FOMC Minutes

A meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee was held in the

offices of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Wash

ington on Monday, March 2, 1942, at 10:10 a.m.

PRESENT:

Mr. Eccles, Chairman

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Sproul, Vice Chairman

Szymczak

McKee

Ransom

Draper

Alfred H. Williams

Gilbert

C. S. Young

Mr. Leedy

Mr. Morrill, Secretary

Mr. Carpenter, Assistant Secretary

Mr. Wyatt, General Counsel

Mr. Goldenweiser, Economist

Mr. Rouse, Manager of the System Open

Market Account

Mr. Piser, Chief, Government Securities

Section, Division of Research and

Statistics of the Board of Governors

Mr. Clayton, Assistant to Chairman Eccles

Messrs. Paddock, McLarin, Davis, and Day,

alternate members of the Federal Open

Market Committee

Mr. Leach, President of the Federal Reserve

Bank of Richmond, and Mr. Zurlinden, First

Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank

of Cleveland

Mr. Sienkiewicz,

Conference

Secretary of the Presidents'

Mr. Morrill stated that advices of the election for the period

of one year commencing March 1, 1942, of members and alternate members

of the Federal Open Market Committee representing the Federal Reserve

Banks had been received, that each newly elected member and alternate

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member had executed the required oath of office (with the exception of

Mr. Fleming, who, because of illness, was not in attendance at this

meeting but to whom the form of oath of office would be sent for execu

tion), and that it

was the opinion of the Committee's Counsel on the

basis of the advices received that the following members and alternate

members were legally qualified to serve:

Allan Sproul, President of the Federal Reserve Bank

of New York, with W. W. Paddock, First Vice President

(President elect) of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston,

as alternate member;

Alfred H. Williams, President of the Federal Reserve

Bank of Philadelphia, with M. J. Fleming, President of the

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, as alternate member;

R. R. Gilbert, President of the Federal Reserve Bank

of Dallas, with W. S. McLarin, Jr., President of the Fed

eral Reserve Bank of Atlanta, as alternate member;

C. S. Young, President of the Federal Reserve Bank

of Chicago, with Chester C. Davis, President of the Fed

eral Reserve Bank of St. Louis, as alternate member; and

H. G. Leedy, President of the Federal Reserve Bank

of Kansas City, with William A. Day, President of the Fed

eral Reserve Bank of San Francisco, as alternate member.

Upon motion duly made and seconded, and

by unanimous vote, the following officers of

the Federal Open Market Committee were re

elected to serve until the election of their

successors at the first meeting of the Commit

tee after March 1, 1943:

Marriner S. Eccles, Chairman

Allan Sproul, Vice Chairman

S. R. Carpenter, Assistant Secretary

E. A. Goldenweiser, Economist

John H. Williams, Associate Economist

Walter Wyatt, General Counsel

J. P. Dreibelbis, Assistant General Counsel

Upon motion duly made and seconded, and

by unanimous vote, the Federal Reserve Bank

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of New York was selected to execute trans

actions for the System open market account

until the adjournment of the first meeting

of the Committee after March 1, 1943.

Mr. Sproul stated that at the last meeting of the board of di

rectors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Mr. Rouse was selected

as manager of the System open market account, subject to the selection

of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York by the Federal Open Market Com

mittee as the Bank to execute transactions for the System open market

account and to his approval by the Federal Open Market Committee.

Upon motion duly made and seconded, and

by unanimous vote, the selection of Mr. Rouse

as manager of the System open market account

was approved.

Upon motion duly made and seconded, and

by unanimous vote, the following were selected

to serve with the Chairman of the Federal Open

Market Committee (who, under the provisions of

the bylaws, is also chairman of the executive

committee) as members and alternate members of

the executive committee until the selection of

their successors at the first meeting of the

Federal Open Market Committee after March 1,

1943:

Members

M. S. Szymczak

Ernest G. Draper

Allan Sproul

Alfred H. Williams

Alternate Members

John K. McKee

Ronald Ransom

(To serve in the order

named as alternates

for Messrs. Eccles,

Szymczak, and Draper)

R. R. Gilbert

C. S. Young

(To serve in the order

named as alternates

for Messrs. Sproul and

Williams)

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At the suggestion of Messrs. Szymczak and McKee, Chairman Eccles

reviewed briefly the suggested program of Treasury financing set forth

in the memorandum which was sent to the Treasury on January 28, 1942.

