objec-
tlonable in Pittsburgh" Mr.. Williams
said, was to develop whether money of
depositors in national banks is being
diverted from it's proper function of
supplying legitimate business and en-
terprise to earn fancy rates from the
need or recklessness of SPECTATORS at
a distance and whether dsproportion-
ate or improper amounts of the earn
ings Of banks are being expended in
salaries to officials. 1t is difficult to
understand why bankers, who have
used such money discreetly and with
and shareholders, should object to
make this information public"
Crops Up in Congress
Comptroller Williams's statement was
closely followed by introduction in the
House by Chairman McFadden Of the
Banking Committee of resolution to
declare the Comptroller to be without
authority to require national banks to
publish the salaries paid their officials
and employees in their financial re-
ports.
Representative McFadden also issued
statement declaring publication Of
figures as to salaries would result in
great harm because it will stir up
feeling between the employers and en-
ployees by pointing out in the way of
contrast, the salaries paid
Banks throughout the country, Mr..
McFadden said, are protesting strenu-
ously against complying with the
Comptroller's order on the ground that
it forces them to disclose heretofore
confidential information.
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 25.-when in
formed tonight that Comptroller of
the Currency Williams had accused the
Pittsburgh Clearing House Association
Of having forbidden member banks to
furnish data in connection with yester-
days bank call, John r. MacCune,
president of the association, said the
Information asked by the Comptroller
was being given.
Information Is Confidential
"At meeting of the association
yesterday, said Mr.. MacCune, 1--WE de-
cided, on advice of counsel. that we
were not required to publish in the
newspapers the salaries of bank Of
t'eials as requested by the Comptroller.
This information is given to the Comp
troller, but is not incorporated in bank
statements for publication. We believe
we are right in our position"
1t was pointed out by national bank
executives here tonight that the sal
airy of every official and employee OF
every national bank is regularly re-
ported to the Comptroller by national
Sank examiners and has always been
locked upon in the same light as other
confidential information requested by
the Comptroller.
Published statements Of the condi-
tion of national banks in Pittsburgh,
under the call Of the Comptroller sent
out yesterday, do not contain the sala-
RES of bank officials