Telegram from Averell Harriman to President Harry S. Truman

DEPARTMENT INCOMING DIVISION OF OF CENTRAL SERVICES STATE TELEGRAM TELEGRAPH SECTION ASB-652 Moscow via Army This telegram must be closely paraphrased be- Dated June 27, 1945 fore being communicated to anyone. (OECRET). Rec'd 11:20 a.m. Secretary of State, Washington 2289, June 27, 4 p.m. TOPSEC FROM HARRIMAN FROM LUBIN FOR THE PRESIDENT I have just learned that some of the labor people have intimated to Schwellenbach that they will insist upon having Ford Hinrichs removed from his present position as Acting Commissioner of Labor Statistics and that I be returned to the job. There is defini te evidence to prove that the attitude of some of the AFL and CIO leaders toward Hinrichs is the result of his refusal to make radical changes in the cost of living index in order that a basis might be found for increasing wages under the little steel formula. Hinrichs refused to make such changes and a careful investigation made by a committee of leading American statistical experts appointed by Will Davis proved that the index was within a few percent of being correct. I know from personal conver- sations that certain labor people have never forgiven DECLASSIFIED Hinrichs E.O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or E Dept. of State letter, Aug. 10, 1972 ARCHIVES SERVICE** CORDS AND By NLT-WR /NARS Date. 7-23-72