Lord Keynes and H.D. White

Bretton Woods Conference Collection

Overview:

Richard B. Brenner Papers

Ansel F. Luxford Papers

Edward M. Bernstein Papers

Bretton Woods Conference Files

Photographs

Further Information:

IMF Archives

IMF Archives: Finding Aids

Copyright and Usage

Using Finding Aids for the IMF Archives



IMF Archives: Finding Aids
Bretton Woods Conference Collection:
Richard B. Brenner Papers


Date(s):  1940-1947
Level of description:  Series
Extent and medium:  3.5 linear feet of textual materials

Context

Creator: Brenner, Richard B.

Administrative/Biographical history: Richard B. Brenner was a representative of the U. S. Treasury Department in the U. S. delegation to the Bretton Woods Conference (July 1946). Beginning in September 1946, he was an Assistant General Counsel in the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund. He died on October 18, 1955.

Content and structure

Scope and content: The R. B. Brenner papers (boxes 1-6) consist of documents maintained by Brenner while a member of the U.S. Treasury Department and an Officer of the Bretton Woods Conference. Files contain Treasury Department memoranda, correspondence and drafts. Also copies of correspondence from other U.S. agencies and some printed material. Material is arranged alphabetically according to subject. Generally, subjects cover the drafting of the Bretton Woods Agreements, the ratification of the Agreements by the U.S. and other countries, and some IMF organization issues. Material concerning the drafting of the Bretton Woods Agreements consists of annotated drafts and related memoranda or background material (in files: Atlantic City Alternatives, IMF [Joint] Statement Drafts, IMF Working Drafts, Conference Draft Material, Final Act). The main part of the series, material concerning the adoption of the Bretton Woods Agreements by the U.S. Congress, includes: drafts of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and related memoranda (in files: Bretton Woods Legislation, Bretton Woods Legal Memoranda, Constitutionality, Johnson Act, Powers of Governors, Proposed International Financial Council, Treaties); memoranda regarding Congressional and bankers opinion (in files: Congressional, Legislation, Materials on Bankers); correspondence requesting support (Public Relations); drafts for speeches and addresses (Speeches); and Congressional reports (Congressional Record). Ratification of the Bretton Woods Agreements in other countries and economic and monetary issues particular to individual countries are documented in cables from the U.S. Department of State — with occasional copies of U.S. Treasury representatives correspondence (in files: Bretton Woods Cables, Looted Gold — Resolution VI). Material concerning the early organization of the IMF can be found under IMF Charts, Managing Director, Rules and Regulations, World Bank Initial Conference Legislation.


File 1/1

Atlantic City Alternatives [June 27-28]. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains annotated drafts of the Joint Statement with alternative suggestions reviewed at the Atlantic City meeting.


File 1/2

Bank - Draft Material. — 1943-1944

Scope and content: File contains annotated draft proposals for an "United Nations Bank for Reconstruction and Development".


File 1/3

Bank - Securities. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains memoranda regarding the status of securities issued or guaranteed by the Bank in regard to U.S. Securities laws.


File 1/4

Bretton Woods Cabinet Legislative Committee. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains draft memoranda regarding the creation of a commission to deal with legislative programs and economic proposals. Contains draft memorandum from U.S. Secretaries of State and Treasury to U. S. President Roosevelt.


File 1/5

Bretton Woods Cables. — February 1945-May 1946

Scope and content: File contains incoming and outgoing copies of U.S. Department of State cables regarding Bretton Woods proposals; also copies of correspondence from U.S. Treasury Representative in Paris.


File 1/6

Bretton Woods Legal Memoranda. — 1943-1945

Scope and content: File contains copies of internal memoranda on issues of sovereignty, U.S. Congressional approval of an International Monetary Fund, status of delegates at Bretton Woods, ratification by the U.S. Congress and interpretation of the Articles of Agreement.


Files
     1/7-9

Bretton Woods Legislation. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains three folders of drafts, inter-office memoranda, and minutes of meetings regarding U.S. legislation on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 1/10

Bretton Woods Legislation - Annotated Bill. — February 1945

Scope and content: File contains drafts of the Bretton Woods Agreements bill, and an annotated discussion of the Bretton Woods Agreements bill, published to garner U.S. public support of the plan.


File 1/11

Bretton Woods Legislation [June 1945] - Constitutionality. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains drafts outlining the constitutionality of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act in which the United States would accept membership in the IMF and the Bank.


File 2/12

By-laws - Bank. — 1945-1946

Scope and content: File contains Board of Governors Federal Reserve System suggestions for Bank By-laws and copies of By-laws suggested for the International Monetary Fund by the National Advisory Committee (NAC Technical Committee documents 9&11).


File 2/13

Canada Agreement with [the] United States. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains documents regarding the U.S. Secretary of State's authority with respect to the ability to enter into a financial agreement with a foreign nation.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


Files
     2/14-15

Conference Draft Material. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains two folders of drafts of Bretton Woods Conference documents: notes and memoranda, regarding drafting.


