The Nation: Fast Drawing Account

The casual customer at Dallas International Bank might be forgiven for thinking he had stumbled onto the set of a western movie. In the lobby, men stalked about brandishing shotguns and fistfuls of ammunition. But instead of taking money out, they were putting it in. The bank was giving away shotguns to anyone taking out a 21-year certificate of deposit for $1,800.

The strange gimmick was merely a Dallas variation on schemes that have rewarded depositors with toasters and transistor radios. Tellers are busily handing out shotguns, presumably with instructions not to load the guns until safely outside.