The White Falcon - 13.01.1945, Blaðsíða 2

2
Interior View of the National Bank of Iceland (Reykjavik)
-ABROAD IA ICELAND -
Banking is comparativ-
ely new in Iceland, the
first bank being establish-
ed only 58 years ago. Un-
til that time all money
transactions were in the
hands of merchants, who
at that time, were mostly
foreign (Danish). They
also conducted most of
the trade in Iceland,
through foreign capital
and credit. But in 1874
Iceland began to obtain
some financial independ-
ence and slowly began to
form a merchant class of
her own, which in turn
brought about the eslabl-
ishmerit' of a local bank.
Thp National Bank of
Iceland is the oldest, b&ing
founded in 1886. Later,
the Fishing Trade Bank
and the Rural Bank were
opened in addition to
numerous small savings
banks. The business struc-
ture is much the same as
that of banks in other
countries - there are mort-
gage, trust, checking and
safe deposit departments
- two percent interest is
paid on all savings ac-
counts. Due to wartime
restrictions, individual
accounts of foreigners are
not accepted but members
of the armed forces here
have found such banking
facilities a great conveni-
ence in the handling of
official business sucb as
company funds, PX trans-
actions and other financi-
al dealings.
Not many GIs know
that the krona is also the
money exchange used in
Sweden, Norway and
Denmark, but at a slight-
ly different rale of ex-
chance. Coined and print-
ed in England, it is the
only money ever used in
Iceland. Prior to its use
barter was the only med-
ium. The note circulation
has increased greatly
during the last five years
due to the presence of
troops here. From a circu-
lation of 12,000,000 kron-
ur in 1939, it has jumped
to 167,000,000 in 1944. Yet,
the krona has remained
surprisingly stable in. the
world money market. Due
to an international mone-
tary agreement entered in-
to shortly after the begin-
ning of the war in Eurojte,
Iceland expects to main-
tain the same rate of for-
eign exchange on the
krona that she has to date,
which has been a strong
factor in building up the
economic resources of the
country.
—Detroit Men
(Continued from Page 1)
good for many drinks!”
Along the entertainment
line, Russ Morgan and Jim-
my Dorsey played the Fox
Theater while the boys were
home. Neither GI attended
the movies very much, hav-
ing seen quite a few of the
films in Iceland months be-
fore.
Many of the men who have
returned here are singing the
latest jingles used as com-
mercials on the radio. Wells
recounts that the most pop-
ular songs on the “Hit Par-
ade” at the present time are
“I’m Making Believe” and
“How Many Hearts Have
You Broken?” Old timers
like “Always” are enjoying
new favor. Although the re-
cording ban has been lifted,
the quality of the new rec-
ords is so poor that few
people deem them V6rfh
purchasing. ”
Nemecheck, in addition to
doing some roller skating
and dancing, went hunting
several limes. He made a
nice haul of pheasants, rab-
bits and squirrels. He went
deer hunting, but remains
noncommittal about the re-
sults.
When he arrived at the
Detroit station, Cpl. Neme-
check was surprised to find
that the cab driver kicked
a civilian out of the cab in
order that he could ride.
“Doubling Up” is the com-
mon practice in taxicabs
now. All railroads allow ser-
vicemen to board trains first
so that they can get seats.
However, the men still have
to sweat out chow lines on
the diners.
Asked about the attitude
of the GIs stationed in the
States towards the men re-
turning from overseas theat-
ers, Wells commented that
tlie'lnen were very helpful
and did'all in theiF power
fo get the IBC soldiers out
of the camps and to their
homes. “In fact,” Wells add-
ed, “I believe they are very
sincere and mean it when
they say that they want to
come overseas.”
CLEAR CONSCIENCE
The treasurer of the Chi-
cago Transit Company rec-
ently received $22 and a note
from a midget. The writer
said: “For six years I’ve
been walking under your
turnstiles. I’m sorry.”
L
vvnen you eagerly snatch your mail some morning
you probably do not realize that oftentimes many GIs
have been up all night sorting and delivering it to you. . .
When mail arrives, whatever the hour, post-office and
censor personnel are all alerted—confined to their huts
until it arrives. . .Then they work on it until it is ready
for distribution. . .Christmas Eve, for instance, they work-
ed throughout the entire night. . .On some boat shipments
they have worked at 36-hour stretches... This is all in
addition to their regularly assigned duties during the day
. . . . However, compensation in extra lime off is usually
given later. . .Mail orderlies too, are called out in the
night if the shipment is sufficiently large. . .all to enable
you to have your mail at }he earliest possible moment
the next morning.
*
More and more “camp followers” are beginning to ap-
pear . ... Of all sizes, shapes and colors, they were a rare
sight in Iceland at first but now three or four dogs can
usually be found in any camp...For some GIs it must
have meant teaching an old dog new tricks (in English)
but now it is mostly the younger ones that are ’round. . .
All mongrels, they provide a touching companionship to
the men, especially the puppies. . . One guy in the Engine-
ers has grown so fond of his “Butch” that he is trying
to find some way of taking it back to his home when
he goes on T. D.
In picking up fellow GIs along the road, many tell me
that it is no longer easy to hitch rides anymore. . .In addi-
tion to fewer vehicles, they say that many Army cars
still do not bother to stop. . . and it isn’t because they
don’t have room. . .A victim myself at times. . .trying to
walk along a blustery, gale-swept, dark road as cars
whisk by is no fun.. .So, while it is the exception rather
than the rule , .let the “exceptions” take heed of the
need for a bit of cooperation and consideration and pick
up these GIs dlong the road.
*
GI Shopping Bag: Although acknowledgement has not
yet been received for all the Christmas flower orders
sent in to me, I do know that the majority did go through
. . .If the rest of you hear anything to the contrary, let
me know...As an aftermath of the holiday shopping
service conducted by this column, there are a number
of “year-round” catalogues available at this office that
are of a “general” gift character suitable for other oc-
casions... so anyone interested may drop in.
EXPERT TELLS HOW GAMSLSNG
ODDS WORK AGAINST GI NOVICES
There’s one civilian in the
U.S. who wishes to register
a beef about GIs — and he
wants them all to know a-
bout it.
He’s John Scarne, who
has made a career of expos-
ing card and dice gyps and
has carried on his own edu-
cational program for the
Army in lectures and artic-
les.
Here’s the gripe — Scarne
complains that GIs are still
letting themselves get clipp-
ed. “As far as the Army go-
es,” he says, “straight cheat-
ing has been largely elimin-
ated. The gambling hustler
isn’t making his money on
loaded dice today. But he
doesn’t need to — he’s clean-
ing up big on bum bets. The
great majority of players
just don’t know the odds,
and that’s what breaks
them.”
THE WHITE FALCON is published weekly by and for the
American Forces in Iceland, under supervision of Special Ser-
vice Section, Iceland Base Command. Some material is supplied
, Cuu.p New -.pap.-r .service New York City, republication
f which is prohibited without CNS approval. THE WHITE
7ALCON has been passnrt h- ‘he censor and may be mailed
iomo for one-and-one-half cents.
IBC Special Service Officer .Lt. Col. Lee -F. Gilstrap
Supervising Officer .......Lt. David Zinkoff
......... John Moran
Associate Editor .Sgt. J. Gordon Farrell
■ 1 ...........■ dobert Hill
' '* ! BipoHer ; . .1- 'E.’C. Gray1 '