Introduction

Abstract

One hot summer day in 1935, federal relief administrator Harry Hopkins presented his plan for alleviating the effects of the Great Depression to a group of shirt-sleeved Iowa farmers, not noted for their liberal ideas. As Hopkins began to describe how government-sponsored jobs on public projects would provide both wages for the unemployed and a stimulus for foundering businesses, a voice shouted out the question that was on everyone’s mind: “Who’s going to pay for all that?” Hopkins, with his characteristic flair for the dramatic, slowly took off his coat and tie, rolled up his sleeves, and looked out at the now-fascinated audience sitting outside on the Iowa University campus. Everyone knew the extent of Hopkins’ influence in Washington. He spoke for the president. “You are,” Hopkins shouted, “and who better? Who can better afford to pay for it? Look at this great university. Look at these fields, these forests and rivers. This is America, the richest country in the world. We can afford to pay for anything we want. And we want a decent life for all the people in this country. And we are going to pay for it.”1 Ever optimistic as to the future of America, even during the dark days of the Great Depression, Hopkins was convinced that there was no good reason “for any American to be destitute, to be illiterate, to be reduced by the bondage of [unemployment and poverty] into either political or economic impotence.”2KeywordsYork CityGreat DepressionAmerican WorkerDecent LifePension ProgramThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.