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 Washington on Monday, October 6, 1947, at 10:30 a.m.

PRESENT:

Mr. Eccles, Chairman

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Sproul, Vice Chairman

Szymczak

Draper

Evans

Vardaman

Mr. Clayton

Mr. Whittemore

Mr. Gidney

Mr. Davis

Mr. Peyton

Mr. Morrill, Secretary

Mr. Carpenter, Assistant Secretary

Mr. Vest, General Counsel

Mr. Thomas, Economist

Messrs. Thompson, Stead, and John H.

Williams, Associate Economists

Mr. Rouse, Manager of the System Open

Market Account

Mr. Thurston, Assistant to the Chairman,

Board of Governors

Mr. Sherman, Assistant Secretary, Board

of Governors

Mr. Smith, Economist, Government Finance

Section, Division of Research and

Statistics, Board of Governors

Mr. Arthur Willis, Special Assistant,

Securities Department, Federal Reserve

Bank of New York

Messrs. Alfred H. Williams, Young, Gilbert,

and Leedy, alternate members of the

Federal Open Market Committee

Messrs. Leach, McLarin, and Earhart, Presi

dents of the Federal Reserve Banks of

Richmond, Atlanta, and San Francisco,

respectively

10/6/47

Upon motion duly made

and by unanimous vote, the

the meeting of the Federal

Committee held on June 5-6,

approved.

and seconded,

minutes of

Open Market

1947, were

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, the actions of the

executive committee of the Federal Open

Market Committee as set forth in the

minutes of the meetings of the executive

committee held on June 5 and 6, June 30,

and August 6, 1947, were approved, rati

fied, and confirmed.

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, the action taken

by the members of the Federal Open Market

Committee on July 2, 1947, approving the

following amended direction to the Federal

Reserve Banks which discontinued the posted

rate on Treasury bills issued on or after

July 10, 1947, was approved, ratified, and

confirmed:

Until otherwise directed by the Federal Open Market

Committee, the 12 Federal Reserve Banks are directed to

purchase all Treasury bills issued prior to July 10, 1947,

that may be offered to such Banks on a discount basis at

the rate of 3/8 per cent per annum, any such purchases

to be upon the condition that the Federal Reserve Bank,

upon the request of the seller on or before the last

business day preceding the closing day on which the

Treasury will accept tenders of the bills for new Treas

ury bills, will sell to him Treasury bills of like amount

and maturity at the same rate of discount. All bills pur

chased under this direction are to be held by the pur

chasing Federal Reserve Bank in its own account and

prompt reports of all transactions in Treasury bills

are to be made to the Manager of the System Open Market

Account.

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Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, the action taken

by the members of the Federal Open Mar

ket Committee on August 8, 1947, approv

ing an amendment to the direction issued

to the executive committee on June 6,

1947, to provide that transactions in the

System account shall be for the purpose

of supporting the current issuing rate

on Treasury certificates instead of an

issuing rate of 7/8 per cent, was ap

proved, ratified, and confirmed. The

direction as revised read as follows:

The executive committee be directed, until otherwise

directed by the Federal Open Market Committee, to arrange

for such transactions for the System open market account,

either in the open market or directly with the Treasury

(including purchases, sales, exchanges, replacement of

maturing securities, and letting maturities run off with

out replacement), as may be necessary in the practical

administration of the account or for the purpose of main

taining an orderly market in Treasury securities and a

general level of prices and yields of Government secu

rities which will support the Treasury current issuing

rate for certificates and 2-1/2 per cent for 27-year

bonds restricted as to ownership; provided that the

aggregate amount of securities held in the account at

the close of this date [other than (1) maturing bills

transferred to the System account from the option ac

counts of the Federal Reserve Banks pursuant to the

direction issued by the Federal Open Market Committee

on May 5, 1947, bills purchased outright in the market

on a discount basis at the rate of 3/8 per cent per

annum, bills redeemed or exchanged at maturity, and

bills taken in exchange for maturing bills, and (2)

special short-term certificates of indebtedness pur

chased from time to time for the temporary accommoda

tion of the Treasury] shall not be increased or de

creased by more than $2,000,000,000.

The executive committee be further directed, un

til otherwise directed by the Federal Open Market Com

mittee, to arrange for the purchase for the System open

market account direct from the Treasury of such amounts

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10/6/47

of special short-term certificates of indebtedness as

may be necessary from time to time for the temporary

accommodation of the Treasury; provided that the amount

of such certificates held in the account at any one time

shall not exceed $1,500,000,000.

