Evening star., 1945-09-06
The tert OF President Truman's
MESSAGE to COnoreSs tadou.

PEELED to cut short your reces
period. I know. however, that yo,
have been just as eager as any of III
to meet the problems which nat
urally have crowded down upon Vi
with the surrender of the japanese
You have cut short a well-meritec
vacation in order to do so. 1 hope
that the American people realize a.
fully as do, that from the very first
days of the emergency, the Congress
has most energetically and patriot
cally devoted its time, energies, anc
capabilities to the immediate prob
lens of war and to the long-range
problems of peace. The legislative
branch of the Government is en-
titled to its full share of credit ano
glory for the victory of the Allied
armies. wish to take this oppor-
tunity on behalf of the Nation tc
congratulate you on the great VIC
tory which has been won-in which
you played so important part.
The Congress reconvenes at a time
OF great emergency. 1t is an emer-
gency about which, however, we
need have no undue fear if we exer-
else the same energy, foresight, and
wisdom as we did in carrying on the
war and winning this victory.
Not Caught Unawares.
The sudden surrender of the jap
anese has not caught us unawares
President Roosevelt, as early as the
fall of 1943. began to set up machin-
cry which he foresaW would become
necessary to meet the reconversion
period. The Congress in its wisdom
has adopted some of that machinery
by statute, and has improved and
added to it, AS a result, Govern
ment agencies, for some time, have
been able to plan for the immediate
and long-range steps which now
have to be taken.
AS the Congress has undoubtedly
noticed, many steps were taken i'm
mediately after the surrender of the
japanese. Many more have been
taken since.
The process of reconverSion will
be complicated and difficult one.
The general line of approach to the
problem is to achieve as full peace
time production, and employment
as possible in the most efficient and
speedy manner. The following pol
icies have been laid down and will
be followed:
Cd Demobilize as soon as posi-
Bile the armed forces no longer
needed.
(2) Cancel and settle war con-
tracts as quickly as possible.
~ Clear the war plants so as to
permit contractors to proceed with
peacetime production.
"a Hold the line on prices and
rents until fair competition can
operate to prevent imitation and
undue hardship on consumers.
go Hold wages in line where
their increase would cause inflation-
ary price rises. Where price CELL
ings would not be endangered, COL
lective bargaining should be re-
stored
(6D Remove all possible wartime
Government controls in order to
speed and encourage reconversion
and expansion.
Cd Keep only those controls
which are necessary to help recon-
version and expansion by prevent
ing bottlenecks, shortages of ma
terial and imitation.
80 Prevent rapid decrease of
wage incomes or purchasing power
Main Objective.
The major objective, of course,
Is to re-establish an expanded
peacetime industry, trade and ag-
riculture, and to do it as quickly
as possible.
Obviously during this process
there will be a great deal of in
evitable unemployment. What we
must do is to assist industry to
reconvert to peacetime production
as quickly and effectively as posi-
BILE so that the number of unem-
ployed will be swiftly and substan-
TALLY reduced as industry and bus
mess and agriculture get into high
production.
The Government is now doing
what it can to hurry this recon-
version process.
Through contract termination pro-
cedures it is providing quick pay
ment to contractors.
1t has released controls on prac-
tically all materials which are neces-
Sary for peacetime production, re-
serving only those few in which
there is still a critical shortage.
It has made arrangements for
credit facilities for industry.
BY plant and surplus property dis
posal, it is helping private enterprise
to get started again.
In the consumer field the Govern
ment has released controls over
articles which were needed for the
war in such large quantities that
civilians had to go without.
For the information of the Con-
gress, am submitting as an appen-
dix to this message a report by the
LII VI wal N1OOiilHdOlOll dllO
Reconversion showing what has al
ready been done by the Feceral
Government in reconversion.
There is much that the Congress
can do to help this process and to
tide over the period between now
and the time when reconversion is
completed and civilian jobs are plen-
tiful in a stable economy that pro-
vides full production, full employ
ment, and a high standard of living.
l. Unemployment
Compensation
The end of the war came more
swiftly than most of us anticipated.
Widespread cut-backs in war orders
followed promptly. AS result, there
has already been a considerable
number of workers who are between
jobs as war industries convert to
peace. Other workers are returning
to a 40-hour week and are faced
with a corresponding reduction in
take-home pay.
This has led to natural feeling
of uneasiness among the rank and
file of our people. Let me emphasize
fhot thero will he M roo co,, for Nv,