Reed's papers from the War Production Board pertain in large part to the 1941-1942 Congressional investigation into the “dollar-a-year” program. There are statements by Reed, WPB director Donald Nelson, and Robert Guthrie, head of the Textile Division whose public criticism of the “dollar-a-year” men prompted an investigation. Included are the working papers that Reed used to prepare for his testimony, a record of the proceedings, newsclippings, and copies of the statements and Congressional committee reports, as well as related correspondence between Reed and his attorney Henry H. (Joe) Fowler.

Mission for Economic Affairs (MEA) papers include correspondence with British members of Parliament and United States business leaders relating to Anglo-American trade policy. Also included are MEA policy manuals and correspondence relating to General Electric's economic relations with the Soviet Union. Reed's letters to his wife (in Series Five) describe the operation of the Mission to Economic Affairs and provide a vivid description of life in wartime London.

Following his resignation as head of the MEA, Reed continued in public service, acting as consultant to the U. S. Delegation, San Francisco Conference on World Organization in 1945. Reed's statements before Congressional committees, and correspondence with Edward Stettinius, Averell Harriman, and Dean Acheson, among others--all contained in Series One--reflect Reed's position on post-war U.S. economic commitments to the European countries, as well as the Soviet Union and Eastern Block countries.