Evening star., 1925-05-31
BY I. A. FLEMING.

for it's existence today 1t is helpful
to the member banks, reducing losses
through frauds and bad checks, Civ
ing publicity to sharpers and their
methods, exchanging. in way. credit
information, and keeping banks post
ed on matters of general policy and of
special interest.
Moreover, 1t has brought about
unity and harmony among the bank
ing fraternity that was impossible a
few years ago.
1876 at Bankers Meeting.
At get-together meeting last
Tuesday evening at the Columbia
Country Club there were 13o men
present, all, with the exception of
perhaps four or five, senior and Junior
local bank officials. Guests of the &C.
casion included Gen. Lord. director OF
the budget, who made the only long
address of the evening; Fifth Regional
District Bank Examiner Rorebeck,
the local examiner, with three assist
ant examiners; Carter b. keene, and
a few others.
In any large city a few years ago
il would have been impossible to have
brought together in social intercourse
as many bank presidents as attended
Tuesdays diner, unless, perchance,
there had been the prospect of
cadaver on the table for dissection
in the shape of a banking institution
in trouble, with good picking in the
form of business on its bones.
Bankers doing business in adjacent
buildings or in the same block rarely
met in a friendly way save at clearing
house meetings or at discussions or
policy involving the most important
business matters.
Sweeping Changes Noted.
In the good old days If one banker
was unfortunate enough to be stung
In making a loan, he kept II TO him
self as a matter of pride, not untlnged
with the hope that his neighbor
might be bitten in the same manner.
refusing TO put out red llEht OF
warning. as our bankers are doing to-
day when they deem it necessary.
were put forth to aid a crumbling
institution, even though it was evil
IDENTIFY worth the saving.
Bankers came together TO avert
calamity; they came in the emerg-
ency of panic to discuss ways and
means for avoidance of disaster; they
gathered around mahogany table
before and after the impending de-
struction of some big business, pre-
pairing to meet the same as best they
pearance of any danger signal.
Midweek Luncheons Useful.
In this city every Wednesday 20
or more local bankers meet around
the luncheon board every Wednesday.
This custom grew out of the occa-
sional luncheons of the general COM
mittee of the 1924 convention. held at
White Sulphur Springs, and has
proved so useful that ii was made
a permanent feature, the attendance
| growing weekly.
The president of the association
usually presides. in his absence one
of the vice presidents. and there are
present several bank presidents, vice
presidents and other officials. OF
| late the savings banks. which have
! heretofore not been largely repre-
sented at the weekly gatherings, have
sent their representatives more
| freely.
At a recent luncheon there were
I present officials of the Security Saw
| ings and Commercial. Bank of Com
merce and Savings, the United States
Savings, Washington Savings, North
| east Savings, McLachlen Savings and
! Citizens Savings Banks. and also OF
the Second National, Lincoln Nation
al, District National, Riggs National,
! Federal American National, National
| Metropolitan, Farmers and Mechanics
| National Liberty National and the
| Columbia National Banks. OF the
| trust companies, only the Merchants
Bank and Trust Co, Washington
Loan and Trust, and the Munsey
| Trust Co. were represented.
| Mutual Aid Growing.
| Representatives of these institutions
| have met week after week, greeting
| each other cordially, have exchanged
not only the compliments of the day,
but have repeated the story OF every
| effort to obtain money from their
| banks by fraud, have given the names
| and firm titles of bad checks makers,
of schemers trying to do business sole
" for the purpose of perpetratinS
fraud and in this way nave given pro-
| lection to each other.
| Trhev have discussed matters OF pol
| lev in the conduct OF the banking
! business, in connection with the az
| fairs of the District Bankers Asso-
| citation. and have been or the great
est assistance to Victor b. Deyber' the
| excellent president of the orSanlza-
| ton, whose term of office Will soon
| avnire and who has made a most en-
,;fs hIa racord for himself during his
| year "a chief executive of the organl'
| Zation.
| Helpful to Association.
| These luncheons are helpful to the
| district Bankers Association IN more
ways than one, just as the EFFORTS ol
90 bankers at the solution Oh proo'
lem are better than one. Each ieple-
| sentative of a member bank is en- :
thusias site in trying to be helpful ana
| they give their best efforts to the
success of their organization.
| lust now they are engaged IN
hoosting the next convention or tne
association, which meets at HOT
Springs, Va, June 25, 26, II ana 20
and at which 200 bankers ana tneir
guests will be present.
At this convention there Will be
hut one address delivered. Repre-
lsentative McFadden, chairman OF tne
House banking and currency COM
mittee in the last Congress, and
nrobably the next, will again explain
at length the various features of his
now celebrated bill for the amend
mont of the national banking act,
which has been passed in the House,
hut which will have to be relntro-
duced in the next session.
General Aims of Bill.
In a general way this bill gives to
the national banks privileges now en-
loved by trust companies and state
institutions, and Is designed 10 en-
courage National banks as well as to
bring in State banks, too, and by SO
doing uphold the Federal Reserve
system, now recognized as a boon tc
1.-THE entire country, an eradicator ol
panics and of money stringencies, il6
less than of ughtness and emergency
in the United States Treasury.
Thara will he three priZe ESSAYS oil