Page 8 - BuildingJob inIowa

“We’ll all enjoy our Thanksgiving more for it.” “Oh we do hope not.” An early depiction “Hey! Wake up. There’s a cash customer in
Editorial cartoon by Jay N. (“Ding”) Darling, of what would later be disparaged as the the store.” New Deal relief programs were de-
dated November 30, 1933. Reproduced cour- “nanny state.” Just three months after the signed not only to improve the lives of unem-
tesy of the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society. publication of “We’ll all enjoy our Thanksgiv- ployed workers and other destitute Americans,
ing more for it,” where the CWA worker was but to boost economic growth by providing
depicted as a proud male head of household people with more money to spend. As people
who was finally able to work again to sup- spent more, businesses were expected to
port his family, the worker (“Employment”) expand to meet the new demand, and unem-
was reduced to a toddler running from his ployment would fall. Editorial cartoon by Jay
mother (“Private Initiative”) to remain at the N. (“Ding”) Darling, dated December 7, 1933.
“C. W. A. Day Nursery.” Editorial cartoon by Reproduced courtesy of the “Ding” Darling
Jay N. (“Ding”) Darling, dated February 23, Wildlife Society.
1934. Reproduced courtesy of the “Ding”
Darling Wildlife Society.

The most important work relief programs were, in order of to President Roosevelt and one of the main architects of the
their creation, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Fed- New Deal. The creation of FERA marked the first time that
eral Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), Public Works the federal government, rather than state and local agen-
Administration (PWA), Civil Works Administration (CWA), cies, assumed direct responsibility for providing relief to the
and Works Progress Administration (later Work Projects Ad- unemployed. FERA funds could be used for both direct relief
ministration) (WPA). These programs focused on different and work relief. Direct relief was most common because it
types of projects, funded those projects in different ways, was easier to administer.7
and provided relief to different segments of the unemployed
population. But all had the goal of relieving unemployment FERA grants were administered by state agencies which
while creating lasting projects in the public interest. Three of were often inexperienced and overwhelmed. These agencies
these programs—the CWA, FERA and WPA—provided funds wanted to avoid funding projects that might compete with
to build dams in the Wapsipinicon watershed. The two other private industry. As a result, many projects were make-work
programs (CCC and PWA) were used to construct dams else- projects of limited usefulness.8
where, but not in the Wapsipinicon watershed.
Work projects under FERA were briefly taken over by the Civil
The Federal Emergency Relief Works Administration (CWA). The CWA was a very success-
ful but short-lived program that lasted only from November
Administration (FERA) 1933 to April 1934. The federal government then returned
to its policy of supporting work relief only through FERA.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was The return to FERA meant a return to all the inadequacies in
established in May 1933. It was headed by Iowa native and that program. Many workers were forced to return to direct
Grinnell College graduate Harry L. Hopkins, a close advisor relief when they would have preferred to work. For those who

6 University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist