American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA : When FDR Put the Nation to Work (59 page)

World war veterans return to Washington: Dickson and Allen, 212–16; Schlesinger, vol. 2, 15; Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
340. Veterans offered, accepted jobs in CCC, Dickson and Allen, 216.

CCC enrollment: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 338; also Watkins,
Hungry Years,
162.

Two-part legislation for National Industrial Recovery (leading to National Industrial Recovery Act): Schlesinger, vol. 2, 98–99; wage/hour figures: ibid., 90; economic planning: ibid., 99.

Public works component: ibid., 99.

Record of the Hundred Days from, among others, ibid., 20–21.

7. T
HE
D
ESIRE TO
W
ORK

TVA dams from TVA Web site: www.tva.gov/sites.

White House conference, FDR quote: Brown, 152.

Hopkins address to National Conference of Social Work in Detroit, welfare a federal obligation: Brown, 152–54.

Response to teachers out of work: H. Hopkins, 112–14.

Textile workers employed: H. Hopkins, 113–14.

Marksville, Louisiana, archaeology: Lyon, 1–4.

2 million on FERA work relief: H. Hopkins, 114.

Public Works Administration’s slow start: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 109. The PWA projects mentioned are described in many New Deal histories and Web sites, but I have relied primarily on T. H. Watkins’s excellent Ickes biography,
Righteous Pilgrim.

Ickes’s appearance: Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
1–2. “Honest Harold”: Kennedy, 178. “Old Curmudgeon”:
Time,
Feb. 11, 1952 (Ickes’s obituary, retrieved online). Attention to fine print: Kennedy, 178.

Contractor hiring, no relief requirement: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 284.

Title I of National Industrial Recovery Act and Hugh Johnson sketch: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 101–6. “Old Ironpants”:
Time,
Nov. 4, 1940, and Manchester, 51. Role of NRA in job creation: Kennedy, 177–79. Blue Eagle and “We Do Our Part” from Schlesinger, vol. 2, 114; also Kennedy, 183.

NRA a force for stabilization, not expansion: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 109. PWA too slow: Charles, 47.

8. T
HE
B
IRTH OF THE
C
IVIL
W
ORKS
A
DMINISTRATION

“a stupendous and varied work program.”: H. Hopkins, 115.

Hopkins in Chicago, Kansas City; Williams report from Commons: Sherwood, 51; Charles, 46–47.
Federationist
report also mentioned: H. Hopkins, 115.

White House lunch and “walk on air”: Sherwood, 35–36; 51–52. Roosevelt, Hopkins quotes: Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
391; McJimsey,
Harry Hopkins,
58.

Hotel Powhatan sessions: Sherwood, 52.

Ickes learned about the raid: Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
391–92.

FDR signs order creating Civil Works Administration: Charles, 48.

9. F
OUR
M
ILLION
J
OBS

Hopkins had high ambitions: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 270. Mayors of Worcester and Lowell: Charles, 48–49.

Engineering division, Carmody: Watkins,
Hungry Years,
179.

CWA reviewers processed applications: Charles, 51–52.

Workers from FERA; applications in North Carolina, Chicago: Watkins,
Hungry Years,
179. Bureau of Printing and Engraving: ibid., 179. Veterans Administration disbursement system: H. Hopkins, 120. More than 800,000:H. Hopkins, 117.

CWA workers in mid-December: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 270. Field reports: Bauman and Coode, 28–31.

Hickok field report from Dickinson, N.D.: Lorena Hickok papers, FDR Library.

Hickok reports from Iowa and Wisconsin: Charles, 49.

There were stories: shoes from Sherwood, 55; Armstrong from Watkins,
Hungry Years,
181–82.

Smith quoted:
NYT,
Dec. 1, 1933, 1.

Hopkins quoted:
NYT,
Dec. 2, 1933, 1; also in Charles, 49–50.

CWA job types: Charles, 52; see also
NYT,
Nov. 26, 1933, sec. IV, 1. Employment figures: Sherwood, 57.

10. E
MPLOYMENT
P
OLITICS

Bulk of CWA money flowed to largest states: Charles, 50. Costigan quoted: Charles, 54–55.

McAdoo accusations: Charles, 55–56.

Everybody wanted a piece: Charles, 57.

Republican National Committee charges: Sherwood, 55.

Hopkins quoted: Charles, 58, and Sherwood, 45.

Hopkins on cover:
Time
magazine, Feb. 19, 1934. Hopkins’s fraud investigators: Sherwood, 55. Cases referred, convictions: Charles, 59.

Frank Walker’s background is summarized from the Ferrell-edited Walker autobiography.

Walker’s Montana trip: Sherwood, 53–55.

