Evening star., 1922-10-04
PRESIDENT LAUDS
AMERICAN BANKER
Message to National Asso-
citation Urges Aid in Pub
lie Economies.
EXTOLS HELP IN WAR
Country's Financial Leaders Held
First Among Modern Institutions
for Social Unifcation.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. October An a mes
sage to the American Bankers Asso7
citation, in convention here. President
Harding today urged that its mem
bers must lead in recommitting our
people to sane expenditures. to ways
of economy and thrift. and to the
consideration of municipal and ma
tional problems in that conscience
which builds the temple of con-
fidence."
The message. addressed to Thomas
B. McAdams. president of the Bank
ers' Association, follows:
public duties and personal cares
seem to have combined to render i'm
possible. once more, my acceptance
of the invitation to the annual gath
ering of the American Bankers As
sociation. My regrets are the more
poignant because 1 hoped to be able
to say some few things to your MEM
berS on this occasion.
War Record Praised.
my admiration and appreciation of
the part which the banking interests
played during and following the war
that l do not need to remind you of
my sentiments in that regard. Rath-
er, I wish to appeal to your great or
ganization In behalf of my conviction
that another, a more inclusive and
perhaps a more different opportunity
of service. is today presented to you.
'To the patriotism, steadfastness
and right thinking of its financial
leaders the country has owed very
much in connection with financing the
war. later in restoring stability. con-
fidence and security throughout our
economic structure. The banking
community has always co-operated
splendidly in dealing with these prob
lens.
But today our country. the world.
all humankind. are demanding that
this cooperation be extended to wider
realms: to those social, moral. ethical
problems which are crying for un-
derstanding attention. They cannot
be denied. They grow increasingly
insistent. They call for an applica-
ton of the same spirit Of wise and
willing cooperation which is the very
basis of the bank.
First in Social Unity.
IT have often thought of the bank
as first among modern institutions
of social unification. On the basis
of a complete confidence in its in
tegrity and aims, it aggregates to-
gether in vast available masses the
scattered bits Of credit and resources
which otherwise would be unavaila-
BILE for great undertakings and make
possible huge producing organiza-
tions, which characterize the modern
industrial community.
I'VE have come to times which
require like. aggregation of the
fal ha OF
moral inspirations and the best in
telligence In order to promote the
true welfare of men individually and
in communities. This / have come
to regard as the most pressing re-
quirement Of our day. and to its ac-
complishment 1 invite the assistance
of you mon. who have been fore
most among social 'co-operators.
1.-The world is not given to re-
warding those who serve it with op-
Instead, on those who have been
tested and found useful it is wont to
place yet greater burdens. To full
share in these obligations 1 am now
urgently inviting you. By expert
ence. knowledge and aims you bank
ers are peculiarly equipped to render
largest service in this wider sphere.
Devoted to Community Welfare.
1t has long been my observation
that the leadership of the banking
forces in the local community is ever
effective and devoted to community
welfare; and the same helpful rela-
tionship must be maintained through
out the nation and in the nations
outside relations.
Therefore, in recommitting our
people to sane expenditures to ways
Of economy and thrift, to the con-
sideration Of municipal and national
problems in that conscience which
builds the temple of confidence, the
banking forces must lead, and we
must have the widest commitment to
the prudence, the deliberate under
standing, and the preference for use
full service which make for the
security of our people as whole.
THE banker in extending credit
looks not alone to the schedule of his
customers tangible assets. He gives
to those elements of character which
constitute also the most commanding
of all securities.
so he is concerned to help develop
these qualities throughout his con-
stitutency. Every good citizen aspires
to the same end, and therefore it is
permissible to impose a special obli-
cation on the bankers, organized and
trained as they are in such affairs to
take very special part in this work
Trend to Scrutfnize.
"There is everywhere disposition
to scrutinize, to question. to examine
minutely into social and economic
institutions; to interrogate methods
of human integration and procedure
which have been so long accepted as
to have seemed automatic We shall
gain nothing by charging that this
spirit proceeds from malevolence and
teStitieS a diSorderly state of mind
we ought to recognize that it
largely represents a sincere wish to
improve conditions. History teaches
that blind effort to obstruct such
movements has often produced mo-
mentary disaster. but never prevented
ultimate advance. The world is too
old. and ought to be too wise. to re-
sort to such tactics now. Rather, it's
best Intelligence should be given to
open-minded cooperation in every
earnest project of inquiry and analy-
sis which looks to the general better
ment. :.
Thus will it's most capable leaders
help guide society away from pitfalls
and dangers, while keeping it moving
on the upward path. 1 count the men
of your profession as among such
leaders, and 1 know that whoever can
effectively impress you with the full
Importance of the duty am sue
gesting will find satisfaction in the
prompt and eager response which will
come to him."
The First Thing to Do
When You Return From