File 2/16

Congressional Attitude Toward Bretton Woods. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains vote tallies, reports on intended congressional voting on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 2/17

Congressional Comments on Bretton Woods. — February-September 1945

Scope and content: File contains passages from the Congressional Record on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (copies of memoranda issued by the Legislative Section Office of the U.S. Treasury's General Counsel).

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 2/18

Constitutionality - Draft Material. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains annotated draft of "Constitutionality of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act".


File 2/19

Election of Executive Directors. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains memoranda and draft resolution on the possible membership of the U.S.S.R., which would result in the loss of India's right to have its own executive director.


File 2/20

Export-Import Bank. — 1944-1946

Scope and content: File contains memoranda and correspondence regarding the extension of the [U.S.] Export-Import Bank legislation and to increase its lending power.

See also box 12, file 129.


File 2/21

Extra Copies - Miscellaneous. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains copies of drafts and memoranda regarding the Bretton Woods Agreements Act; also regarding [U.S.] Export-Import Bank legislation.


File 2/22

Financial Provisions of Bretton Woods Legislation. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains U.S. Treasury memorandum relating to the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 2/23

Final Act - Drafts. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains 4th draft of the "Final Act of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, June 11-12, 1944" with suggested revisions and changes incorporated.


File 2/24

Foreign Indebtedness. — July 1944-July 1945

Scope and content: File contains "Memorandum Covering the World War Indebtedness of Foreign Governments to the United States (1917-1921) and showing the total amounts paid by Germany under the Dawes and Young Plans" (U.S. Treasury Fiscal Services Bureau of Accounts).


File 3/25

Foreign Investment. — January 1945

Scope and content: File contains draft "Committee Report of the Special Joint Committee on Private Foreign Investment of the League of Nations Economic and Financial Organization".

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 3/26

House Debate on Bretton Woods Bill. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains excerpts from the Congressional Record regarding the debate in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.

See also box 2, file 16-17.


File 3/27

Inter-American Bank. — 1940-1941

Scope and content: File contains typescript report of "Convention for the Establishment of an Inter-American Bank" and printed copy of related U.S. Congress legislation.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 3/28

International Law. — 1940-1946

Scope and content: File contains notes and drafts, memoranda on various aspects of international law.


File 3/29

IMF and Bank Correspondence. — 1944-1946

Scope and content: File contains copies of U.S. Treasury outgoing correspondence on general issues pertaining to the establishment of the Fund and the Bank.


File 3/30

IMF and Bank Legislation. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains memoranda and draft legislation for resolutions for the United States participation in the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.


File 3/31

IMF Charts. — 1940-1946

Scope and content: File contains charts for the IMF and the Bank with explanatory notes (resources, charges, organization and management).


File 3/32

IMF Educational Program. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains correspondence and memoranda on educational initiatives undertaken to discuss the IMF and the Bank.


File 3/33

IMF Joint Statement Drafts. — July 1-5, 1944

Scope and content: File contains drafts of Joint Statement with handwritten revisions, insertions, and suggestions throughout.


File 3/34

IMF Working Drafts. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains "Working Draft of Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund" (July 16, 1944) with notes (CI/DC5).


File 3/35

International Stabilization Fund (Lord Keynes' Proposals). — 1942-1943

Scope and content: File contains report of a paper containing proposals by British experts for an international clearing union; Ansel Luxford handwritten draft of the Keynes plan; questions on Lord Keynes' plan; proposals for an international clearing union.

See also box 14, file 146.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


Files
     4/36-37

International Stabilization Fund, Magazine [Newspaper] clippings. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains two folders of clippings (articles, columns, editorials) from newspapers on the organization of the Bretton Woods Conference and the proposals discussed.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 4/38

Johnson Act. — 1945-1946

Scope and content: File contains correspondence on the repeal of the Johnson Act prohibiting U.S. transactions with foreign governments in default of their obligations to the United States.


Files
     4/39-40

Legal Opinions on Germany. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains two folders of U.S. Treasury internal memoranda and copies of memoranda prepared by Department of State and Department of War on post-hostility issues (currency, reparations).


File 4/41

Legislation - Compromise with Bankers. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains suggested amendments to the U.S. legislation ("Bretton Woods Agreements Acts").


File 4/42

Letters - Lord Keynes (Reciprocal Trade and Scope of Proposals). — 1944

Scope and content: File contains copies of "Letters to the Editor" of the London Times by Keynes on the Bretton Woods proposals.


File 4/43

Letters - Henry Morgenthau and Sir John Anderson - Article VIII. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains copies of an exchange of correspondence between the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (Morgenthau) and the British Chancellor of the Exchequer (Anderson) with an interpretation of Article VIII of the Bretton Woods Agreements.


