Evening star., 1952-06-14

UuSlQeSS SESSION
Mr.. Didden. of the associa-
tion's 34th annual convention.
Robert C. Baker, executive vice
president of the American Secur-
ity & Trust Co., was elected
first vice president, and Francis
E. Robey, vice president, Bank of
Commerce & Savings, was ad-
Vanced to second vice president.
Elected to 4Oth Term.
Albert S. Galley, vice president
of the Lincoln National Bank, was
elected to his 40th term as asso-
citation secretary. Eldridge Kend-
rick was reelected secretary.
The bankers condemned "the
inadequate Federal payment to
the District of Columbia" in
strongly worded resolutions adopt
ed at the closing session.
They called on all Americans,
through elected representatives in
Congress, to recognize the present
Fiscal inequity."
Provision for payments to re-
fleet fully the Nations response
bility toward it's Capital City was
urged.
Drafted by a committee headed
by Bruce Baird. president of the
National Savings & Trust Co., the
resolution pointed to serious finan-
cial needs. A growing tax burden
it declared. exceeded taxes of
nearby Maryland and Virginia.
Needed Improvements Cited
1t cited capital improvements
listed by the Commissioners as
necessary to service the greatly
increased population of the Dis
trict, and added:
This huge backlog of unmet
needs is, in our judgment, COM
pelling testimony to the fact that
payments to the District by the
United Safes are grossly made
quate to discharge the national
responsibility.
1T is a generally accepted fact
that to increase the tax burden
in the District would accelerate
the movement of people and par
ticularly of business, which fur
nish a large proportion of local
revenues, to nearby areas with
resultant heavy losses in munich
pal revenues"
The bankers deplored "glaring
inequities" for their institutions
in the Excess Profits Act of 1850
and proposed legislation to remove
them.
Would Amend Section.
They advocated an amendment
to section "a of the Federal Re-
serve Act to modernize limitations
and restrictions on real estate
lending by national banks.
Another resolution pledged en-
couragement of regular savings
by the public and personal econo-
my. 1t also urged "the strictest
regulation of Government expen-
ditureS."
The associations new president,
Mr.. Didden, is a native of WASH
ington and a graduate of Catholic
University Law School. He is a
member of both the American
and District Bar Associations and
started his cared by practicing
law from 1884 to 1943. Then he
became president of the National
Capital Bank.
He has been active in the
bankers association, serving as
general convention chairman in
1850 and as second vice president
in the following year. He studied
in Washington Chapter, American
Institute of Banking, and is a
member of Gamma Eta Gamma,
Knights of Columbus. and the
Columbia Country Club.
He also is a director of the
National Capital Insurance Co.,
the Mann Co. of Washington, the
Boys Club of Washington and
Merrick Boys Camp.
Native of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Baker is a native of Penn
sylvania and is graduate of the
Wharton School, University OF
Pennsylvania. From 1928 to 1885,
he was associated with the Man
ufacturers' Trust Co. of New York
and Joined the Central National
Bank of Richmond in 1885.
He came here in 1945 as vice
president and director of the Co.
lumbia National Bank. which was
merged with American Security
in 1916. Mr.. Baker became vice
president of the latter institution
a director in 1948 and was elected
executive vice president in 1949
He was second vice president o1
the association in the last year.
Mr.. Robey. general convention
chairman for this years conven.
ton, started as a runner with the
Bank of Commerce and Saving:
in September. 1918. and was elect.
ed vice president in 1914.
A native of Washington, he at.
tended public schools here. tht
Pace Accounting and Law Schoo
and the Washington Chapter o.
the American Institute Of Bank
ing. He is a graduate of the Grad
uate School of Banking at Rutger!
University. He also is past pres
ident of the ALB chapter.
Mr.. Galley, elected for his 40tl
year as association treasurer, ha
been associated with the Lincoln
National Bank since it's founding
in March, 1890. He became vic,
presidept in 1922.