Evening star., 1936-09-14
ABA. .HEADPO|NTS
TO BIG PROBLEMS
Fleming Stresses Impor.
tance of Coming ConcIave
at San Francisco.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

In these times with so much eco
homie unrest throughout the world
the coming meeting of the American
Bankers Association at San Francisco
should be one of the most important
In many years, Robert v. Fleming
president of the organization, declared
today only a few hours before he !!
to leave here for the Coast. Bankers
all over the country appear exceed
ingly anxious to discuss these economic
matters which affect all the people
and the banks, he added. 1t appears
to be q most vital time for meeting
OF this kind.
The attendance will be very large
the chairman of the Hotel Committee
reports. This Is also indicated by the
fact that three special trains will bt
run out of Chicago to accommodate
Eastern bankers. This has not oc-
CURED In recent years, in addition te
the regular train service, and clearly
reflects the importance of the coming
sessions in the minds of bankers, Mr.
Fleming said.
The program will cover the chic
issues now facing the banking world
Trusts, investments, management
public relations and similar problems
will be fully and ably discussed, the
Washington banker said.
Has Busy Program.
The A. B. A. bylaws require the
president to give a complete account
of the activities Of his adminlstra-
ton. This Mr.. Fleming will do. He
will report on the highlightS OF the
year, consider certain economic fac
tors and make suggestions pertaining
to these subjects.
In addition to his annual report, he
will address many of the division
meetings, sit at council, committee
and commission meetings and also
find time to drop in on other conven-
ton sessions.
During the convention he and Mrs
Fleming will be guests of honor at a
dinner given by Tom K. Smith, first
vice president, and Mrs. Smith and
he will be guest of honor at another
dinner rendered him by the bankers
of San Francisco.
Other bankers said today that he
has rendered particularly valuable
service to the A. B. A. during the last
year by keeping the association out
Of politics. He has steadily main
tanned that politics and banking do
not mix and that the A. B. A. Is not
q political organization. At the same
time he has met with rare success IN
dealing with Government officials.
Railroads Making the Grade.
'.The railways are slowly but surely
making the grade" says the Railway
Age. They reported an increase In
net operating income of l30 per cent
IN July. This is in sense misleading,
because their financial results in July,
1895, with which comparison is made
in published reports, were relatively
the worst in any month since April,
1888, while in July, 1886, they were
relatively the best in any month, eX-
cepting December, 1885, since July,
1888.
But the net operating income OF
over S30O,000000 earned in 1886 was
the largest in the first seven months
of any year since 1880, and was an in
crease of 35 per cent over the corre-
spending part of 1885. The improve
nent actually began in August, 1885,
and total net operating income earned
in the 12 months ending with July,
1886, was s578,4 10000. This was an
increase of 81 per cent over the pre-
ceding II months, and was substan-
TALLY larger than has been earned in
any calendar year since 1880.
Prospects of traffic and net earn
ings during the last one-third OF 1886
are still the best that they have been
since 1890"
Insurance Men Confer Here.
Representatives of the Connecticut
Life Insurance Co. from the District
of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Maryland
and Virginia, with the company less
than a year, opened four-day educa-
tional conference this forenoon at
the Hamilton Hotel, their attendance
being based on outstanding records.
Fred o. Lyter, sales executive from
the home Office, is in charge of the
conference and is presenting the re-
cults of Is years in the life insurance
selling field.
John L. McElfresh, local general
agent for the Connecticut Mutual,
stated that with life insurance enter
ing into the lives of 100000 Amer
leans, who have over 100000 100000
of protection, the necessity and re-
sponsibility for life insurance COM
panies having well-equipped repre-
sentatives in the field is evident in
order authoritatively to advise the in
suring public.
Those attending the conference are:
Baltimore, Cecil Ford and Ashley Og-
den; Harrisburg, Henry Rindzune;
Richmond, E. L. Bensen, jr.; William
B. Ferrell, ]. D. Fauntleroy, jr., and
Gilbert Leigh; Washington, John j..
Murray and Peter P. Liwski.
Traders Watching Maine.
The Maine election was one Of the
chief topics of conversation in the
Washington brokerage houses today.
"As Maine goes, so goes the market"
was a frequently heard quotation.
Veteran brokers, however, said that
regardless of the outcome, no State
election results would control the
Stock Exchange more than tempo
rarily. In the long run market action
is based largely on business figures.
Business reports, brokers comment
ed, remain highly favorable. The Re-
search g. Administrative Corp, In its
weekly summary, went so far as to
predict that business will continue to
improve for the next seven months.
This was one of the first forecasts
devoting particular attention to the
first quarter of 1887.
United Business Service, Boston, de-
votes considerable space to the rail-
roads, especially to car loadings. The
conclusion Is reached that further
sizabie gains in the net incomes OF
the carriers will be registered this