Show FINDS STATE WELL supervised bankers body sees less politics in banking departments with better facilities in the hands of the responsible officials A survey of state banking depart ments by the state bauli bauk division american bankers association discloses a distinct tendency the past five years to take bank banic supervision out of politics to increase the discretionary powers of bank commissioners to lengthen their terms of office to supply them with adequate forces of qualified flod examiners band and to relieve banking departments of duties foreign to banking caya a recent statement issued by the association we have consistently urged that tile the office of bank commissioner be as free from partisan politics as the judiciary itself and that it be divorced from all other functions of state government ern ment the statement says further that hla his term of office be made more secure and lasting with sum dent clent sala salary and power granted to attract and retain the tha services of men of outstanding executive ability courage resourcefulness and successful banking experience five years ago the first survey of df state banking departments by the division demonstrated the need for or improvements improve prove ments on the tha basla basis of tata iata now lif land it II Is evident that through the revision of statutes atutes bt in many states abates rapid steps are being taken in the right direction one by one the stat states are aie coming to the primary of strong competent bank ing departments the demand for increasing the effectiveness of banking departments Is beginning to a met how bank commissioners are chosen the office of bank commis commissioner la is now operated a is an independent department part ment of slate government in thir ty tour four states the tha hankers bankers find in two states the ban bunk ac commissioner in t elected at general elections in one be Is appointed from froin eligible fists bats of the civil service aj aej in another he Is ese elected by the banks in one state the bankers association elects a list of flye five names from which the governor appoints one lis aa superintendent ot of banks in another he Is appointed by the state stata coi corporation por atlon commission lad in another by th the e state banking board a terms of office of bank commit commis have been lengthened in ser ier eral states during duriez the last live five years the tha report says in 28 states the term Is four years ears in III one five anve years and in three it Is six years and to in some the tha term la Is indefinite A short abort term is condemned oil the brounda that the commissioner has insufficient time to bacome thoroughly conversant with his held field work A longer term permits his ron rendering dering useful 0 through capitalizing saphi lining his experience experienc ei five years ag cipu u tha ille average length of service was less ban three years while now it has bas risen to alve years higher standards required signs of an ail awakening to the necessity of making successful banking experience a qualification for bank commissioner are evident while eleven states report no banking experience necessary the majority require experience of this sort ranging from two to live ive years twelve states now have banking boards with powers ranging ig from acting in an advisory ca acety to tull power over all state b aks to issue and reject charters A healthy sign la Is the number of reports which disclose vint that the corn com have full power to appoint bank examiners or that these appointments are ar made from civil service lists this power la Is now granted to the commissioner by twenty soven seven states three require that selection be from civil service lists complaints are stilt still made in a few states of political pressa press uee e in tho the appointment of examiners but the contrary seems seema to be true in III number of states the most capable commissioner cannot successfully perform his duties unless be is able to command tho the services of efficient honest examiners tile the safety of depositors is dependent on their work and their appointment fatness and compensation are highly important the number of examiners has hag In increased crewed 25 por per cent in tua the last five years |