The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-05-08
WPA., BIGGEST
EMPLOYERPOF
LABOR, DIES
DEATH OF POPULAR AGENCY.
KILLED BY WAR PROSPER
ITY. is ENTIRELY UNMoURN-
ED
BY JOHN GROVER
CBy Associated PressD

WASHINGTON, May o.-1nefe
wasn't even funeral service
when they buried the biggest en-
ployer of labor in U. S. history.
If there were a graveyard for
defunct federal bureaus, there'd
be a new tombstone inscribed:
FeWork Projects, Administration
(WPA), killed by war prosperity
Mayt1,s 1913, aged seven years
WPA was the stormiest storm
center of the New Deals contro-
fveTsial social program in its hey
day Conservative congressman
purpled to near apoplexy about it.
liberals hailed it as long
step toward the millennium.
Most important, 100000 u. S.
residents, supporting 30.000.000
U. S. dependents, got their daily
bread from WPA at one time or an
other after 1885, when it was es-
tablished under the Emergency
Relief Act.
WPA was a direct offshoot Of
the first federal work-relief plan,
and now almost forgotten CWA,
established in 1888.
A lot of current big shots served
in WPA. Harry Hopkins, the pres
idents alter ego, was an unknown
social worker when CWA pitch
forked him into the limelight. Gen.
Brehon Somervell, present head
of the Army Service Forces, won
plaudits for his able administra-
ion of New York City WPA. The
late Hugh Johnson had crack at
the same job.
Aided Millions
High point of WPA's life came in
1889, when an average of 3. lQ4 900
Americans were on the poyroil
Then war doomed industry offer
ed employment to increasing num-
bers of workers. WPA contribut-
cd to is own demise by instituting
training programs that prepared
thousands for defense jobs after
1910.
Construction work always ac-
counted for the bulk of WPA ac-
tivity, but the cultural and COM
munity service enterprises, ridi-
culed as ''boondoggling" by poll
teal enemies, caused the most con-
troversy.
Looking back, WPA left per-
manent imprint on the culture of
the nation. More than $500 mural
paintings, 1880 pieces of sculp-
ture and 100000 easel works for
public buildings-some of them
works of real art-Were completed
by WPA arts projects works. No
other agency ever gave such a
boost to SO many struggling ar
fists.
The WPA theater projects
pumped new life into the legiii-
innate theater. Some of today's top
young stars are Federal Theater
graduates; The writers projects
compiled the American Guide
book series, that introduced
Americans to their own country. A
mass Of Invaluable folklore and
history was collected for future
study.
In construction of public build
ings, WPA made an important
contribution to present day life.
Some 664,000 miles of highway,
much of it strategicalfy important
in war time, was built by WPA
labor. 200 new hospitals, 140 Ii
braries, 8,100 parks, $50 sewage
treatment plants, $4,000 miles of
water mains and $4,000 miles of
drainage bitches for malaria mos
quito control are WPA contribu-
tions to urban life. Living in many
congested areas, tough as can be
now, would be almost impossible
without facilities built by WPA
labor brigades.
Held Invaluable
Discount all this, though. Say
that all the public construction
and public service projects were
wasted money ThAfo Are still mil
itary authorities who\argue that
WPA was %oeth itSssAs if for no
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