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Show ! PUBLIC CONFIDENCE I RESTORED BY BANKS : American Bankers Association Describes Its Activities to Aid Better Understanding NEW YORK. - Eight different lines of activity through which the American Bankers Association Is constantly aiming to promote belter public understanding and opinion io regard to banking and the attitude atti-tude of bankers toward legislation are described In detail in a statement state-ment made public here by R. S. Hecht, president of the association. The aim, he says. Is "to strengthen the real basis- for good opinion In regard to the banks." through fostering fos-tering informative bank advertising In the newspapers and In other ways The statement was issued in reply to suggestions received urging a nationwide na-tionwide public educational program In regard to "the business of banking and Its place in the economic life of our country." Mr. Hecht declares that "we have tried very hard to convince the public pub-lic that the banking fraternity has truly profited by the lessons of the past, is determined to approach all questions of banking policy from the broad viewpoint of public welfare and is prepared to carry its full share of the burden in connection with all efforts to restore sound prosperity in this country." The Means Employed In describing the various measures meas-ures of the association "to exert a beneficial influence on public opinion regarding the functions, methods and operations of banks." Mr. Hecht enumerated the following activities: 1. The Public Education Commission, which prepares plain language talka about bankng for use of bankers and others before schools, civic clubs and over the radio. 2 The Constructive Customer Relations Rela-tions program, installed in many banks to help qualify bank employees to promote pro-mote a better infurmetl and more sympathetic sym-pathetic attitude among their customers custom-ers regarding banking. 3. The Publicity Mepartment, supplying sup-plying city and country daily and weekly newspapers with articles regarding re-garding banking and allied subjects and furnishing the general press with news and information regarding the activities of the association. 4. The Advertising Department, supplying sup-plying members of the association with a series of Informative newspaper newspa-per advertisements setting forth in brief, popular language the methods and policies under which banks operate, oper-ate, their effective practices for protecting pro-tecting depositors' funds, the services they render and the various ways in which they cooperate with business in their own communities in fostering sound recovery and progress. 5. The Executive Officers and the Committee on Ranking Studies, who are active, particularly at Washington, Washing-ton, in consulting with Administration and Congressional leaders in formulating formulat-ing prooosals for banking reform based on broad lines of public welfare. 6. The Agricultural Commission, promoting pro-moting among bankers In the farm districts the practice of aiding their farm customers in installing on their farms better financial and operating methods. 7. The American Institute of Banking, Bank-ing, having primarily to do with the technical education of the younger banker, but now directing these efforts toward also playing a part .in improving improv-ing public relations for banking as a whole, particularly through stressing the public responsibilities and the ethical eth-ical aspects of practical banking. S. The publication of "Banking," the official organ of the association, circulating cir-culating among bankers, bank directors, direc-tors, business executives, economists, law firms, government departments, libraries, college, public schools and other publications, presenting articles regarding banking and hnnking viewpoints.. view-points.. The Objective Sought In commenting on the foregoing program, Mr. Hecht says that It Is not "the primary objective to attract attention particularly to the American Ameri-can Bankers Association as such, but rather to focus attention on and give Impetus to those Ideas which It believes are beneficial In promoting promot-ing understanding and solidarity among banking, business and the. public." He adds: "Our program for the development of satisfactory public relations for banking does not consist merely of, newspaper publicity. It Is calculated , to produce a continuous and cumulative cumu-lative effect by varied efforts which are aimed to work day In and day out to strengthen the real basis for good opinion In regard to the banks. "To have favorable things said about the banking business in the newspapers and over the radio is, the association recognizes, very helpful toward creating a sound public pub-lic opinion regarding banking. But the association believes that the most important thing ultimately la to foster throughout the banking profession the doing sincerely of those things that reflect favorably the sound, helpful practices of the business of banking, and that then the true news of Its constructive activities will constitute the best answers to attacks and misrepresentations misrepre-sentations of banks and bankers." |