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The Seaforth News, 1958-01-30, Page 7Annuul Meeting of Shureholders The Royal Ban of Canada James Muir declares Electors and Government` jointly responsible with Business and Labour in curbing inflation Creation of new financial institution suggested to fill need for more adequate long term export financing. Time ripe for Money Market to assume more positive function. Although the round-robin of cost and price rises is undoubted- ly an inflationary factor, even the best- intentions on the part of both labour and management cannot long resist an inflation- ary environment created by ex- cess spending through errors or inefficiency of monetary and fis- cal management, declared James Muir, Chairman and President of the Royal Bank of Canada in his address at the bank's an- nual meeting in Montreal on Thursday, January 9th. "In such a situation, wages would rise. even without trade unions to press for them," said Mr. Muir. "The employer finds that to in- crease production in response to rising demands, he must bid for labour at a. higher price. He may often find it necessary to raise prices, but these higher prices can be paid only because the original inflationary environment makes it possible for his cus- tomers to pay them. Under these conditions, wages and profits rise together, but they are symptoms rather than the cause of'Tnflation. "However, once the circle is broken, by effective monetary and fiscal policy, mutual res- traint is clearly in order. Profits fall first and unions might well at this point temper the wind to the shorn lamb. In fact, if we are to obtain not merely full employment and growth, but stability as well, the exercise of restraint in making demands mustbecome the responsibility not only of labour and business, but of electorate and government as well." FREE EXCHANGE RATE Mr. Muir mentioned that among the 'built-in stabilizers' of the 'economy is Canada's free foreign exchange rate, and, point- ed out that in the absence of flexible price levels and with a domestice fiscal policy geared to 'full employment', the floating exchange rate provides the only mechanism of adjustment, other than rigid exchange controls, to the ever-changing requirements for equilibrium in Canada's in- ternational accounts. "It is some- times argued that the investment flow covers our trade deficit," said Mr. Muir, "and that any stoppage of this flow would be disastrous. But, we should re- member first•that a large part of our imports are the result of the inflow of investment funds; and, second, that, should foreign Investment (a n d investment - induced imports) fall • off, our flexible exchange rate provides an automatic device for adjust- ing any deficit remaining in our trade in goods and services with the outside world." HELP FOR EXPORTERS Mr. Muir pointed out that de- serving businessmen seeking. ex- port markets may be hampered by inadequate export financing compared with that available to their foreign competitors. "As matters stand at the moment," he explained, "we have an absurd situation. A Canadian industry, for example, obtains . an order from abroad amounting to mil- lions of dollars and the export Credits Insurance Corporation guarantees to any lender the re- payment of this paper over a period of years. However, when the exporter considers his own SMALL BORROWER NOT NEGLECTED "Generally speaking, banks are in position to take care of the legitimate needs of all credit -worthy small to moder- ate borrowers," said Mr. Muir. "In the past few months, how- ever, there has been a great to-do about scarcity of credit for this sector of our economy; and government authorities have apparently become ex- ercised about it. Frankly, I. am baffled when I read of these, things and I cannot es- cape the impression that the whole ease must be grossly exaggerated, or that, perhaps without realizing it, we may be witnessing an evolution in this field. It may be that a fundamental change is taking place in our economy and that the small merchant is experi- encing something that credit cannot help. There is some evidence not only that sales outlets are becoming more and more concentrated, but that sales and production units are developing an increasingly close relationship with one another. "From the inception of the tight money policy, your bank has made it clear by word of mouth and by repeated writ- ten communications to all of our branches that they were still required to deal sympa- thetically with applications for personal and small business loans. "In spite of our lending pol- icy there has been a reduction not only in the number of, bor- rowers but a substantial re duction as well in the amount borrowed in this particular field. As far as this bank is concerned, the credit facilities have been available, our Man- agers have known of this p01 icy, and yet it would . seem that small borrowers have not taken advantage of their op- portunities to obtain credit" financing, we have no device within this country suitable to his needs. "What he requires is the dis- count of paper maturing over a period of years or a term loan for a similar period secured by that paper. During a period of tight money, the chartered banks do not have available in any quantity funds for this purpose. The result has been that some of our Canadian corporations have had to go outside the coun- try to arrange their credit re- quirements