A Christmas Present for the President: A Short History of the Creation of the Federal Reserve System.

This booklet examines the political events of the year 1912 in which the idea of the Federal Reserve System came into reality. Excerpts from reminiscences, letters and newspapers of the time give an inside look at the divergent forces and personalities that were brought together to form the central banking system of the United States. Sections of the booklet include: (1) "Christmas 1912"; (2) "Two Opposing Solutions"; (3) "The Aldrich Plan"; (4) "Spring"; (5) "Bryan's Diminishing Opposition"; (6) "McAdoo's Compromise"; (7) "Summer"; (8) "Thunder on the Right"; (9) "Counterattack in the Center"; (10) "Thunder on the Left"; (11) "Autumn"; (12) "Progress at a Standstill"; (13) "The Crumbling Opposition"; (14) "Christmas 1913"; (15) "A Holiday Delayed"; and (16) "The Final Proceedings." Contains 18 references. (EH)