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, the action of the

Federal Open Market Committee on Sep

tember 4, 1947, increasing from $2 bil

lion to $2.75 billion the authority of

the executive committee contained in the

first paragraph of the direction issued

at the meeting of the full Committee on

June 6 and amended on August 8, 1947, was

approved, ratified, and confirmed.

Mr. Rouse presented, and read the important parts of, a

report on open market operations prepared by the Federal Reserve

Bank of New York covering the period from June 5 to October 1,

1947, inclusive.

He also presented a supplementary report cover

ing transactions on October 2 and 3, 1947.

Copies of these re

ports have been placed in the files of the Federal Open Market

Committee.

Following a brief discussion of the

reports, upon motion duly made and sec

onded and by unanimous vote, the trans

actions in the System account for the

period June 4 ,to October 3, 1947, inclu

sive, were approved, ratified, and

confirmed.

Before this meeting there had been brought to the attention

of each member of the Committee a report of examination of the System

open market account as of June 27, 1947, made in connection with the

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regular examination of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and

submitted by the examiner in

charge for the Board of Governors.

The report took no exception to the manner in which the account

was handled during the period reviewed and stated that the ac

counting procedures,

records,

system of internal control, and

degree of care exercised by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York

in connection with the account continued to be regarded as ade

quate to its efficient administration.

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, the report was

received and ordered filed.

Mr. Rouse stated that with the disappearance on October 2,

1947,

of option bills

he had contemplated suggesting that the state

ment of procedure for the allocation of securities in the System

open market account among the Federal Reserve Banks be revised to

eliminate the references to option bills.

The problem had been

discussed with Mr. Smead, Director of the Division of Bank Opera

tions of the Board of Governors,

be simplified somewhat,

who felt

that the procedure might

and Mr. Rouse proposed that Mr. Smead and

he review the procedure and submit a recommendation to the Committee.

Upon motion duly made and seconded

and by unanimous vote, (1) the allocation

of securities in the System account on

October 1 was approved, ratified, and con

firmed, and (2) it was agreed that Messrs.

Rouse and Smead should study the procedure

10/6/4 7

-6

and submit a report to the executive com

mittee of the Federal Open Market Commit

tee for consideration and recommendation

to the full Committee at its next meeting.

At this time Mr. Ralph Young, Assistant Director of the

Division of Research and Statistics of the Board of Governors

entered the meeting.

Chairman Eccles called for the reports of the economists.

Mr. Thomas read a paper on "Inflation and Credit Policy" which,

after discussing the present inflationary development and com

menting that the Federal Reserve System now faced the question

of placing real restrictions on credit expansion,

stated that

there were four possible lines of policy which the System might

consider for dealing with the situation:

(1) Support short-term interest rates at present levels re

gardless of what further credit expansion might occur;

(2) Permit a gradual further rise in short-term rates for

the purpose of creating some uncertainty in the market

and endeavoring to find whether credit expansion would

thus be discouraged;

(3)

Abandon the policy of interest rate control and adopt

a policy of control of the volume of bank reserves,

which would be a return to prewar procedures and

might be the only possible means of actually checking

further credit expansion, and under which it would be

difficult to predict what would be the effect on in

terest rates and on the Government security market;

(4)

Push more vigorously for enactment of the Board's legis

lative proposals, which proposals seemed to provide the

only really effective solution to the present problem,

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but which probably could not be enacted early enough to

deal with the current rapidly developing inflationary

pressures.

Mr. John H. Williams discussed the current outlook, giving

special attention to the foreign situation and demands of other

countries for goods produced in the United States.

He stated that

the present situation was not one which could be dealt with satis

factorily by use of traditional monetary controls which might op

erate to bring about a deflation through reducing production, em

ployment, and pay rolls, that restrictions in the money supply

should be considered, but that they did not provide the answer

to the present problem which called for a further increase in out

put of goods.

Copies of the statements by Messrs. Thomas and Williams

have been placed in

the files of the Federal Open Market Committee.

Following a discussion of actions that might be taken to

combat the inflationary situation, the meeting recessed and re

convened at 10:45 a.m.

on October

7, 1947, with the same attendance

as at the close of the session on October 6, except that Mr. Thomp

son and Mr. Ralph Young were not present.

Mr.

Carpenter read a memorandum dated October 1, 1947, pre

pared in the Division of Research and Statistics of the Board of

Governors on open market policies for the near future.

The memo

randum, a copy of which had been furnished each member of the

10/6/47

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Committee before this meeting, reviewed current monetary factors

and presented questions for System consideration together with an

outline of various policies that might be followed in dealing

with the present situation.