with non -Canadian banks. We have actually seen cases in which the absurdity arises that a Canadian bank is asked to lend its customer money which he, in turn, deposits with anon -Canadian bank to facilitate that foreign bank's lending operations. "I would liketo suggest that a consortium of Canadian banks, Canadian exporters, and perhaps other interests, should consider the formation of a company with power to discount commercial paper covering the kind of long- term export transactions which I have here described." Total lksseis have now passed $33/ billion mark K. M, Sedgewick, General Manager, noted that not only had the assets of the Royal Bank reached the imposing total of $3,760,544,617, but that mortgages under the NationaliAHousing Act had increased by more than $30,000,000, reaching a figure of $216,590,000 which represents ap- proximately 38% of the total for all Canadian banks. Mr. Sedgewick reported the year's net profits at $13,919,550, an increase of 11.6% over the previous year, and that capital funds now stand at more than $202,000,000. "The Balance Sheet confirms that the cash position of the bank is strong," he said. "As- sets in this form, coupled with Canadian. Government Treasury Bills and Day -to -Day Loans rep- resent 22.5% of the bank's 'ag- gregate liabilities to the public." "Because of the peroid of so- called digestion through which we are now passing," remarked Mr. Sedgewick," we look for no particular increased demands from industry as a whole, but we wish to emphasize that the real needs of our credit -worthy customers, small or large, are of concern to us, and are needs whichwill be satisfied within the. limits of our ability." Discussing the bank's exten- sive building and renovation program, Mr. Sedgewick report- ed that the bank now operates a system of 821 branches in Can- ada and 82 abroad — a total of 903, representing an increase of 31 during the past year. Includ- ed among new branches was one established at Frobisher Bay, the first Canadian bank to be open- ed in the Arctic Islands. ROYAL BANK ABROAD "Due to experience gained in more than 50 years since our first branch was established abroad, we arL well equipped to deal with the peculiarities of in- ternational banking," said Mr. Sedgewick. Referring to the Brit- ish West Indies area where im- portant constitutional develop- ments are taking, place, Mr. Sedgewick mentioned that the bank is playing a part in assist- ing in the economic growth of this newly developing member of the Commonwealth family. He also spoke of the unusual op- portunities which exist for young men with the aptitude and desire for a career in interna- tional nternational banking, pointing out that there are openings in the bank for a select number of such young men each year. BROADER MONEY MARKET Four years ago, Mr. Muir re- called, he had mentioned that it might be worth while to in- vestigate the possibilities of a short-term money market •in Canada. "Such a market," he said, "did come into being about six months later. We should, I believe, now study the possibili- ties of broadening the base of our money, market. As of now, the only instruments available for use within this market are Government Treasury Bilis and government bonds with a matur- ity not exceeding three years. What 3 have particularly in mind is a study of possible steps to achieve the stature of a real money market, that is, a market that would include commercial paper in the form of bankers' acceptances. Useful as our pres- ent money market is, it would, I believe, be worthwhile to de- termine whether or not it is ready by this time to outgrow its swaddling clothes and become a more lusty and an increasingly independent part of our financial system." Royal ,='ask Head Reviews Past, Envisions Future Mr. James Muir, Chairman and President, said: "I shall not attempt today to determine whether in the gobbledy-gook of economic forecasting we are having a 'recession' or a 'rolling readjustment'. Whatever we call the phenomenon it is abundant- ly clear that, though all infla- tionary forces have not disap- peared, we have reached what seems to be the end of the latest Inflationary surge. A mild slump at this time should cause little surprise or apprehension: it would be unrealistic to expect our economy to go on expand- ing indefinitely, without some kind of breathing spell. "Lower interest rates do not mean that money has become"°. really 'easy' and it is unlikely, in my view, that the time is yet ripe to adopt either deficit finan- cing by government or easy moneypolicies by `the monetary authority and - the • chartered banks. It would seem that now, as in 1953 and 1954, price ad- justments are necessary to main- tain stability and prosperity at home and to ensure our compet-' #tire position in world markets. The fact that lower taw material eosts have not been reflected in retail prices means today, as in that earlier period, that we have suffered not only from, open in- flation but from a concealed in- flation of •production and distri- bution costs. The . process of healthy adjustment would seem now to require the elimination through price reductions of in- flated production and distribu- tion costs. A tight money policy has inhibited inflation and has indeed been instrumental in breaking the circle and ending, for the time at least, the round- robin of cost and price increases that can continue' indefinitely only if