The Washington times., 1922-09-23
ADysssg'1s ysSg1sHaeH# Hea#e BUSINESS AND FINANCE dHE5
FINANCE
|RUsiNEss
BY b. o. FORBES.


Do people throughout the country
regard New York as q cold, inhos-
pitable city?
A good many of them I rather
think do.
New York is shortly to have its
hospitality tester.
Several Thousand bankers from all
corners of the country are to come
to New York at the beginning of next
month to attend the annual conven-
ton Of the American Bankers AS
sociation.
Will New York rise to the coca
sion?
A little inter- in the month the In
vestment Bankers Association is
going to hold it's convention at Del
Monte, Cal. f.- ..-
Which of the two groups of bank
oers will be more cordially and win
pingly treated?
Will California hospitality outdo
New York's hospitality?
Frankly, no one need have the
slightest doubt concerning the re-
be accorded when they visit Cali
fornia. They. will be treated roy
ally. That goes without question.
What of New York?
I rather think thai the visitors
will be very agreeably impressed by
the courtesy and kindness rendered
them by the big city.
The atmosphere in, quite a few
of New York's livest financial insti-
tutions Is very different today from
what II was in former times. The
old-fashioned, ultra -dignified bank
president who considered IL unbe-
coming to smile or unbend in any
way Is passing. At least half Of
New York's banking institutions are
now headed by men Of the more
modern school. These men know
how to smile, they know how to
laugh, they know how to be human.
They know the value Of cultivating
attractive personalities. They know
that people like to do business with
people they like.
They know that winning good will
helps to win deposits.
Also, most of our younger gen.
Grafton bankers know how to play.
The leaders among them carry such
burdens and responsibilities that
they can keep themselves in ply.
sical and mental trim only by in
dulging in a rational amount of
recreation. The wisest Of them
nowadays seek their recreation
more often in the open air than
their predecessors did. Listen to
the conversation when bankers and
responsible business men meet one
Another away from their places Of
business, and you will find that the
talk Is oftener about golf scores
than bridge scores or poker win.
nings.
That the banking fraternity in
New York will do more than they
have ever done before to make
pleasant the visit Of outside bank.
ers attending the convention can
be accepted as certain.
AS for the general run of New
Workers., visitors, whether bankers
or butchers or candlestick makers,
must make allowances for the diff
ference between life and conditions
in the metropolis and in smaller
places. The well-recommended per-
son who visits a small or moderate
sized town can be taken to one
or two clubs and there meet most
Of the local citizens of prominence.
Also, II is much easier to recognize
visitors in smaller towns.
To the New Yorker, everybody
native and stranger-looks alike.
There is no POSSIBLE means OF
enabling the rank and file of the
people to distinguish a visitor. No
visitor can possibly be brought into
friendly contract with a thousandth
part Of the people OF New York.
Notwithstanding frequent COM
plants of a different tenor, am
willing to predict that our visiting
bankers will not find any lack Of
cordiality or hospitality on the part
Of those, they meet, those they are
brought into direct contact with. in
New York. rather believe that
some of those who have visited
New York in past years will find
that New York has made consid-
erable progress In the direction of
hospitality.
After all. isn't a reputation for
hospitality worth having? II hap
piness be the supreme pursuit of
the human race. Is II not Of deep
importance that individuals and
towns and cities should earn a
high reputation as dispensers of
happiness?
Copyright 1se2, by b. c. Forbes)