Chairman Eccles discussed briefly the effect of recent

gold imports, the possible effects of a further small increase

in the short-term rate, and the importance of action to stop

the rapid increase in bank credit through the medium of bank

loans which were expanding at a rate of about $10 billion a

year, thereby adding to the money supply at a more rapid rate

than could be offset by the reduction of Government debt.

He

also mentioned the change in the lending policies of banks re

sulting from the recent increase in the short-term rate and

stated that, while a further increase might have some psycho

logical effect on the banks and on their lending policies,

it

would not have any effect on the desire of the public to borrow

from the banks and that additional steps to meet this problem

would be necessary.

He went on to say that he was satisfied from a recent

conversation with Under Secretary of the Treasury Wiggins that

the Treasury would not be willing to concur in a further increase

in the short-term rate unless it

could be shown that it

an anti-inflationary effect that would make it

would have

worth the additional

10/6/47

cost.

-9

It

would not be possible, he said, even if Congress were

sympathetic, to obtain enactment of the proposals contained in

the annual reports of the Board of Governors for 1945 and 1946

in time to be of any value.

He questioned the ability of the

System to do much to affect the existing situation but said

that there were steps that could be taken, including an effort

to persuade member banks to look at their loan policies from a

national credit standpoint.

In this connection, he said it had

been suggested that a statement be issued by the Board of Gov

ernors,

the Comptroller of the Currency,

the Federal Deposit In

surance Corporation, and the Association of Supervisors of State

Banks, which would warn the banks of the danger of further credit

expansion and would exercise a restraining influence on further

expansion of bank credit.

During the discussion of what such a statement might con

tain, Chairman Eccles said that there had been discussions of the

matter with representatives of the Comptroller of the Currency,

the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Association of

Supervisors of State Banks, and that further meetings were being

arranged.

He added that these discussions grew out of a suggestion

which he had made to Under Secretary of the Treasury Wiggins last

summer that a meeting be called of representatives of the Federal

bank supervisory agencies for the purpose of discussing closer

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10/6/47

cooperation between the agencies, that such a meeting was called

at which it

was agreed that there should be closer and continuing

cooperation, that subsequent meetings were held and that further

discussions would be had looking to the issuance of a statement

along the lines referred to above.

After commenting on the questions presented in the memo

randum of October 1, 1947, previously referred to, Mr.

Sproul

stated that an overall credit policy designed to curtail the

primary influences in the present period of maximum utilization

of our resources would not be the answer to our problem, and that,

therefore, we should first

look for the specific sources of trouble

and see what could be done about them.

In so far as bank credit

was a factor, he felt that the System would have to accommodate

itself to the powers it

to powers that it

already had and not continue to refer

might have had but which were not forthcoming,

and that in formulating policy within the limits of its authority

the System should (1) neither minimize the possible effectiveness

of its powers nor, for reasons which he outlined, exaggerate the

importance of the recent expansion of bank loans,

(2) proceed as

rapidly as Treasury caution would permit in the program of raising

short-term rates so as to lessen the urge on the part of banks to

reach out for long-term Government securities or to make risky or

speculative loans,

(3)

adjust Federal Reserve Bank discount rates

10/6/47

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to the change in rates on short-term Government securities, (4)

take additional steps to offset the effect of the gold inflow un

less such inflow resulted in bank purchases of securities from

the System account or in the building up of excess reserves,

(5)

by public statement and by alerting the examiners exercise some

influence on the side of cautious lending by banks, and (6) do

whatever can be done to head off a rapid relaxation of terms and

a rapid increase in the volume of credit following the expiration

of consumer credit controls on November 1, 197.

Following a further comment by Mr. Sproul that the use of

selective credit controls,

including consumer credit control and

possibly real estate loan control, should be re-examined as one

of the effective ways of dealing with the present situation, there

was a general discussion of the relative effectiveness of quali

tative and quantitative credit controls as anti-inflationary

measures.

This led to a further discussion of the actions that

were available to the System and the Treasury to carry out an

anti-inflationary program.

After consideration of the courses of action that were

available,

it

was suggested that the following program be put

in written form by the executive committee and discussed by

Messrs. Eccles and Sproul with appropriate representatives of

the Treasury.

