Evening star., 1924-09-14
BY 1. A. FLEMING.

One Of those sultry midsummer
days in Washington, back in July.
1907, the year of the silent panic"
frequently referred to also as "the
rich mans panic" a man stood in
front of the banking institutions Of
this city and actually fondled a roll
of bills while he discussed with him.
self the question of making de-
posit-the while 1T was almost i'm
possible to get money out of the
banks of New York or other large
cities.
Finally the decision was made, and
after few minutes conversation
with the cashier, the deposit was
credited to a new account.
The Washington bank cashier is a
real specimen of a gentleman, thor
oughly trained. and this means not In
any one way especially. but in many,
for it is a position that demands tnat
man shall be diplomat or the
highest order, that he shall be a
first-class mixer" that he shall have
the memory of a hotel clerk, not only
for persons, but for signatures as
wells.
He must be posted on the customs OF
banking, a good bookkeeper, that ne
must be a lawyer. or at least pos
seSSed of knowledge OF banking
laws. although th@ leading banks
have their banking counsel engaged
by the year-yet the cashier must De
well grounded in fact, for there are
questions popping up every minute IN
the day that he must decide oHhand'
some of them more or less serious III
their Importance.
Must Have Patience Of Job.
Even with all these attributes ana
qualifications, there is more needed'
one quality that the cashier must
possess in large measure-tne pa,
tience of Job. Otherwise he would
not he a bank cashier more than one
day And he will be called upon to
exercise this quality every banking
day in the year.
One would think this was equip
ment enough for the requirements OF
the position but they are not all that
is needed. The cashier should know
much of credits for he will frequent
ly be called upon to make loans ana
the study of local credits shoulo De
continuous and thorough. Bradstreet
and Dun will look after foreign cred
it's and furnish special reports when
asked.
More knowledge Needed.
Moreover, the cashier must nave
knowledge of commercial paper, even
though he may not be called upon 10
purchase 1t; he must be prepared IN
the larger cities and larger banks to
do an acceptance business, must have
a fair knowledge of income tax, IN
tangible and all other tax laws OF his
State. He must also be more or less
of an economist and acquainted with
commercial law and commercial GUS
toms.
cashier should be possessed of a
certain familiarity with business
conditions relative 10 the state OF
trade in various industries, and as ne
is frequently called upon to make ad-
vances on real estate and to recon-
mend and not infrequently trade in
mortgages and trust deeds, ne must
be entirely familiar with this phase
of business endeavor.
Ready to Advance.
Given all these qualifications and
the additional advantage of a good
presence the bank cashier is now pre-
pared to step up higher, needing only
experience. and not much OF that to
become an active vice president or
president. He is ripe for the ad-
vancement-
To this fact there are many ex-
ampIes in Washington. too many to
require a bill of particulars. 1t would
require a list of nearly all the presi-
dents and vice presidents-active-
from Charles Carroll Glover to Frank
j. Stryker, the executive head of the
Columbia National Bank.
Some Reasons Why.
A bank cashier requires diplomacy to
handle the perplexing questions that
come before him daily. A woman wishes
a check cashed and is ready to turn
loose a diatribe when informed that
she must be identified. She must be
handled with gloves, as must her sister
who presents a check drawn on another
bank and is up in arms because the
paying teller will not cash it. The
cashier satisfies himself as to identifi-
cation and the character of the check
offered and sends the ladies away, ready
to take all future troubles to the same
'high-grade gentleman" for unraveling.
With a man it is different, although
here, too, diplomacy is used. Letters?
Are the initials the same? Let me see
your hat?" Looks inside for initials
Just a moment, let me look at your
belt buckle?'
No Chances Taken.
And if there is the least doubt Of the
identification or of the character Of the
check, draft, letter of credit, telegraphic
order of payment or anything in con-
nection with the transaction the cashier
will take no chances. There are times
when the character and age of the ap-
plicant will induce the cashier to take
a chance.
In handling the immense business of
the banks of Washington. as of other
cities, some mistakes are bound to oc-
cur, but there are "overs' as well as
Shortages"
With the minor officers Of a bank
there are always appeals to the cashier
or vice presidents or president but the
cashier rarely appeals-he is merely the
deni.r court.
The Paying Teller.
A paying teller, when in doubt over a
signature, will take the document in the
case and the original signature of the
maker to the cashier for the quieting
of doubt or otherwise.
The paying teller himself is usu-
ally a wonder, the more so now that
he has very generally doubled up and
taken upon himself the added duties
of receiving teller as well. He must
know faces and signatures above
everything else. save the ability to
count money, and count 1T fast, and
sometimes continuously for hours at
| a time.
With thousands and tens of thou
sands of customers, he must become
| familiar with every signature and
every face: strangers must be identi-