Letter from John J. McBride to President Harry S. Truman

February 14, 1946 28. Mr. Harry S. Truman miscel President of the United States Bowles The White House Washington, D. C. Con - m Honorable Sir: I have just read in one of the leading daily newspapers an article by Joseph and Stuart Alsop which I interpret tomean you have already cast your lot with Mr. Bowles as the chief of both controlling prices and productions. Let me say to you, in the least manner, that it is a grave mis- take, and if you do that I want to predict to you the greatest de- pression this country has ever seen. I am of the opinion that Bowles is not fit for the job because he has his mind set and fixed not on controlling profitswhich iskgood for production but what good is fixed prices if there is no production; what good is setting a price on an article when the manufacturers do not produce. Mr. Bowles and his entire office were always under the impression and acting as if every producer, manufacturer and retailer were crooks, and none of them were honest. Instead of playing ball with the manufacturers and producers, such as General Motors, U. S. Steel, General Electric, all of the large producing corporations got a raw deal out of Bowles, and they are rightly indignant against him because he has never sat down wit th them and argued in the right directions, and you do not think for one moment that the general industrial con- cerns are going to produce without a profit. I am of the opinion that the non-production of all wears will cause this depression that I speak of, due to the fact that by the 5. time they notice their mistakes, which will be in about six months or a year hence, the people will have spent their money foolishly, and his crowd will have to be thrown out anyway. Again, I must say that my friend, Mr. Hannigan, is mistaken, and grossly if he thinks he can control the labor vote through Mr. Bowles who is acting in conjunction with the labor leaders. As I said to you before in my letter, labor lost out in Detroit and they will lose out everywhere. There is no single person who can control the American vote--The Amerian vote is independent. The way things are going on now, there will be no production for six or eight months to come, and the people will be fed up with it. Again I repeat my statement to you in all earnestness, Mr. President, Mr. Snyder and Mr. Baruch are practical men and understand this - give