Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-06
URGES
THRIFT EDUCATION
President of Bankers Asso-
citation Sees Good Pros
poets for Business.
special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 Inc otoA'
ATLANTIC CTTY. october 6.-Pride
in his fellow bankers for the way in
which they have stood up during the
difficult times of the past two years was
voiced by Rome C. Stephenson of South
Bend, Ind, in a review of his years
term as president of the American
Bankers Association at the opening
| general session of the f1fty-second an
nual convention here this morning.
Describing how during the past year he
had travelled in the banking field from
one end of the country to the other,
Mr.. Stephenson declared that it had
| been a year of soul-teSting days and
nights for the banker everywhere.
"When we think of how many Of our
bankers have stood up under the stress
| and storms of these times and how
relatively few of them have proved
| wanting in the series of crises that have
assailed them, we may feel a sincere
pride in our fellow bankers" he said.
Confidence in Nation.
Mr.. Stephenson said he had come out
of this year of somber experiences not
as a pesSimist, but as an optimiSt--as
one with a renewed faith and conf
dence in the spirit of his fellow men
under overwhelming difficulties.
And particularly" he declared, "do I
come out of this year as a banker who
is proud of bankers for the undaunted
| way in which they have met their part
of the great test through which the
times have put the Nation. 1 believe
| that this year has brought new honor
to our banking traditions and our
| banking profession and has won for the
| banker new title to the faith and trust
| of all classes of his fellow citizens.
When we reflect that the entire hui
man economic structure has been
| brought to the verge of ruin under the
difficulties that have swept not only the
Nation but the entire world, and that
the results of events of this kind react
with particular directneSs upon the sta
bility of our banks, and yet how COM
paratively few have succumbed, we
may well renew our confidence in the
banks Of America"
Mr.. Stephenson said he hoped none
OF his successors would have the oppor-
tunity that he had had of seeing so
many of his brother bankers going
through al the purgatorial trials on
the economic calendar" AS for his i'm
mediate successor, he said, he could
confidently predict that he would not
duplicate the experience for he was
sure that before the next term of office
will have run its years course there will
be a very different state of affairs in
the Nation than has existed during the
past year.
He said that looking toward the longer
future he was convinced that the most
constructive action that can be taken
toward bringing about greater stability
in our business life is the development
Of a more balanced attitude in the
minds of all of the people in regard to
the right relationship between saving
and spending. He declared he did not
think it an impossible dream to bring
about an era of more intelligent and
economic planning en- the part of the
masses of the people, involving greater
saving during prosperity as a basis for
normal spending during less active
times. 1t is not impossible to change
the habits of the population, he said.
and he pointed out how the health of
the Nation in many ways had been i'm
proved by consistent programs of adyer-
Using and education that have brought
about better hygienic understanding and
practices.