He also discussed the difficulties which it

was felt were created by

the failure of the Treasury to adopt a long-term program of financing,

the discussions which members of the executive committee of the Fed

eral Open Market Committee had had with representatives of the Treas

ury with respect to a financing program, and the attitude of members

of the Treasury staff towards the problem.

If

substantially the pres

ent methods of financing were continued, he said, it

would be necessary

to create a large volume of excess reserves for the purpose of placing

the banks under pressure to purchase Government securities.

that the program suggested in

He stated

the memorandum sent to the Secretary of

the Treasury on January 28, 1942, proposed special types of tap issues

which were designed to attract as many non-bank funds as possible and

to meet the requirements of different classes of investors which it

was

hoped would reduce the amount of open market financing and the amount

of securities that would have to be purchased by banks to the lowest

possible minimum.

He made the further statement that it

was felt that

the members of the executive committee had done about all they could

in the way of suggesting a desirable long-term program to the Treasury.

He went on to say that the representatives of the Open Market Committee

had indicated that, if the suggested program were carried out so as to

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reduce the amount of open market financing to a minimum, the Federal Re

serve System would do everything within its power to insure the success

of such financing.

Presidents'

The Chairman added that it

would be helpful if

the

Conference could agree to a statement, which might be sent

to the Treasury, expressing their agreement with the suggested program

and their willingness to assume responsibility for the marketing of the

special issues proposed in the program.

Reference was made to the status in Congress of the second War

Powers Act which contains an amendment to section 14(b) of the Federal

Reserve Act which would authorize the Federal Reserve Banks to purchase

Government securities direct from the Treasury, and it

was stated that

present indications were that the bill would go to conference and that

the amendment would be adopted in its

original unrestricted form.

In

connection with a discussion of this amendment, Chairman Eccles sug

gested that the Presidents be furnished with copies of the memorandum

prepared by Mr. Goldenweiser under the title

Open Market".

".

. . But Only in the

A copy of the memorandum was handed to each of the Presi

dents during the course of the meeting.

Reference was made to the memorandum prepared by Mr. Piser under

date of February 23, 1942,

summarizing the discussions at the meeting

with representatives of the Treasury on February 20, and to the state

ment attached thereto, which had been prepared at the Treasury, and which

contained certain suggestions with respect to the open market financing

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program.

There was a discussion of the likelihood of the Treasury tak

ing the position at some time in the future that reserve requirements

should be reduced and of what might be regarded as the minimum maturity

of the long-term issues which it

per cent.

was expected would carry a rate of 2-1/2

Chairman Eccles reviewed the discussions at the Treasury on

the latter point and stated that it

had been agreed that, if

a public

statement were made with respect to the intention of the Treasury to un

dertake to finance the war at a rate not to exceed 2-1/2 per cent, the

statement would be made by the Treasury, that in order to provide the

necessary flexibility no reference would be made in

that statement to

the question of maturities, but that any securities with a maturity of

15 years or longer would be regarded as long-term issues which would

carry the 2-1/2 per cent rate.

It was also agreed, he said, that the

point at which support would be given to the market by the System would

be determined in discussions with the Treasury from time to time, that,

if at any time the pressure on the long-term market were such that it

became necessary for the System to purchase large amounts and financ

ing could not be done on the basis upon which the market was being sup

ported, the Treasury would want to consider the matter further, but

that, if

the market should decline to par on a 2-1/2 per cent 15-year

issue, the market should be held at that point for the reason that any

further decline would mean that the Treasury was paying more than 2-1/2

per cent on long-term securities.

Mr.

Sproul pointed out that in

speaking of a pattern of rates

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it

had not been contemplated that rates would be fixed for the shorter

term securities, but that flexibility in those rates would be permitted

to meet conditions,

and that it

was believed that this point in

gested program was now understood by the Treasury.