The use of CWA workers in New York City parks by parks commissioner Robert Moses is vividly described in Caro, 362–63, 370, 370–71.

Winter conditions, 1934: Sherwood, 55. Also Phillips, 270.

“Non-manual and professional” workers: H. Hopkins, 123.

Borglum quoted: Sherwood, 58.

White-collar jobs: Watkins,
Hungry Years,
180.

Hopkins quoted: Sherwood, 57.

11. T
HE
J
OBS
T
HAT
P
AID
T
OO
M
UCH

Hopkins’s success at job making: Charles, 60; Watkins,
Hungry Years,
179–80; Sherwood, 55.

Chelsea, Mass.: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 273.

Hickok to Hopkins: Hickok papers, FDR Library.

CWA wage scale: Charles, 52–53.

As little as 5 cents an hour: ibid., 53. See also Schlesinger, vol. 2, 274; Kennedy, 193–94.

Sketch of Eugene Talmadge drawn from material in Anderson.

Johnstone to Hopkins, Sept. 18, 1933: Gay Shepperson papers, Atlanta History Center.

Van de Vrede from Shepperson papers. Talmadge–White House exchange: Anderson, 136; Schlesinger, vol. 2, 274.

Hopkins on Talmadge:
Savannah
(Ga.)
News,
Jan. 7, 1934, 1.

Hopkins federalizing Georgia program, reinstating Van de Vrede:
Macon
(Ga.)
Telegraph,
Jan. 12, 1934, 1.

CWA hour/wage reductions: Charles, 52–53.

Hickok to Hopkins: Hickok papers, FDR Library.

12. T
HE
B
RIEF
S
HINING
L
IFE OF THE
CWA

$950 million and no more: Sherwood, 56. Lehman quoted: Charles, 61. Letters and telegrams: Sherwood, 56.

Hickok to Hopkins: Hickok papers, FDR Library.

Fear of CWA permanence: Sherwood, 56. Jobs “become a habit”: Leuchtenberg,
FDR,
122.

“should be gradually demobilized”:
Time,
Feb. 19, 1934. Obeying orders: Sherwood, 56. “You know, this is a great job”: Hopkins press conference, Feb. 16, 1934, National Archives and Records Administration, Civil Works Administration papers, Record Group 69 (henceforth NARA, RG 69), Series 737, Box 4 (viewed online at New Deal Network, newdeal/feri.org/texts/787.htm).

Key West: WPA and FERA artwork in the Florida Keys Web site, www.keysarts.com/WPA-Spotlight.htm. Palatka: Florida state parks Web site, www.abfla.com/parks/RavineGardens/ravinegardens.htm. Montana state capitol, Cathedral of Learning: Black, 315. Coit Tower: Florence Loeb Kellog, “Art Becomes Public Works,”
Survey Graphic
23, 6 (June 1934):279. Mississippi schools: Hopkins press conference, Mar. 30, 1934, NARA, RG 69, Series 737, Box 4 (viewed online at New Deal Network, http://newdeal/feri.org/texts/791.htm).

150,000 privies: Kennedy, 176. Hopkins’s quote: Hopkins press conference, Feb. 23, 1934, NARA, RG 69, Series 737, Box 4 (viewed online at New Deal Network, http://newdeal.feri.org/texts/789.htm).

Demobilization of 720,000: ibid. Salt Lake City earthquake from
Deseret
(Utah)
News,
Mar. 12, 1934 (www.seis.utah.edu/NEHRP_HTM/1934hans/n1934ha1.htm). New York City parks: Caro, 370–72. Norman Thomas march: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 277. Continuing work: ibid., 277–78.

Summary of work: Sherwood, 57; Watkins,
Hungry Years,
180. New York City parks: Caro, 372.

Hopkins summarized: Hopkins news conference, Mar. 30, 1934.

Part III
The Dawn of the WPA

1. T
OWARD A
P
ERMANENT
J
OBS
P
ROGRAM

FERA resumed role: Charles, 67–68, 94.

Hopkins conversation with Waite: Charles, 97.

Effects of a works program: Hopkins memo to Roosevelt, Aug. 23, 1935, NARA, RG 69, WPA General Subject Series, Central Correspondence Files, WPA and predecessors, Box 1.

Hog and cotton surplus: Kennedy, 204–5; Watkins,
Hungry Years,
356–57; Schlesinger, vol. 2, 62–63.

Milo Reno quoted: Kennedy, 205. Mules beaten, pigs slaughtered: Leuchtenberg,
FDR,
73.

Wallace quoted: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 63.

“If there were great food surpluses” Federal Surplus Relief Corporation: H. Hopkins, 155–57.

Dust storms, vomiting dirt: Manchester, 99.

Drought zone: www.u-shistory.com/pages/h1583.htm. Clouds seen in Albany, N.Y.: Manchester, 99.