the money supply or the velocity of the monetary circu- lation is allowed to increase." * ' o "Four years ago I mentioned that it might be worth while to - investigate the possibilities of a short-term money market in•Ca- nada. Such 'a market did come into being about six months • later. We should, I believe, now .study the possibilities of :broad- ening the base of our money market. As of now the . only in- struments available ' foruse within il'l's market are , Govern- Ment Treasury Bills and Govern- ment Bonds with a maturity not exceeding three;years. What I have particularly in mind is a study of possible to achieve the stature of a real 1'„oney mar- ket, that is, a market that would Include commercial paper in the form of bankers' acceptances. Useful as our present money market is, it would, I believe, be worthwhile to determine whether or not it is ready by this time to outgrow its swad- - dling clothes and become a more lusty and an increasingly inde- pendent part of our financial system. "Today, in contrast to the high spirits and great expectations of a few years ago, we find a grow- ing uncertainty and lack of en- thusiasm. This is an, extreme that we should avoid. After all, we have the same country with the same people,` -the same enor- mous natural resources, and the same potential for prosperity and economic growth.. There is no reason, therefore, for a pes- simism born of a temporary check to the'allnost unbelievable prosperity and expansion of the past few years, Let us then re- member the principles of ser- vice and humility which, in pros- perity, we tend sometimes to forget. But let us remember them, not in a spirit of gloom and guilt, but as sources of even greater strength in Canada's continuous and inspiring strug- gle towards the great destiny which, 1 believe, Providence it- self has ordained for this young, strong, growing giant of the north." Big Business As R. H. Macy , & Co., Inc., began celebrating its 100th year, a just -published book gives. an idea of the magnitude of the giant enterprise. Besides the parent store (19 floors, 163 selling depts.), Macy's numbers 32 other complete de- paslment stores, including five branches in the New York area. Its •30,000 employes sell mer- chandise at a $450 million -a -year clip, packing it in 4,848 miles of cotton twine and 5.7 million boxes. The whole incredible story of the growth of this greatest of emporia is told in a new book by Margaret Case Harriman, "And the Price Is Right.” She tells Macy's story in terms of its people from Rowland H. Macy, the seafaring Quaker who started it all, to autocratic "Mr. "Jesse" Straus, who turned it into a public corporation in 1919. Macy set up his store in 1858 at the then -residential corner of Fourteenth Street and Sixth Avenue, ("Come, come, time, time, come, come, time, time, the time has come," roared one of his early newspaper ads.) The Strauss family, which had oper- ated a china concession for Macy, became partners in 1888, after the founder's death, and owners 'in 1896. Six years later, the Strauses moved Macy's uptown to Herald Square, where bright merchandising — plus a long- standing policy of 6 per cent off for cash - sent Macy's rocket- ing to success. 'There, beginning in the 1920s, Kenneth Collins left off teaching English at Harvard to organize the group of bright young women who wrote the ads that gave Macy's its modern stance. One was Bernice Fitz -Gibbon, who wrote the famous slogan: "It's smart to be thrifty." Mrs. Harriman •does not over- look such minor characters as Toni Maloney, a porter "with the shamrock in every syllable." A male customer once asked Tom if he could point out the Chintz Room. "That I can," said Tom, escorting him to a door labeled "Men." She also lists the distinguished Macy graduates — fiscal expert Beardsley Ruml, hat merchant Lilly Dacha, poetess Margaret Fishback, to name a few. An- other later won fame on Broad- Way. "I walked out at 1 o'clock one day and never went back," says .actor Tom Ewell. Macy's nevertheless sent him a full week's pay. "I guess they didn't miss me," Ewell adds. . —From NEWSWEEK. Unafraid Of Toil People in the Agricultural Ex- tension Service at 'Athens (Georgia) are quite elated this week, and understandably so, over the accomplishments of a 4-11 Club member in growing sweet potatoes. Freddie McLeod had a net re- turn of $1,152 from two acres of sweet potatoes. Freddie is just 13, but he .prepared and cultivated his crop with all the forethought and care of a juve- nile Burbank. Naturally, he used certified seed. The two acres received heavy,Japplieations of fertilizer, and the crop was hoed twice and cultivated twice. It was properly dusted to keep insects away. Freddie put the money in the bank, against the day when he attends college. The Extension Service happily observes that Freddie, rt the rate he's going, should L3 able to send money home instead of writing home for help. In these days of juvenile way- wardness and the aversion of many boys for anything resem- bling toil, the example of Fred- die McLeod shines like a beacon. Georgia could use to advantage many more just like him. —Atlanta Journal. MERRY MENAGERIE C5 z 1.9 ...`.,a... .-,..... it* VT71.10, 'Going home to her mother again—but she can never stay Mad long enough to get there:" BAC ICAC H E May beWarninq Backache le alien caused by lazy kidney action. 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