Evening star., 1938-03-05

pursue the easier
course of allowing public relations to
take care of themselves.
It has been recognized that banks
have Jagged far behind our public
utility, industrial and merchandising
organizations in developing scientific
methods for meeting their public
relations problems. he continued.
This may be due partly to some i'm
preston that the attainment of sat-
isfactory results in such a program
calls for the services of a high-sal-
aried public relations expert.
Fortunately. there are several ap-
proaches to the main objective, and
some-publicity, for example-do re-
quire special aptitude and training,
such as would not ordinarily come
within the experience of the average
bank officer. Constructive customer
relations, on the other hand, with the
aid of studies now available, offers an
approach to the problem with rea-
sonable promise of success through
the use of the talent available in all
banks, and with little or no expense,
MIR. Vass said.
Bankers can i'll afford to ignore the
public's attitude in this day, when
democratic institutions are under at
tack throughout the world. Whatever
happens to banking in the future will
be largely determined by public opin-
ion, and that opinion in turn will
reflect to a great extent the under
standing and reactions of our Gus
toners.
1t has been stated recently that
there are 100000 savings depos-
itors in this country. These are the
citizens who continue. to practice
thrift in spite of the new philosophy
OF spending" They are the back
bone of this great democracy, and
their hopes and aspirations are de-
pendent on its preservation. The
banks have helped these people in
their struggle for economic independ-
ence, and it is our responsibility to
give them the understanding to pro-
tect their interests, the Washington
banker concluded.
Revival OF Thrift Urged.
At the same conference DR.. Marcus
Nader, New York University, urged
bankers to "reinstill the desire for
thrift" in the people so the building
OF the Nation MAJ go on.
To house the people of the United
States properly, in accordance with
the American standard of living, bill
lions of dollars will have to be spent.
This money will have to come out of
the savings of the people.
To promote thrift, he held. the
small saver must be assured that the
purchasing power of his savings will
not decrease materially.
Stanley M. Isaacs, president of the
Borough of Manhattan, New York
City, speaking in support of Govern
ment financing of housing for lower
income groups, contended such con-
struction, properly safeguarded and
under proper circumstances" would
not adversely affect private enterprise.
He pointed to Englands combined
government and private housing oper-
ations in recent years as a precedent |
for what might be done in this
country.
Statesmen Meet in District.
District sales managers and other |
representatives of Servel, Inc, from
all over the South met here today at |
the Hamilton Hotel and made plans
for extensive spring and summer SELL
Ing activities.
George S. Jones, jr., vice president
and general sales manager of the COM
pany, led the discussions, and Roderic |
Peters Of Washington, regional sales
manager, presided. Lew E. Libby,
lie Roy G. Ehret. w. w. Wallace and
F. S. Reid, all of the Washington Of
nee, also took part in the program.
-Four other officials from the head
ONCE, Evansville, Ind, were here,
as were salesmanagers from as far
South as Jacksonville, Nashville and
birmingham. The visitors expressed
optimism on the business outlook.
District Resident Promoted.
r. S. Agee, for the past three years
IN charge of utility and dealer sales
training and promotion for the WASH
mgton Gas Light Co., has been an.
pointed promotional sales manager
Tor the Association Of Gas Appliance
and Equipment Manufacturers and
Will assume his new duties in New
York on April l. Born in the heart
OF the natural gas fields in Oklahoma
IN 1906 Mr.. Agee's earliest mer-
chandising experience was as a sales
man of ranges and space heaters IN
that section.
Primm Wins Field Honors.
Paul H. Primm, president of the
District of Columbia Life Under
writer's Association, has qualified for
membership in the Field Club of the
Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New
York, for the meeting in San Francisco
in June. Mr.. Primm has been as
sociated with the Washington agency,
OF which Thomas p. Morgan, jr., is
manager, since 1924 and has won this
salesmanship honor nine times.
Telephone Calls Increase.
The number of telephones in the
Bell System reached a new all-time
high in 1887. At the end of the year
there were 15,332,0o0 telephones in
service as compared with theprevious
maximum number of 15,193,000
which was reached in 1880. The in
crease Of 878.400 telephones in 1887
was 2,100 less than the increase Of
$50, 500 in 1886.
The average daily number of tele-
phone conversations during the year
was 68,790,000. There were 6 per
cent more local conversations and
8 per cent more toll and long distance
finaS than in 102S