It

was recognized that, in addition to action

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by the Federal Open Market Committee, the program would require

action by the Treasury, the Board of Governors,

the Federal Re

serve Banks and others, and that, to the extent that the pro

posed actions were within the jurisdictions of the respective

agencies, the program would be regarded as a recommendation by

the Federal Open Market Committee that the actions be taken:

1. Treasury cash balances would be used for the re

tirement of Government debt, particularly certificates

and bills held in the System open market account, as a

means of offsetting the effects of gold imports and ex

ercising a tightening influence on the credit situation.

2.

The short-term rate on Government securities

would be increased to 1-1/8 per cent by the end of 1947.

This would be accomplished by refunding the November 1

certificates into a 14-month 1-1/8 per cent note or an

11-month one per cent certificate, the December 1 cer

tificates into a 13-month 1-1/8 per cent note, and the

January 1 certificates into a 12-month 1-1/8 per cent

certificate.

Federal Reserve Bank discount rates would be

3.

increased in keeping with the increase in the rate on

short-term Government securities.

4. Reserve requirements of member banks in central

reserve cities would be increased in three 2 per cent

steps.

A statement would be issued by the Board of

Governors emphasizing, in connection with the termi

nation of Regulation W on November 1, the danger of

more liberal instalment credit terms and of a further

growth in the outstanding volume of consumer credit.

This statement would be released by the Board, would

be given wide publicity by the Federal Reserve Banks,

and would be sent by the Presidents over their own

signatures to all Regulation W registrants in their

respective districts.

5.

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6. The Board of Governors, the Comptroller of the

Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and

the Association of Supervisors of State Banks would issue

a statement pointing out the danger of further over-all

expansion of bank credit through the medium of bank loans

and the policies that would be followed by the banking

agencies in dealing with this problem in the examination

of banks.

In connection with the suggestion that short-term rates be

increased further, Mr.

Evans stated that in the absence of further

evidence of the value of such an increase he would not favor it,

that the recent increase was not effective as a deterrent to bor

rowing from banks,

and that, until action could be taken which

would be effective, he could not vote to approve a further in

crease.

In a discussion of this point it was suggested that, while

it might not be possible to show definitely what the effect of the

recent increase in short-term rates had been, it had had some ef

fect in the direction of prompting a more restrictive policy on

the part of banks with respect to bank loans, and that a further

increase would be an important element in an over-all program that

could be presented to the Treasury as the best course of action to

follow within the limits of existing powers.

Reference was made to the question of Treasury policy in

connection with the refunding of maturing savings bonds and Chair

man Eccles stated that at its

meeting yesterday, the executive

10/6/47

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committee voted to suggest to the full Committee that a recommen

dation be sent to the Treasury that individual holders of maturing

savings bonds be given the option to invest funds received in pay

ment for such bonds in (1) new series E bonds without regard to

the annual limit of $3,750 or (2) a special non-marketable 10-year

issue which would carry a 2-1/2 per cent coupon and be redeemable

at any time after one year.

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

and by unanimous vote, it was agreed

that a recommendation along the lines

proposed by the executive committee

should be submitted to the Treasury.

Upon motion duly made and seconded,

the 6-point program outlined above was

approved, Mr. Evans voting "no" to the

extent that the program contemplated a

further increase in short-term rates.

In taking this action it was understood

that when the statement of the program

had been prepared by the executive com

mittee it would be discussed by Messrs.

Eccles and Sproul with representatives

of the Treasury and, if no objection

were raised by the Treasury to the

portion of the program for which it

would have responsibility, the various

steps of the program would be initiated.

During a discussion of the program Chairman Eccles re

ferred to the suggestion previously made that the Federal Open

Market Committee prepare a statement of the situation with which

it was confronted which might be submitted to the Congress by the

Board as a part of its annual report.

He said that such a statement

10/6/47

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might be submitted as a special joint report by the Committee and

the Board of Governors which would be sent to the Congress early

in January or February and which would point out that the Congress

could not expect the System, with the limited powers it

now has,

to prevent monetary and credit expansion.

Chairman Eccles referred to the letter addressed to Mr.

Whittemore under date of July 7,

1947, by Mr. Charles E. Spencer,

Jr., President of the First National Bank of Boston and a member

of the Federal Advisory Council, in which it

was proposed that,

for the purpose of increasing the attractiveness of Treasury

bills to commercial banks,

the Open Market Committee each day

set a buying rate on Treasury bills which would be paid that

day at any Federal Reserve Bank.

The letter had been submitted

to the Federal Advisory Council for consideration and Chairman

Eccles stated that at its meeting on September 23, 1947, at which

Mr. Spencer was present, the Council unanimously recommended that

the proposal be not adopted.