Chairman Eccles said that it

the sug

In this connection,

was made clear to the Treasury representa

tives that long-term securities might be anything from 15 to 25 years

and that the rate on 90-day bills could be anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 per

cent.

The letter transmitting the memorandum of January 28, 1942, to

the Secretary of the Treasury was then read, and Chairman Eccles called

particular attention to the fact that the memorandum did not represent

action by the executive committee of the Federal Open Market Committee

or of the full Committee but was the unanimous view of the persons re

ferred to in

the letter as having participated in the preparation of

the memorandum.

Mr. Leach stated that the short-term tap issue suggested in the

memorandum of January 28 would provide for redemption after six months

on 60 days' notice.

He said that at a recent joint meeting in Baltimore

of the directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and its

Baltimore Branch this point was discussed, without mentioning the pro

gram under consideration, and that it

appeared that at the present time

corporations and other large investors would be unwilling to commit

many of their short-term funds unless provision were made for redemp

tion in less than six months, and that, therefore, the short-term

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issue would be taken in much larger amounts if

provision were made for

redemption in four months or less even though no interest were allowed

in the event of redemption within six months.

In a discussion of this point, during which Mr. Sproul stated

that the Treasury might be willing to reduce the six months' period if

the rate were reduced, Chairman Eccles stated that if

corporations were

not willing to commit their funds for six months they could invest in

bills, the amount of which it

was hoped would be increased for the pur

pose of giving the necessary flexibility to the short-term market.

In response to an inquiry from Mr. Draper, Chairman Eccles stated

that the recent discussions at the Treasury had been with members of the

Treasury staff and not with Secretary Morgenthau, and that it

was not

known what the attitude of the Secretary would be toward the program

suggested in

the memorandum of January 28.

In a discussion of what, if

any, further action might be taken

by representatives of the System with respect to the adoption of a long

term financing program, it appeared to be the consensus that the members

of the executive committee of the Federal Open Market Committee should

take advantage of every opportunity to follow the matter to a conclusion

and that Under Secretary of the Treasury Bell should be advised that

the members of the executive committee would be glad to have further dis

cussions with members of the Treasury staff at any time.

Mr. Ransom stated that, if the Presidents adopted a statement in

support of the program suggested in the memorandum of January 28, 1942,

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he would assume that if,

in

subsequent discussions with the Treasury, a

modification of the program were decided upon the Presidents would have

an opportunity to discuss the proposed changes.

Mr. Sproul said that it

would be his understanding that, in the

event such a statement were adopted by the Presidents,

the members of

the executive committee of the Federal Open Market Committee would be

at liberty to continue discussions with the Treasury with respect to

rates and other points of detail, but that if

substantial changes were

made the Presidents would be given an opportunity to consider the

changes.

Chairman Eccles stated that before a decision could be reached

on a program it

would be necessary for members of the executive committee

to meet with the Secretary of the Treasury, that he (Chairman Eccles)

would like to feel that in such a meeting the members of the executive

committee would be in a position to agree to as much of the suggested

program as they could get the Secretary of the Treasury to accept and

that, if

the Treasury would not accept the entire program, the members

of the Federal Open Market Committee should be in a position to commit

the System to the extent that a program could be agreed upon without

being under the necessity of referring the matter back to the other

Federal Reserve Bank Presidents.

Mr. Davis expressed the opinion that it

was desirable that a

decision be reached on the question of a long-term program before the

Treasury was again faced with the necessity of going into the market

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for additional funds, and he suggested that the submission of any state

ment adopted by the Presidents be used as an occasion for a further dis

cussion with the Treasury.

Chairman Eccles then called upon the Presidents for an expres

sion of their views with respect to the program suggested in the memo

randum of January 28.

All of the Presidents and First Vice Presidents

in attendance at the meeting, with the exception of Messrs.

Leach,

Sproul,

and Williams who had participated in the discussions at the

Treasury and whose views were known,

expressed themselves as being in

agreement with the proposed program and indicated that they would be

agreeable to the adoption by the Presidents' Conference of a statement

in support of the program.

Mr. Leach renewed his suggestion that the initial

redemption

period on the short-term issue referred to in the memorandum be reduced

to two or four months with provision for no interest in the event of

redemption before six months from date of issue.

dents concurred in

Several of the Presi

this suggestion.