File 4/44

Looted Gold - Resolution VI. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains copies of U.S. Department of State telegrams regarding adherence of neutral countries to the Bretton Woods Conference Resolution regarding disclosure of Axis assets.


File 4/45

Managing Director. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains drafts of provisions and samples of contracts and language used in creating the office of Managing Director of the IMF.

See also box 4, file 46.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 4/46

Managing Director. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains drafts of contract and agreements to be used in the hiring of a Managing Director of the IMF.

See also box 4, file 45.


File 5/47

Materials on the Bankers. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains background information on prominent U.S. bankers and associates and their positions on the Bretton Woods Agreements; memoranda reporting on a meeting with New York bankers on compromise and possible changes to the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 5/48

Monetary System. — May 1940

Scope and content: File contains copy of address given by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau before the National Institute of Government on U.S. monetary policy.


File 5/49

Occupation. — 1943-1945

Scope and content: File contains documents on occupation currency, military bank of issue, military postage stamps.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 5/50

[Publications]. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains articles, reports, statements, and copies of correspondence on the Bretton Woods Conference and Agreements.

General note: Original file title, "Other Bretton Woods Publications". Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 5/51

Philippine Islands - Bretton Woods. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains internal memoranda, correspondence and cables on legislation for the participation of the Philippines in the IMF and the Bank.


File 5/52

Powers of Governors. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains memorandum detailing powers of the individual country governors, specifically the United States, as defined in both the Fund and Bank Articles of Agreement and the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 5/53

President's Message on Bretton Woods. — January 18, 1945

Scope and content: File contains draft copies of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Message to the Congress on the importance of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and recommending its adoption.


File 5/54

Proposed International Financial Council. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains correspondence, memoranda, and draft report calling for the creation of a separate body to keep U.S. Governor and Executive Director decisions in harmony with U.S. domestic and foreign policy.


File 5/55

Publicity - American Forum. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains memoranda outlining questions and draft remarks for use by U.S. delegates at the Bretton Woods Conference, appearing on "American Forum on the Air," broadcast on August 22, 1944.


File 5/56

Public Relations. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains memoranda and correspondence on publicity for the adoption of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 5/57

Public Relations - Letters. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains copies of correspondence drafted by Richard Brenner to members of the U.S. Congress and prominent businessmen, urging support for the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 5/58

Rules and Regulations - Draft Sections A-H [Revised Draft, August 13, 1946]. — 1946

General note: Sections I-R found in Box 5, Folder 59.


File 5/59

Rules and Regulations - Draft Sections I-R [Revised Draft, August 13, 1946]. — 1946

General note: Sections A-H found in Box 5, Folder 58.


File 5/60

Rules and Regulations - Redrafts and Miscellaneous Changes. — 1946-1948

File 5/61

Rules and Regulations - Revised Draft, August 13, 1946. — 1946

File 6/62

Savannah Meeting. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains U.S. Department of State letter to Richard Brenner informing him of his appointment as a member of a committee at the Inaugural Meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund.


File 6/63

Senate Debate on Bretton Woods Bill. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains excerpt from the Congressional Record on the debate in the U.S. Senate on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.


File 6/64

Speeches. — January-March 1945

Scope and content: File contains speeches for government officials speaking in support of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act. Includes speeches for U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, and U.S. Senator Robert Wagner.


Files
     6/65-66

Speeches for Congressmen. — 1944-1945

Scope and content: File contains two folders of an extensive report and remarks by U.S. Banker John Laylin on the Bretton Woods Agreements Act with U.S. Treasury comments. Laylin represented the banking community at the Bretton Woods Conference. File also contains draft remarks for U.S. Congressmen and Senators to be delivered in support of the Bretton Woods Agreements Act.

See also box 15, files 153-155; box 34, file 322 for additional Laylin material.

General note: Deteriorating originals have been separated and replaced with copies.


File 6/67

Stabilization Agreements. — 1941-1946

Scope and content: File contains template form for stabilizing currency; examples of agreements with foreign governments.


File 6/68

Suggested List of Matters Requiring the Attention of the Executive Directors. — 1946

File 6/69

Taxation. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains announcement detailing 1945-1946 lectures on Federal taxation, held at the U.S. National Archives in Washington, D.C.


File 6/70

Taxation. — 1945

Scope and content: File contains U.S. legislation and material regarding privileges and exemptions for international organizations.


File 6/71

Treaties. — 1944

Scope and content: File contains internal memoranda and some correspondence regarding power of treaties entered into by the United States.


File 6/72

Use of Fund Resources, Interpretation of Resolutions 5&6. — 1946

Scope and content: File contains drafts of interpretations in response to Resolutions 5 and 6 of the Inaugural Meeting of the Board of Governors of the IMF.


File 6/73

World Bank Initial (Savannah) Conference Legislation (By-laws). — March 1946

Scope and content: File contains suggested by-laws as prepared by the National Advisory Council Technical Committee; draft of by-laws with memoranda, as discussed at the Savannah Conference.



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