Harry S Truman on Corporations

Business cycle is man-made; protect against "boom & bust"

1. Enlarge the power to control consumer credit & bank credit.
2. Grant authority to regulate speculation on the commodity exchanges.
3. Continue export control authority & to provide adequate machinery for its enforcement.
4. Continue the priorities & allocation authority in the field of transportation
5. Authorize priorities and allocations for key materials in short supply.
6. Extend and strengthen rent control.
7. Provide standby authority to impose price ceilings for scarce commodities which basically affect essential industrial production or the cost of living, and to limit unjustified wage adjustments which would break an established price ceiling.
8. Authorize an immediate study of the adequacy of production facilities for materials in critically short supply, such as steel.

Vigorously enforce the anti-trust laws

In an effort to assure full opportunity and free competition to business we will vigorously enforce the anti-trust laws. Enforcement must be supplemented by positive measures of aid to new enterprises. Government assistance, research programs, and credit powers should be designed and used to promote the growth of new firms and new industries.

Assistance to small business is particularly important at this time when thousands of veterans who are potential business and industrial leaders are beginning their careers. We should also give special attention to the decentralization of industry and the development of areas that are now under-industrialized.