The WPAThe WPA

By Kelsey, Nabby, Fergus and By Kelsey, Nabby, Fergus and DevinDevin

What is the WPA?What is the WPA?

• Largest New Deal agency, Largest New Deal agency, employing millons to carry out employing millons to carry out public works, fed children and public works, fed children and redistributed food, clothing and redistributed food, clothing and housinghousing

• Funded by congress with the Funded by congress with the passage of the Emergency Relief passage of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935Appropriation Act of 1935

The PWAThe PWA(Public Works (Public Works

Administration)Administration)

(JUST KIDDING!)(JUST KIDDING!)

Overview of the PWAOverview of the PWA

• Designed to provide unemployed workers with Designed to provide unemployed workers with wages as well as to stimulate the building wages as well as to stimulate the building industry, the PWA's main focus was on large-scale industry, the PWA's main focus was on large-scale construction projects. construction projects.

• From 1933 to 1939, the PWA spent six billion From 1933 to 1939, the PWA spent six billion dollars in constructing 70 percent of all dollars in constructing 70 percent of all educational buildings built in the country; 65 educational buildings built in the country; 65 percent of all the courthouses, city halls, and percent of all the courthouses, city halls, and other nonresidential public buildings; 65 percent other nonresidential public buildings; 65 percent of all the sewage treatment plants; 35 percent of of all the sewage treatment plants; 35 percent of the hospitals and public-health facilities; and 10 the hospitals and public-health facilities; and 10 percent of the roads, streets, and bridges.percent of the roads, streets, and bridges.

What is the PWA?What is the PWA?• Francis Perkins suggested the program, Francis Perkins suggested the program,

and Harold Ickes, the secretary of state at and Harold Ickes, the secretary of state at that time, supported the idea. Ickes then that time, supported the idea. Ickes then headed the idea and it was createdheaded the idea and it was created

• Created on June 16, 1933 by the National Created on June 16, 1933 by the National Industrial Recovery ActIndustrial Recovery Act

• Its goal was to create public works, Its goal was to create public works, provide employment, stabilize purchasing provide employment, stabilize purchasing power, help public welfares, and revive power, help public welfares, and revive the American industrythe American industry

• Had a budget of billions of dollars, and ended Had a budget of billions of dollars, and ended up using $6 billionup using $6 billion

Success of the PWASuccess of the PWA• Made jobsMade jobs• Helped the economy Helped the economy

because there were because there were important projects such important projects such as damsas dams

• Made transportation Made transportation easier because of road easier because of road projectsprojects

• Fixed power and Fixed power and distribution problemsdistribution problems

Success of the PWA Success of the PWA cont’dcont’d• Housing for people who are poorHousing for people who are poor

• Hired unemployed people more Hired unemployed people more directly than the WPA directly than the WPA

• Funded 34,000 projects, creating Funded 34,000 projects, creating airports, electricity generating dams airports, electricity generating dams (Bonneville), aircraft carriers, (Bonneville), aircraft carriers, schools, hospitals, houses, bridgesschools, hospitals, houses, bridges

PWA Vs. WPAPWA Vs. WPA• Both part of the New DealBoth part of the New Deal• Public Works Administration projects were Public Works Administration projects were

much larger in scopemuch larger in scope• Works Progress Administration (Harry Works Progress Administration (Harry

Hopkins) was more controversialHopkins) was more controversial• WPA hired only people on relief who were WPA hired only people on relief who were

paid directly by the governmentpaid directly by the government• PWA gave contracts to private firms who PWA gave contracts to private firms who

did the hiringdid the hiring

CriticismCriticism• Competition over the size of expenditure, the Competition over the size of expenditure, the

selection of the administrator, and the selection of the administrator, and the appointment of staff, let to the delays and appointment of staff, let to the delays and failure of PWA as effective recovery toofailure of PWA as effective recovery too

• Arguments between both Democratic state Arguments between both Democratic state organizations and Democrats and organizations and Democrats and Republicans led to delays in implementing Republicans led to delays in implementing PWA efforts on a local levelPWA efforts on a local level

• Harold Ickes instituted quotas for hiring Harold Ickes instituted quotas for hiring skilled and unskilled blacks in construction, skilled and unskilled blacks in construction, there was a lot of resistance from employers there was a lot of resistance from employers and unionsand unions

FailuresFailures

• Lacked quality, affordable housing, building Lacked quality, affordable housing, building only 25,000 units in four and a half yearsonly 25,000 units in four and a half years

• PWA spent over $6 billion, but did not succeed PWA spent over $6 billion, but did not succeed in returning the level of industrial activity to in returning the level of industrial activity to pre-depression levelspre-depression levels

• It did not significantly reduce the It did not significantly reduce the unemployment level or create small businessesunemployment level or create small businesses

End of PWA:End of PWA:• When FDR moved industry toward war When FDR moved industry toward war

production PWA became irrelevant and was production PWA became irrelevant and was abolished in June 1941abolished in June 1941

How it was differentHow it was different• President Hoover feared that too President Hoover feared that too

much intervention by the much intervention by the government would destroy government would destroy individuality and self-reliance (of individuality and self-reliance (of starting projects, businesses) which starting projects, businesses) which he considered to be important he considered to be important American valuesAmerican values

• Hoover organized a number of Hoover organized a number of voluntary measures w/ businesses voluntary measures w/ businesses and accelerated federal building and accelerated federal building projects but, his policies had little projects but, his policies had little or no effector no effect

• Toward the end of his term, Hoover Toward the end of his term, Hoover supported several legislative supported several legislative solutions which he felt might lift the solutions which he felt might lift the country out of the depressioncountry out of the depression

How it was different How it was different cont’dcont’d• In the hope of promoting and stabilizing In the hope of promoting and stabilizing

employment and purchasing power, FDR brought employment and purchasing power, FDR brought about the creation of the National Industrial about the creation of the National Industrial Recovery ActRecovery Act

• Administered the construction of various public Administered the construction of various public works such as: public buildings, bridges, dams, etc.works such as: public buildings, bridges, dams, etc.

• Title II established the PWA and it outlined projects Title II established the PWA and it outlined projects and funding opportunities that could happen under and funding opportunities that could happen under the PWAthe PWA

BibliographyBibliography

• http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/http://www.nps.gov/archive/elro/glossary/pwa.htmglossary/pwa.htm

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Industrial_Recovery_ActNational_Industrial_Recovery_Act

• http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0840443.htmlA0840443.html