Instructions of the Comptroller of the Currency Relative to the Organization and Powers of National Banks

DEPOSITS AND REDISCOUNTS WITH FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. 129

acceptances of the kinds hereinafter described, which have a maturity at the time of discount of not more than three months' sight, exclusive of days of grace, and which are indorsed by at least one member bank.

Any member bank may accept drafts or bills of exchange drawn upon it having not more than six months' sight to run, exclusive of days of grace, which grow out of transactions involving the importation or exportation of goods; or which grow out of transactions involving the domestic shipment of goods provided shipping documents conveying or securing title are attached at the time of acceptance; or which are secured at the time of acceptance by a warehouse receipt or other such document conveying or securing title covering readily marketable staples. No member bank shall accept, whether in a foreign or domestic transaction, for any one person, company, firm, or corporation to an amount equal at any time in the aggregate to more than ten per centum of its paid-up and unimpaired capital stock and surplus, unless the bank is secured either by attached documents or by some other actual security growing out of the same transaction as the acceptance; and no bank shall accept such bills to an amount equal at any time in the aggregate to more than onehalf of its paid-up and unimpaired capital stock and surplus: Provided, however, That the Federal Reserve Board, under such general regulations as it may prescribe, which shall apply to all banks alike regardless of the amount of capital stock and surplus, may authorize any member bank to accept such bills to an amount not exceeding at any time in the aggregate one hundred per centum of its paid-up and unimpaired capital stock and surplus: Provided further, That the aggregate of acceptances growing out of domestic transactions shall in no event exceed fifty per centum of such capital stock and surplus.

The discount and rediscount and the purchase and sale by any Federal reserve bank of any bills receivable and of domestic and foreign bills of exchange, and of acceptances authorized by this act, shall be subject to such restrictions, limitations, and regulations as may be imposed by the Federal Reserve Board.

127. REDISCOUNT OF PAPERS SECURED BY BONDS OR NOTES OF THE UNITED STATES ISSUED SINCE APRIL 24, 1917.

(Act Mar. 3, 1919, amending sec. 11, Federal reserve act.) (m) Upon the affirmative vote of not less than five of its members, the Federal Reserve Board shall have power to permit Federal reserve banks to discount for any member bank notes, drafts, or bills of exchange bearing the signature or indorsement of any one bor

115635-19--9

rower in excess of the amount permitted by section nine and section thirteen of this act, but in no case to exceed twenty per centum of the member bank's capital and surplus: Provided, however, That all such notes, drafts, or bills of exchange discounted for any member bank in excess of the amount permitted under such sections shall be secured by not less than a like face amount of bonds or notes of the United States issued since April twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, or certificates of indebtedness of the United States: Provided further, That the provisions of this subsection (m) shall not be operative after December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and twenty. 128. ACCEPTANCE OF DRAFTS OR BILLS OF EXCHANGE UPON NATIONAL BANKS BY BANKS OR BANKERS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES OR DEPENDENCIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

(Sec. 13 of Federal reserve act as amended Sept. 7, 1913.) Any member bank may accept drafts or bills of exchange drawn upon it having not more than three months' sight to run, exclusive of days of grace, drawn under regulations to be prescribed by the Federal Reserve Board by banks or bankers in foreign countries or dependencies or insular possessions of the United States for the purpose of furnishing dollar exchange as required by the usages of trade in the respective countries, dependencies, or insular possessions. Such drafts or bills may be acquired by Federal reserve banks in such amounts and subject to such regulations, restrictions, and limitations as may be prescribed by the Federal Reserve Board: Provided, however, That no member bank shall accept such drafts or bills of exchange referred to this paragraph for any one bank to an amount exceeding in the aggregate ten per centum of the paid-up and unimpaired capital and surplus of the accepting bank unless the draft or bill of exchange is accompanied by documents conveying or securing title or by some other adequate security: Provided further, That no member bank shall accept such drafts or bills in an amount exceeding at any time the aggregate of one-half of its paid-up and unimpaired capital and surplus.

129. PURCHASE AND DISCOUNT BY FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS OF OBLIGATIONS SECURED BY BONDS OF WAR FINANCE CORPORATION.

(Sec. 13, act of Apr. 5, 1918, War Finance Corporation act.) That the Federal reserve banks shall be authorized, subject to the maturity limitations of the Federal reserve act and to regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, to discount the direct obligations of member banks secured by such bonds of the corporation and to rediscount eligible paper secured by such bonds and indorsed by a member bank. No discount or rediscount under this section shall be granted

DEPOSITS AND REDISCOUNTS WITH FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. 131

at a less interest charge than one per centum per annum above the prevailing rates for eligible commercial paper of corresponding maturity.

130. LOANS BY FEDERAL RESERVE BANK TO MEMBER BANK.

(Sec. 13 of Federal reserve act as amended Sept. 7, 1916.) Any Federal reserve bank may make advances to its members banks on their promissory notes for a period not exceeding fifteen days at rates to be established by such Federal reserve banks, subject to the review and determination of the Federal Reserve Board, provided such promissory notes are secured by such notes, drafts, bills of exchange, or bankers' acceptances as are eligible for rediscount or for purchase by Federal reserve banks under the provisions of this act, or by the deposit or pledge of bonds or notes of the United States.