The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-08
Me and Mrs. Finnegdn
.HE financial problem of the United
 States is not generally understood.
By DIR. FRANK CRANE

II States is not generally understood.
 It is supposed by the public at large to be an affair entirely in the hands of few gentlemen who meet around the mahogany table in the back room of a bank.
 This back room, where Mir. Morgan, Mir. Baker, MT. Kuhn and few others carry on their mysterious rites, occupies the same place in modern civilization that the holy of holies, the council chamber of the Egyptian heirarchy, the star chamber, the priyy coun- cil of the king, and such like, occupied ID former epochs.
 l The people are not presumed to know what is going on there; they could not knoW' only rare beings have sufficient brain power to grasp the mystery of it; furthermore, It would not be good for them to know; the gentlemen above mentioned will attend to It for them; let them go on making money the kings of finance will manage its move- ment.
 Like all other great, deep and dark secrets and esoteric wisdom, this, too, is ntne-tenths ''bunk". As soon as the daylight IS let into one of the murky closed rooms where the elect sit, it is discovered that It's simple matter after all and that the secrecy ot It seems very much the same purpose as the lowered lights at the seance of spirit-raisins medium.
 There is no reason why the fiances of this
  elected by and responsible to the people, the clear light of day shining always upon all their undertakings.
 Take one instance. Cities, states, and the nation are constantly in need of money TOT Improvements Our country is yet In the max | ing. We need capital.
 When we need it we usually go to the money trust people for it. They have 1t. They are glad to lend it, for interest and a rake-off.
 Why not go to the people? If the city or New York wants million or a billion doiiars to build subway, or water works or an eiec- tric light plant, all it has to do IS to asA me and Mrs. Finnigan, the washlady' TOT It, "hu the money will be forthcoming.
 You could hardly name sum we could not sunply in amounts of $10 and up. Why not let us have a chance? There are a iot more of us than there are Morgans anu Bakers. 1r.: gan of our latent anarchy, make us good anu Iioval subjects of the realm, and altogether lm- prove our citizenship.
 The financial problem is not what half dozen big men shall do with their superfluous money. but what some ninety millions of ordi- nary people shall do with theirs. Y It is the man with $50 saved up that IS most limnortant, because he is so numerous
 It's no trouble to invest million. But know of no satisfactory way to invest q hundred. Of course, l can take 1t to the savings bank or the post office and get two or three per cent. But why can't have a whack at the subway bonds and get sixteet ner cent? Isn't my money good?
 The great financial problem before th's country is What are Mrs. Finnigan, the wash lIady. and I to do with our little old one hua- Idred? Why don't an alleged democratic gov ernment borrow of us? Sure, we'll lend it. cash, too 5 Gentlemen who run New York city, hsIeh' and I will show you plain way out Of your muddle. Just ask me and Mrs. Finnigt . and g the other little folk of your city for coap'e of billion dollars or so, to build your suh~a s l to pay off the high priests of finance Ena now have their hands on it.and let then go q or to do anything else you please; just ass us in the morning papers and by the c'oS.'s bour of banks you'll have what you Wa''S Sixteen per cent is good enough for us'