Letter to the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Economy About the National Economy Program.
My dear Mr. Chairman:
I am in receipt of your letter of April 6th. I greatly welcome the response of your committee to my suggestion that the fiscal situation necessitates honest, courageous and non-partisan action in the development of a national economy program and the preparation of a definite comprehensive bill that will assure its accomplishment. With this purpose in mind I would be glad if your committee would meet with me at this office at 11 o'clock on Saturday morning, April 9th with a view to taking stock of the progress made by your committee in the development of a program of economy, and affording the Executive an opportunity to make suggestions. Through the interchange of ideas we can thus lay the foundation for the development of such national program.
It is my understanding that your suggestion carries with it the thought that in such development the representatives whom I may appoint from the Executive branches of the government will sit in and cooperate with your committee. I shall continue to urge that a similar committee be appointed by the Senate in order that we shall not need to traverse the whole subject again.
Yours faithfully,
HERBERT HOOVER
[Hon. John McDuffie, Chairman, Economy Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.]
Note: Representative Joseph W. Byrns, first chairman of the Select Committee on Economy, resigned on March 29, 1932.
Representative McDuffie's letter, dated April 6, 1932, follows:
Mr. President:
The Economy Committee of the House of Representatives recognizes, as you, too, must recognize, that the critical fiscal condition of the Country not only precludes partisan politics but demands political cooperation to the end that the present crisis may be honestly and courageously met, and we take this occasion to inform you of our sincere desire to work in the fullest cooperation with you.
With this in mind we extend to you an invitation to participate in the task of the Economy Committee by sending to the Committee your specific recommendations, or by sending your representative to present to the Committee your views and conclusions as to specific economies which might be effected, so that the country
may have the benefit of a cooperative effort.
Very truly yours,
JOHN MCDUFFIE
Chairman
[The President, The White House, Washington, D.C.]
Herbert Hoover, Letter to the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Economy About the National Economy Program. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/207593