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229 BOARD OF GOVERNORS CF" THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM S-487 WASHINGTON ADDREBB Df"f"ICIAL CDRREB .. DNDENCE TO THE BOARD Dear Sir: • • • . • In th\,) Board 1 s h'ttor of May 24, 193'7, X-9895, (Federal Reserve Loose-leaf Service :¥3826) it was stated that, effective J·une 1,1937, inimeographed communications to the Federal Reserve Banks would be assigned numbers in the .S and R se:des, respectively. S-numbers were to "be assigned to all mimeographed communications sent to all Federal Reserve Banks which contain rulings and"interpretaticns of the statutes and the Board's regulations, and instructions ralating to policy or administrative matters", and H-numbers were to "be assigned to all routine mimvographed matters, statements, press releases, etc., sent to all Federal R8serve Banks". In recent months this procedure has been departed from to some extent in order to avoid the large distribution which R-letters receive. At present we are furnishing the twelve Reserve Banks altogether about 250 copies of every S and R-letter, which gives undue distribution to many letters c.nd entails in the aggregate an excessive handling and conswnption of paper. It has .frequently happened, for exaaplo, that a legislatiYe docume~1t was sent to each Federal Reserve Bnnk vJith a covering letter, 250 duplicates of which, as R-letters, v-orc distributed without enclosing the document wnich was the occasion :for the letter--the reason being that only twelve copies of the document may hav-e been obtainable. Even more frequently, copies of telegrams or letters embodying i~struc tions of importance only to departments directly concerned are distributed in ten or twenty times tho volume necr::ssary • Accordingly it is planned to discontinue the distribution of mimeographed letters in quantities as a regular practice, and to follow the principle that a mimeographed letter sent to all Federal Reserve Banks is not different from a typed letter sent to any one Bank. Mimeographing avoids the necessity of typing, verifying, and signing tVYelve original, identical letters and is thareforG an economy; vve wish to avoid defeating its purpose by 111aking it tha occasion for a wasteful duplication. The procedure vre plan to observe is as follows: • 230 S-487 • l. In the case of letters and telegrams assigned numbers of the S-series in accordance with present procedure, the regular practice will be to send three copies only to each Federal Reserve Bank in addition to the addressed cop,y sent each President. This provides a cop,r for files, a copy for the department concerned with the subject of the letter, and a copy for circulation, if necessary. The Board will, of course, continue to include S-letters in the Federal Reserve Loose-leaf Service and in addition will be glad to forward a copy of each S-letter direct~ to each branch of a Federal Reserve Bank. .. 2. In the case of other mimeographed h:ttors, one addressed copy on~ will be sent the Prasident of each FedGral Reserve Bank, the procedure being the same as if tho letter were not mim:)ographed • • J. The R series of numbers will be discontinued. • • • . 4. In case any particular communication obviously calls for wide distribution, a supply may be furnished in anticipation of tho need. This appli0s particularly to intorpr~tations, which can be furnished in quantities as at present. Vfuile the foregoing procedure will on occasion make it necessary for a Reserv0 Bank to duplicate a comm~~ication, for distribution to its ovvn staff, it is believed such occasion will be rare. In formulating this procedure, it is recognized that economies should not be attempted qy the Board if they necessitate more than offsetting expenditures at the Banks. But it is also recognized that practices which have been justifiable under normal conditions may be properly subjected to drastic changes under war conditions. Before changing our procedure in the direction indicated, it will be appreciated if you will advise the Board whether the proposed changes meet with your approval and whether you would see objection to putting them into effect beg~1ning June 1, 1942 • Ver.1 truly yours, • Chester Morrill, Secretary. TO THE PRESIDENTS OF ALL FEDERAL RESERVE BAL'iKS .. •
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