Evening star., 1926-03-21
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

Washington banks are expected
soon to. join the drive being made all
over the country for greater uni
formity in sizes of checks. drafts,
notes and other bank documents in
an effort to eliminate waste and save
a vast amount Of time as we'll as
money. The American Bankers AS
ISOLATION has been agitating this re-
form for some time and 1t Is already
In effect in several big cities.
The sweeping change will be OF
greatest Importance to employees In
the banks, but will also benefit the
public through the greater economy
and efficiency resulting. Under the
present system there is no uniformity
in the size Of the paper on which
checks and drafts are printed; the
amount of funds involved is placed
at the top on some and at the bottom
on others, and the numbers which
are used by banks to save writing
out the full name of the bank In
communicating with each other are
placed on about as many different
places as there are banks.
Clerks are greatly delayed In look
ing in different places on the checks
for the stated amounts of money ana
other facts they must have in their
tabulations. In the run OF a year
time lost in looking for dates,
amounts and in stacking the
various sized Instruments in separate
piles reaches surprising proportions,
although no one could say how mucn.
Drafts are sometimes large enough
to contain the pictures OF all the
banks former presidents.
Indians Heads Still Permitted
Personal checks used by women
are not to be printed on paper the
same size as that used by big com.
mercial houses. but the amounts VIII
be in the same general location ana
other facts will be found in spots
standardized on all like documents.
The grand old Indians head. the
bank building. the portrait OF the
president or any other raVorlte EN-.
bellishment will not become reiics OF
the past. A banks pet empiems'
Illustrations and even colored decora-
tions NAV still be used. provided these
typographical idiosyncrasies are con-
fined to a particular location.
Victor B. Deyber, secretary or the
Washington Clearing House Associa'
tion. viii bring the matter before the
next meeting Of this organization IN
resnonse to a request just received
from the American Bankers Assocla-
tion. 1t is also quite likely that the
District Bankers Association Will urge
the universal adoption or the desired
changes. The expense involved sn
changing banking forms is, or course.
very heavy. but is expected TO De
made up very rapidly In the time
saved. Printers of banking sation.
cry began to put out new standard
forms in many parts Of the country
on March i.
Bankers Watch Automobile Loans.
Washington bankers say that In
stallment buying Is looming larger
and larger on the banking horizon
and the subject is sure to demand and
receive more attention as time pases.
More than $4,000 .000. 900 Of new auto.
mobiles were sold on the installment
plan in 1925, according to a. survey
made for the American Bankers AS
ISOLATION. The report states that the
total amount of automobile paper out
standing at any given time Is close to
$500. 100000.
$50 far. automobile paper has been
sound" the report adds. THE loss
ratio has been very small, and banks
have had satisfactory experiences
with the finance companies. Any ten
and longer time would be the worst
thing that could happen in the auto
mobile industry. During the past
wear, due to competition. there have
been many threats of departure from
the standard terms
Trust Company's Views.
Purchases on the installment plan
are justified when governed by con-
servative principles. according to the
New York Trust Co.'S Index. "The
theory Of installment selling is rec
ognized as sound" states the Index.
"The abuse of the method Is the dan.
ger that Is feared.
1T is generally accepted that the
article purchased on installments must
have more than ordinary value and
permanence. Its value. for example.
throughout the instaliment period
must always be greater, despite depre.
citation, than the remaining INSTALL
ments.
ALSO. the initial payment must be
large enough to be an incentive for
meeting the remaining part Of the
obligation"
Action by the Washington Stock
Exchange in unanimously approving
and urging the passage by Congress
of the bill aimed to prevent the sale
of fraudulent securities in the Dis
trict of Columbia was gratifying to
the members of the Washington
Clearing House Association and the
Better Business Bureau, both of
which organizations are heartily in
favor of the bill. Lack Of some such
law in the District has greatly handi-
capped the Better Business Bureau
in its work. In cases where fraud
has been found 1t has been difficult
to take any drastic action to change
conditions.
At present anybody can sell any