Safeguarding Invested Capital. 19
effected, thus placing the entire investment position on
a sound basis at once; in others the reconstruction must
be brought about more gradually.
The recommendations finally determined upon,
together with advice as to how far and how soon the list
requires altering, are then submitted to the investor for
his consideration. Should he prefer not to follow his
own judgment in the matter, he is advised to consult his
broker, banker, or man of business, and it is also left
to his own choice to effect the proposed changes
through either his own or the Investment Registry’s
brokers.
Formerly the Registry used to carry out such ex
changes itself; but this practice led, in some instances, to
the belief that the Registry, being interested in the
amount of business done and the kind of securities into
which an exchange was made, could not give impartial
advice. As it is of the utmost importance to investors
to feel positively assured that the advice given is the best
procurable, the system of carrying out reconstructions
of investment lists through the Registry direct has been
discontinued.
It is sometimes suggested that the Registry should
confine its activities solely to advising investors, who
should afterwards act upon the advice without further
reference to the Registry.
This can, of course, be done, but in practice it has
proved most unsatisfactory. Sometimes the stocks
which the Registry recommends are not easily procur
able, so that others have to be substituted; the price to