He added that the suggestion would

make Federal Reserve credit even more readily available to banks

than at present,

that under present conditions it was undesirable

to facilitate access to such credit, and that he felt no further

consideration should be given to the proposal at this time.

The

other members of the Committee were in agreement with this view.

In connection with the discussion of the Spencer proposal,

10/6/47

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Chairman Eccles said that the Federal Advisory Council had stated

that it

understood that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York had

requested banks of its district not to purchase and sell Federal

funds outside the district, and that the Council was opposed to

any action which implied a policy that borrowing by member banks

should be confined to Federal Reserve Banks.

He added that the

Board had informed the Council that the matter was one of System

interest because any action in that direction would affect open

market and discount policy as well as the reserve position of

member banks,

and that if

action were desirable it

should be

taken on a System basis and not by one of the Federal Reserve

Banks acting alone.

He suggested that such action might be con

sidered as an additional point in the anti-inflationary program

outlined by the Committee, but he questioned whether it would

have much influence.

Mr.

Sproul said that the New York Bank had not regarded

this matter as one involving System credit policy but as a ques

tion of unsecured loans by member banks.

He said that the prac

tice of lending Federal funds within a city or a Federal Reserve

district when the lending bank presumably would know the condi

tion of the borrowing bank was a useful one, but that inter

district transactions might involve some risks, and that, since

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such transactions were carried on over the Federal Reserve leased

wires,

failure of the Reserve Bank to take a position with respect

to them would,

in effect,

give them the Bank's blessing.

Mr. Sproul

went on to say that the policy of the New York Bank had not been

one of prohibiting interdistrict transfers but rather, whenever

the question was raised by a member bank or the Reserve Bank

noticed large transactions going over the leased wires, to call

attention to the possible risks involved in making unsecured

loans.

He added that some banks in New York were making such

transfers and others were not.

There was a brief discussion of the matter and it was the

consensus that it did not call for action by the Committee.

There was a discussion of the authority to be given to

the executive committee to direct transactions for the System

Open Market account.

Mr. Sproul suggested that it would be de

sirable to revise the existing direction to indicate that opera

tions were carried on for the purpose, among others, of maintain

ing a supply of funds in the market that would be related to the

needs of commerce and business.

After a discussion of this suggestion,

upon motion duly made and seconded, and by

unanimous vote, the following direction to

the executive committee was approved, with

the understanding that the limitations con

tained in the direction would include commit

ments for the System open market account:

-18The executive committee is directed, until otherwise

directed by the Federal Open Market Committee, to arrange

for such transactions for the System open market account,

either in the open market or directly with the Treasury

(including purchases, sales, exchanges, replacement of

maturing securities, and letting maturities run off with

out replacement), as may be necessary, in the light of

the general credit situation of the country, for the

practical administration of the account, for the main

tenance of stable and orderly conditions in the Govern

ment security market, and for the purpose of relating

the supply of funds in the market more closely to the

needs of commerce and business; provided that the ag

gregate amount of securities held in the account at

the close of this date other than special short-term

certificates of indebtedness purchased from time to

time for the temporary accommodation of the Treasury

shall not be increased or decreased by more than

$2,000,000,000.

The executive committee is further directed, until

otherwise directed by the Federal Open Market Committee,

to arrange for the purchase for the System open market

account direct from the Treasury of such amounts of

special short-term certificates of indebtedness as may

be necessary from time to time for the temporary accom

modation of the Treasury; provided that the total amount

of such certificates held in the account at any one time

shall not exceed $1,500,000,000.

Mr. Sproul presented a memorandum addressed to him by

Mr. Rouse under date of September 30, 1947, in which the latter

suggested the reestablishment of the authority given by the Fed

eral Open Market Committee to the Federal Reserve Banks in 1936

and terminated in 1945 to make temporary purchases of Government

securities under resale agreements for periods of not to exceed

15 days.

The reasons for the suggestion were outlined in the

memorandum and were discussed at this meeting.

Some of the

10/6/47

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members of the Committee questioned whether the authority should be

granted and suggested that action be deferred to afford an opportu

nity for further discussion.

Upon motion duly made and seconded and

by unanimous vote, it was agreed that the

executive committee should study the matter

and submit a recommendation at the next meet

ing of the full Committee.

It was tentatively agreed that the Presidents would be in

Washington on December 8 and 9,

1947, and that meetings of the

Federal Open Market Committee and the Presidents'

Conference would

be held at that time.

Thereupon the meeting adjourned.

Approved:

Chairman.

Secretary