May 1934 dust storm: Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
475–76. Heat wave effects in Arizona: Lyle Johnston,
Arizona Journal,
online at http://azjournal.com/pages/areaguide/HolbDrought.htm. In Utah: Leonard J. Arrington, “Utah’s Great Drought of 1934,”
Utah Historical Quarterly
54(1986): 245–63.

FERA wells and irrigation projects from http://historytogo.utah.gov/drought.htm. Food, wool, leather from sheep and cattle: H. Hopkins, 157–58.

Several plans drafted: Charles, 94–95.

2. P
ROTESTS
L
EFT AND
R
IGHT

Sketch of Townsend and beginnings of Townsend Plan: Brinkley, 222–23.

State old-age assistance: Brown, 27. Nettie Burk:
NYT,
July 4, 1932, 13.

Sketch of Coughlin drawn from Brinkley, chapters entitled “The Radio Priest,” 82–106, and “Roosevelt or Ruin,” 107–23.

Coughlin drifting out of Roosevelt orbit: Brinkley, 133–34.

Huey Long background from Brinkley, 10–11.

Political trajectory of Long covered in Brinkley, 8–71.

Formation of Liberty League: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 486–87.

Liberty League quotes:
Why?
by Jouett Shouse, Shouse Collection, University of Kentucky libraries, online at www.uky.edu/Libraries/libpage.php?lweb_id=474&llib_id=13.

3. “T
HIS
I
S
O
UR
H
OUR”

News of Liberty League:
NYT,
Aug. 23, 1934, 1. Pneumonia: J. Hopkins, 134. Europe trip and FDR note to Hopkins: Sherwood, 63; also J. Hopkins,176.

SS
Washington
departure: Sherwood, 63. Hopkins on Mussolini: Hopkins papers, Georgetown University, Box 54, Folder 9.

Reaction to public housing and social security in Europe: Sherwood, 64. “In an American way”: Schlesinger, vol. 3, 191. Townsend still unknown: ibid., 40–41. Social security prelude: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 300–4.

Pretty Boy Floyd sketch: www.bugsysclub.com/bugsysclub/content/view/175/121.

Election results; White, Krock, and Hearst quoted: Schlesinger, vol. 2, 507.

Hopkins quoted: Sherwood, 64–65.

Meetings on new work plan: ibid., 65.

Warm Springs described: www.fdrlittlewhitehouse.org/01_history/01_a.htm. View from hill and tossing ball: Sherwood, 65. Talmadge visit from Charles, 96.

Stark story: Charles, 95. Clark story: Sherwood, 65.

4. “W
ORK
M
UST
B
E
F
OUND…”

Washington weather; Hauptmann; French foreign minister; Vanderbilt marriage:
Washington Post,
Jan. 5, 1935, 1. Fahnestock:
New York Post,
Jan. 4, 1935, 1; also
Washington Post,
Jan. 5, 1935, 1. Perry and Jacobs:
NYT,
Jan. 4, 1935, 29. Basketball game:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 21.

A protester leaped from the crowd:
New York Post,
Jan. 4, 1935, 1.

Inside the Capitol:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 2, 3.

State of the Union text:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 2.

Crowd response:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 1–2. Congressional leaders at White House supper:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 1. Nesbitt cooking: Black, 1039; also Schlesinger, vol. 2, 578.

Townsend, Coughlin, Long, and the status of their movements are taken from Brinkley’s detailed chronicle.

National Association of Manufacturers:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 2. Press reaction:
NYT,
Jan. 5, 1935, 3.

Washington Post
editorial:
Washington Post,
Jan. 5, 1935, 8.

5. A W
ORD
I
S
B
ORN

Harry Hopkins had greeted the new year: Hopkins diary, Hopkins papers, Georgetown University (henceforth Hopkins diary).

Hopkins, Ickes two obvious choices: Sherwood, 67; also Schlesinger, vol. 3, 343.

Hopkins most frequently mentioned:
Washington Post,
Jan. 5, 1935, 1. Ickes quoted: ibid., 2.

Sunday following the Friday speech: Hopkins diary. Roosevelt quote as related by Morgenthau: Watkins,
Righteous Pilgrim,
394.165 Ickes visit: Hopkins diary entries for Jan. 6, 8, 1935; also quoted in Charles, 107.

House passage of work relief appropriation:
NYT,
Jan. 25, 1935, 1.

Hopkins, Ickes testimony: Sherwood, 67.

Account of “boondoggle” origins at N.Y. aldermanic hearings:
NYT,
Apr. 4, 1935, 1. Hopkins response quoted in Charles, 70–72.

6. T
HE
M
ACHINERY
T
AKES
S
HAPE