D enver, Pa. Dec. 2, Mr. M. S. Eccles, Washington, D.G. Dear Mr. Eccles:

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1 SA M U EL E.F IC H T H O R N, p r e s e n t A M O S H E l S E Y. C A 8H.tR ~N T h e D e n v e r N a t i o n a l B a n k Gapital $ 5 0, SurphiB and profits $ 6 5 0,0 0 0 D enver, Pa. Dec. 2, Mr. M. S. Eccles, Washington, D.G. Dear Mr. Eccles: I have received the circular containing the statement you made before the Joint Committee on the Economic Report, Special Session of Congress Nov. 25, I have read the report rather carefully. I see no reference to the loaning by government agencies, including the great RfF.C. What is you opinion as to the loans being made by these government agencies. How much does their loaning add to the infaltion pressure? I know that if we refude to make some of the loans we are asked to make, these people can go to the government agencies and get the iboan there. I hope that you will feel that the banks are better fitted by experience and by ability to make sound loans than any other groups that are in the loan business. Thanking you for the circular, I am,

2 December 8, Ur. ittuos Heisey, Cashier, The Denver National Bank, Denver, Pennsylvania. Dear Ur. Heisey: This is to acknowledge your letter of December k with regard to my statement on the so- called special reserve requirement. At the same time 1 presented another statement dealing specifically with the housing credit problem which prompts your question. 1 am enclosing a copy. Sincerely yours, U. &. Eccles, Chairman. Enclosure ET:b

3 SA M U EL E / I C H T H O R N, P «4.D«Nr A M O S H E I S E Y, ca TSTo. 603* 2. The Denver National Bank Capital $ 5 0, Surplus andprofits $ 6 50,000 D en ver, Pa. Deo. 8, 1947 Dear Mr. Eeolea: Will you please let me know i the attached statement makes sense to you and how? Tou r s truly,

We should protest against ant i excess of ^federal employes performing a'needed service; against federal employes performing non* needed services; *agal&st subsidies -, to farmers ^o

4 We should protest against ant i excess of ^federal employes performing a'needed service; against federal employes performing non* needed services; *agal&st subsidies -, to farmers ^o the.extent of one billion dollars *to keep prices up : in,1946 and, 1947, when another v government agency asks banks to v ; curtail credit in order that prices t may be forced down." / I '

5 SA M U EL E.F IC H T H O R N, p r e s i d e n t A M O S H E t S E Y, cash.eb y o The Denver Xational Bank Gapitiil $ 5 0, Surplus and profits $ 0 50,000 D e n v c r.l tt. Deo. 10, Mr. M. S. Eccles, Chairman Federal Reserve Board Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Eccles: I was glad to receive your letter in part expi&ining your position on the present inflation pressure. The main point 1 wished to make you seem to have missed. It was that the federal Reserve System and the present administration seem to place the blame upon the banking system fv#" this great increase in loans. I was trying to tell you that the government lending agencies are great violators in granting easy credit. Not once have I seen than mentioned in any government reports or should I say administration reports. I believe that you agree that the bankers by experience and background are better qualified to make sound production loans thaii and!government agehoy associations. How and when will we be able to talste the government out of all business? In this I will even include the big R.F.C. I feel strongly that in all your statements before any committes you should include and mention all/poor lending regardless by whom it is done. x. Is it possible to get operationg statements of all the government lending agencies? I am told that they are non-tax paying and if theynlose money, the government pays, -i-s this correct? I susely hope that 1 have made myself clear and wish to assure you that the loans we are making here are all sound loans and will be repaid according to their terms. I believe that the government is unduly alarmed about conditions and with Jefferson believe that as long as people do not kill each other, do not interfere too much. Y O U -»«or*o«+ -f» T»T»

6 December 12, Mr. Amos Heisey, Cashier, The Denver National Bank, Denver., Pennsylvania. Dear Ur. Heisey: I have your letter of December 8, 1947, enclosing what appears to be a clipping from some newspaper. 1 am sure that if you will read my statements of November 25 and December 10, 1947 before the Joint Committee on the Economic Aeport, of which 1 enclose copies, you will find a complete presentation of my position, not only on the particular matters mentioned in the clipping, but on the problem in general presented by the present economic situation. In particular, I would call your attention to the numbered paragraphs on page 3 of the printed copy of my -statement of' November 25, 1947, which bear directly upon your question. Sincerely yours, Enclosures U. >. Eccles, Chairman. CU:am

7 December 2 2, 19U7* Hr* Affios Halsey, Cashier* She Denver National Bank, Denver, Pennsylvania. Dear Mr. Helseyx I regret that in my reply of December 8, 19l*7 to ycnr letter of Deoanber 2, 19^7 you feel that I missed the main point that you wished to make, that "the present administration seems to plaoe the blame upon the banking system** and that "Government landing agencies are great violators in granting easy credit"* However, in my statements to the Committee on the Eoonamio Report, of which I sent you copies with my letter of December 12, 19^7* I had suoh questions in mind. I said on November 25 that "It should be strongly emphasised that the banking system was the instrument, and not the instigator, of this swollen money supply, Ihe bankers performed a vital service in the financing of ihe war and particularly in the sale and distribution of savings bands and of other Government securities", and 1 added that "To the uninformed it might appear that the banking system has been or is now to blame for the over-supply of money. This is not the case.** In a separate statement on the same date I said that "One of the most inflationary factors - perhaps the most inflationary single faetor - in the present situation is excessively easy mortgage oredit for housing ** More than half of the. current unprecedented volume of mortgage lending Is sponsored by the Fsderal Government under legislation enacted by Congress. Ihe Government must therefore assume much of the responsibility for any adverse effects of this type of lending*'' I agree with you that no distinction in responsibility should be made between the Government and private lending agenoies for loans which nay have inflationary effects. Ton also asked whether it is possible to get operating statements of all the Government lending agencies and you added that you were told that they are non-tax paying and, if they lose money, the Government pay*. I am not in a position to make a brief answer, as the same answer would not apply to all oases. However, the Board, In its publication the Federal Reserve Bulletin, of which a copy is

8 Kr. Amos Heisey, Cashier -2- sent to you each month, doss undertake to tabulate the principal assets and liabilities of Government oorporatlons and credit agencies, with a break-down of the figures for each of the principal agencies* In addition, there is a classification of loans by purpose and agenay. An example of this kind of statement will be found on page liiolj of the FederaJ. He nerve Bulletin for Hovenber 1 9 of which Z am sending you a oopy in oase you have misplaoed your own oopy. Hie answer to the question whether they are nontax paying also varies among the different agencies, being determined in each oase by the law under which the agency is oreated. The question whether if they lose money the Government pays is subjeot to a similar answer. Most, if not all of these agencies, report to Congress and in many instances their reports are published. Therefore, if you wish to follow up your questions in detail, I suggest you communicate directly with any of the particular agencies in which you may be especially interested. Sincerely yours. Enclosure lf> S. Eccles, Chairman.

* P. O. BOX 452, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA * * you want to check inflation and excessive stock market speculation,

IRVING A. METZ * P. O. BOX 452, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA * * February 24, 1945 Hon. M.S.Eccles, Chr. of the Board, Federal Reserve System, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: With reference to news article attached