The available capital of American banks with foreign branches at present is inadequate to handle international bills. The imports and exports of the United States alone the last year exceeded nine billions, and the imports and exports of the world business handling international bills are very much larger yet. A number of the best foreign exchange experts engaged in handling such bills have declared themselves warmly in favor of this measure; they do not fear the Federal Reserve Foreign Bank; they welcome it, realizing it would serve the banks in the same way in the foreign field which the Federal Reserve Banks serve in a domestic way.
Importers and exporters who have studied the question strongly favor the publicly controlled Federal Reserve Foreign Bank. Preparedness now for after-war peace problems is urgent—other nations are vigorously acting. The United States cannot be a Great Leader of the world in Commerce and Finance unless it leads in fact by concrete steps and by wise laws providing the mechanism for such leadership.
THE END
Transcriber’s Note:
Typographical errors have been silently corrected.