MONETARY HISTORY CALENDAR March 7-13

MARCH 7

1976 – DEATH OF WRIGHT PATMAN, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN FROM TEXAS, CHAIRMAN OF US HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BANKING & CURRENCY (1965-75)
“When our Federal Government, that has the exclusive power to create money, creates that money and then goes into the open market and borrows it and pays interest for the use of its own money, it occurs to me that that is going too far. I have never yet had anyone who could, through the use of logic and reason, justify the Federal Government borrowing the use of its own money... I am saying to you in all sincerity, and with all the earnestness that I possess, it is absolutely wrong for the Government to issue interest-bearing obligations. It is not only wrong: it is extravagant. It is not only extravagant, it is wasteful. It is absolutely unnecessary.
“Now, I believe the system should be changed. The Constitution of the United States does not give the banks the power to create money. The Constitution says that Congress shall have the power to create money, but now, under our system, we will sell bonds to commercial banks and obtain credit from those banks.
“I believe the time will come when people will demand that this be changed. I believe the time will come in this country when they will actually blame you and me and everyone else connected with this Congress for sitting idly by and permitting such an idiotic system to continue. I make that statement after years of study.
“We have what is known as the Federal Reserve Bank System. That system is not owned by the Government. Many people think that it is, because it says `Federal Reserve'. It belongs to the private banks, private corporations. So we have farmed out to the Federal Reserve Banking System that is owned exclusively, wholly, 100 percent by the private banks — we have farmed out to them the privilege of issuing the Government's money. If we were to take this privilege back from them, we could save the amount of money that I have indicated in enormous interest charges.”
- Congressional Record, 1941

MARCH 9

1933 – EMERGENCY BANKING ACT PASSED
The bill authorized the President to regulate or prohibit the exporting, hoarding, melting or earmarking gold and silver coin and bullion during time of war or other emergency. The act compelled all individuals to pay and deliver all gold coin, bullion, and certificates to the Secretary of the Treasury and required payment in an equivalent amount of coin or currency. for those coerced deposits in any equivalent amount of coin or currency. The act in effect terminated the gold standard.

2005 – MSNBC REPORT ON US INFRASTRUCTURE
MSNBC reported that the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nations infrastructure an overall grade of D, including its roads, bridges, drinking water systems and other public works. “We need to establish a comprehensive, long-term infrastructure plan. We need to but we can't because government at every level is broke." MSNBC report
The Kucinich plan to democratize the US money system, (H.R. 6550 in the last Congress) calls for creating US debt- and interest-free dollars to employee people to address this infrastructure crisis.

MARCH 11

1893 – PUBLICATION OF “PANIC CIRCULAR” BY THE AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION [Note: Many individuals, including several US public officials, claimed they received the document. The American Bankers Association denied its authenticity].
The document calls on member banks to incite a financial panic to prevent greater public controls of banks, to counter increased public sentiment toward government-issued money and as a means to oppose silver (as opposed to gold) being used as a backing for currency.
The alleged document stated,
“You will at once retire one-third of your circulation (your paper money) and call in one-half of your loans. Be careful to make a monetary [emergency] among your patrons, especially among influential businessmen…
“The future life of national banks, as fixed and safe investments, depends upon immediate action, as there is an increasing sentiment in favor of Government legal-tender notes and silver coinage.”

** BONUS: Here’s a link to a wonderful 4-minute video from the United Kingdom calling for “One Good Cut.” It advocates cutting the greatest government subsidy of them all — the license to banking corporations to print money. http://www.onegoodcut.org/

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Why this calendar? Many people have questions about the root causes of our economic problems. Some questions involve money, banks and debt. How is money created? Why do banks control its quantity? How has the money system been used to liberate (not often) and oppress (most often) us? And how can the money system be “democratized” to rebuild our economy and society, create jobs and reduce debt?
Our goal is to inform, intrigue and inspire through bite size weekly postings listing important events and quotes from prominent individuals (both past and present) on money, banking and how the money system can help people and the planet. We hope the sharing of bits of buried history will illuminate monetary and banking issues and empower you with others to create real economic and political justice.
This calendar is a project of the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee. Adele Looney, Phyllis Titus, Donna Schall, Leah Davis, Alice Francini and Greg Coleridge helped in its development.
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