Evening star., 1931-04-29
Seaboard Air Line.
RuSlness Sentiment Better.


"The business patient is going q live"
asserts Norman E. Towson IN the wash
kngton Loan g. Trust Co.'S monthly re-
zViev. The turn from extreme peSSLnlsm,
however, should be accepted with eau
lion. he adds. Too much optimism IN
sentiment is not backed by cold fgures.
The Gov ernment income tax payments
are down, the national debt Is on the
increase and the wheat surplus Is still
most battling. Foreign conditions are
hlso far from satisfactory.
Wages at present are uncertain, out
employm ent conditions are improving.
sThere is some Improvement in car LOAD
gngs, likewise in building operations. At
khe same time the banks are filled with
money that can't be loaned at anything
like desired interest rates. And the
stock market, which should not be con-
kidered toe closely with business, Is
much depressed because. of dividend
cuts and dividend omissions.
The worst Of the depression applars
spast, the young banker says, and sea-
sonal improvement appears likely dur
ing the aext three months, but probably
little more than that can be expected.
This is what one writer has called a
'post-depression year" and things al
Ways move slowly after an ecoromic
trash.
LanStOn Leads Local Market.
\ Lanston Monotype led the Wasling-
Bon Stock Market in volume Of Grading
Today and Mergenthaler Llnotyi% vas
also active Lanston opened at l00 on
B 20-sfare turnover. after which g. block
Of 100 shares and another OF 30 Ahares
sold at e8.
Mergenthaler sold in 40. 30, 10 and
20 share lots at go. Washington Gas
Light stock. now quoted eX-dl1.dend,
sold in small lots at l20. Other stock
also appeared on the board during the
session, but bonds were neglected.
Naticnal Savings &; Trust and Wash
Engton Loan g. Trust stocks are now
being quoted eX-divdend.
Bankers in Final Debate.
The final meeting of this terms
class n public speaking Of Washington
*Chapter, American Institute Of Bank
#ng. was celebrated last night 1t the
National Press Club with Frank NJ
Perley, president Of the chapter, pre-
siding.
The dinner was followed by a de-
bate on the question. Resolved That
appointment 70 official positions in
banks should be conditioned aY law
upon the successful passing Of tduca-
Eional, technical and moral tess by
the proposed appolntee.
Speakers for the atfrmatiN were
Miss Rose l. Royce, Washington Loan
& Trust Co; Miss S Winilre1 Bur
well, National Metropolitan Bai-k, Ar
thur E. Meade. Departmental Bank:
8Ralph J, Seltzer, American Security &
RTrust Co, alternate. For the mega
tive. Lloyd Johnson. Northeast savings
Bank; A. W. Sherman. II. F.. K,mbal,
Ameritan Security &; Trust Co Wal
ton l.. Sanderson, Federal American
National Bank & Trust Co, Alternate.
American Ice March Net.
The American Ice Co. reports for
nuayttl ended March 81, 1881, mt profit
bt $40 508C after interest, depreciation.
Federal taxes, etc. equlYalen 70 80
cer;s a share Cpar sIOOy Oh 10000
lhares Of per cent preferred stock.
rhjs compares with $50 800 or t6 cents
3 sEares on the preferred IL ne INST
.Isltes Of 1890.
STANLEY Carr, Washington representa-
Div. q. Chase National Bank. goes 10
New York in May 10 become associated
With toe branch administration depart
Inent OF that institution. Mr.. Carr was
pbnnected with the Guaranty Co OF New
York from 1928 10 1927. and opened the
locGl Office Of the Equitable Trust Co. OF
New YORK in 1927. When the trIst COM
&Canv merged with Chase National Bank
he iecame the latter's Washington rep
res rtatiye.
the Washington Office Of the National
City Co. has received a statcment as to
nc exact liability Of the Federal Land
Banks on the bonds OF each other. The
discussion was largely an academic one
but states clearly that all these banks
frr liable for each bond, "a joint and
Eeyeral liability TO all tie bondnolders.'
Net income of the Chesapeake d Po-
t0mac Co in March totalled Sl54,4 42C
hgainst $ll2,205 in March 1890 whil.
for the FIRST quarter net earnings
pea chec the sum Of $4l9.630 in tompari-
Sol. with $3ll 90l in the CORE pondine
perioo year ago. Gross also showed
SUI stantial advances.
Other Financial Notes.
The North American Co. has declared
the regular quarterly DIVIDENDS OF q.
per cent in common stock on the com,
mon and rs cents on the preferred
stock. both payable July to stock o.
record June 5.
President Joseph Schiavons Of the
international Exchange Bank has ius'
celebrated his hftieth birthday ami.
Seysargs