The New York Stock Exchange in the Crisis of 1914 — John Shaqi
The New York Stock Exchange in the Crisis of 1914Noble, Henry George Stebbins
History
The New York Stock Exchange in the Crisis of 1914
Noble, Henry George Stebbins
New York Stock Exchange
By the latter part of September methods, as described above, had been
found for facilitating a restricted liquidation of listed stocks, and
of listed and unlisted bonds. Nothing, however, had been done to make
an outlet for unlisted stocks. The "Curb" market and certain prominent
unaffiliated houses dealing in these securities had loyally played
their part in suspending dealings, but symptoms began to show
themselves of possible revolt, and the Committee of Five set to work
to find a safety valve for this department also. The device of a
supervisory Committee had proven so efficacious in other directions,
that it was naturally turned to in this instance. The circumstances
differed, however, in one particular. The bond dealers had
spontaneously created for themselves the very efficient Committee of
Seven who took their affairs in hand, but the interests involved in
unlisted stocks did not show the same solidarity, and it was necessary
for the Committee of Five to take a hand in initiating action.
With this end in view they consulted Mr. Herbert B. Smithers, of the
firm of F. S. Smithers & Co., concerning the feasibility of having a
committee formed to pass upon and control a resumption of dealings in
unlisted stocks. Mr. Smithers was singled out for the reason that he
was a member of the Stock Exchange whose firm was among the most
prominent dealers in these securities, and the prompt and energetic
way in which he undertook the task proposed to him soon convinced the
Committee that they had not erred in resorting to him. He set about
organizing a Committee at once and on September 24th he appeared
before the Committee of Five accompanied by Messrs. A. C. Gwynne, F.
H. Hatch, A. H. Lockett, and E. K. McCormick. These gentlemen
announced that they were willing to act, with Mr. Smithers as their
Chairman, and a plan for the control of the market in unlisted stocks
was agreed upon.
In order to clothe this Committee (which included two Stock Exchange
members, two representatives of prominent outside dealers, and the
President of the Curb Association) with authority, the Committee of
Five directed members of the Exchange to submit proposed dealings in
unlisted stocks to them and abide by their rulings. The Stock Exchange
Committee could, of course, only control its own members, but it being
a fact that a very large part of the unlisted business emanated from
Stock Exchange houses, it was probable that their action would
determine that of unattached dealers. This expectation was, in the
main, borne out, and business in unlisted stocks began to be carried
on actively under the jurisdiction above described.
It is necessary to record, however, in the interest of preserving a
correct picture of the happenings of this momentous time, that the
smooth and gratifying operation of the various other Committees, which
sprang into being to handle the numerous problems presented, was not
entirely repeated in this case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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