Chairman Eccles stated that, if

suggestion was an important one, it

it

were felt

that Mr. Leach's

could be proposed as a matter of

detail at the proper time without making it

an issue in

the discussions

with the Treasury with respect to the adoption of the general program.

Mr. Zurlinden said that, if

suggestion,

the Treasury were unwilling to adopt the

the program could be put into effect without it

and it

could

be determined on the basis of experience whether the change should be

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made.

Mr.

Gilbert stated that it

would be desirable if

the present

rate on Treasury bills were increased somewhat for the reason that a

higher rate would broaden the distribution of bills and effect a better

distribution of bank reserves.

During the Presidents'

statements, reference was made to the

suggestion that the Federal Reserve Banks offer to handle the sale of

the special issues proposed in the memorandum of January 28, 1942, and

Chairman Eccles stated that he felt that such an offer would be ac

ceptable to the Treasury and would facilitate the adoption of a pro

gram.

Chairman Eccles then inquired whether the Presidents felt that

there was any other form of open market security that could be offered

by the Treasury that would meet the needs of investors as well as a

long-term tap issue which, in effect, would be an extension of the

Series G issue on somewhat less favorable terms and would enable in

vestors to avoid the speculative element of market issues, the padding

of subscriptions to get a desired amount, or the payment of premiums

in the open market.

Mr. Davis stated, and other Presidents indicated

agreement, that the position was implicit in the program that had been

offered to the Treasury that market issues could not meet the needs

of certain investors as well as the suggested special issues.

Chairman Eccles stated that it

would be of considerable assist

ance to the members of the executive committee in

their further discussions

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with the Treasury if

the Presidents'

Conference would adopt a state

ment along the lines that had been proposed, and that the statement

might well include the Presidents'

reasons for supporting the program

and a statement of the willingness of the Federal Reserve Banks to un

dertake the distribution of the special issues contemplated in the

program.

Mr. Day, as Chairman of the Presidents' Conference,

that the Presidents would meet in

stated

a separate session to consider the

matter.

Reference was then made to the open market policy that should

be followed pending another meeting of the Federal Open Market Commit

tee, and Mr.

Sproul stated that this question was so closely related

to the financing policies adopted by the Treasury that, until a de

cision was reached by the Treasury on what its

future financing pro

gram would be, the Federal Open Market Committee had little

other than to continue the open market policy now in

choice

effect, and that,

therefore, he would suggest the renewal of the resolution adopted at

the last meeting of the Committee.

Mr. Ransom inquired of Mr. Wyatt whether the limitation of 5

billion dollars, which had been approved by the House of Representa

tives, on the proposed authority of the Federal Reserve Banks to pur

chase securities directly from the Treasury, should be taken into

consideration by the Federal Open Market Committee in connection with

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the renewal of the authority granted to the executive committee to ef

fect transactions in

the System account.

Mr. Wyatt replied that, since

the War Powers Bill which contained the amendment had not yet been

passed by Congress and it

was expected that the limitation would not

be in the amendment in its

final form, the limitation would have no

effect on the authority of the Federal Open Market Committee to take

the suggested action.

Thereupon, upon motion duly made and

seconded, the following resolution was

adopted by unanimous vote:

That the executive committee be directed until other

wise directed by the Federal Open Market Committee to ar

range for such transactions for the System open market

account (including purchases, sales, exchanges, replace

ment of maturing securities, and letting maturities run

off without replacement) as in its judgment from time to

time may be advisable in the light of existing conditions;

provided that the aggregate amount of securities held in

the account at the close of this date shall not be increased

or decreased by more than $500,000,000.

The resolution adopted by the Federal Advisory Council at its

last meeting, in which it was suggested that consideration be given to

the desirability of an increase in

offering, was then read.

the amount of weekly Treasury bill

Mr. Morrill stated that copies of this reso

lution and of a second resolution adopted by the Federal Advisory Coun

cil, in which the position was taken that reserve requirements of

member banks should be kept as stable as possible, had been sent by

the Board of Governors to the Treasury for its confidential informa

tion.

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Thereupon the meeting adjourned.

Secretary.