Executive Order 7034

Executive Order 7034 was a pivotal directive issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on May 6, 1935, during the depths of the Great Depression. It created the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a massive New Deal agency designed to provide employment for millions of unemployed Americans through public works projects. The order was a cornerstone of the Second New Deal, shifting federal relief efforts from direct aid to work relief, and was funded by the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935.

Background and Context

The order emerged from the ongoing economic crisis of the Great Depression, following the initial relief efforts of the First Hundred Days. The earlier Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), led by Harry Hopkins, provided grants but was seen as a temporary measure. With unemployment still rampant, Roosevelt and his advisors, including Harold Ickes of the Public Works Administration (PWA), sought a more permanent, large-scale jobs program. The political climate, influenced by figures like Huey Long and his Share Our Wealth plan, pressured the Roosevelt administration to pursue more aggressive federal action. The legislative basis was the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, which granted the President broad authority to allocate funds for work relief and public projects.

Provisions of the Order

The order formally established the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and placed it under the direction of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. It authorized the WPA to initiate and administer a comprehensive program of "useful public works projects" to provide employment. The order allocated initial funds from the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 and granted the agency authority to coordinate with other federal departments like the Department of the Interior and state governments. It specifically mandated that projects be financially sponsored by local or state agencies and required that wages be consistent with prevailing rates in the respective regions, though below private sector levels.

Implementation and Administration

Harry Hopkins was swiftly appointed as the WPA administrator, bringing his experience from FERA. The agency rapidly organized a vast bureaucracy, establishing offices in every state and working with local Works Progress Administration sponsors. Major projects included the construction of public buildings like schools and post offices, infrastructure such as Blue Ridge Parkway roads and LaGuardia Airport, and community improvements like sewer systems and public parks. The WPA also famously encompassed the Federal Art Project, Federal Writers' Project, and Federal Theatre Project, employing thousands of artists, writers, and performers. Coordination with other agencies, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Resettlement Administration, was common, though tensions sometimes existed with Harold Ickes's PWA over project control.

Impact and Legacy

The WPA became the largest New Deal agency, employing over 8.5 million people between 1935 and 1943. It constructed or improved more than 650,000 miles of roads, 125,000 public buildings, and 8,000 parks. The cultural projects left a lasting legacy, producing iconic works like the American Guide Series and supporting artists such as Jackson Pollock. Critically, it provided a psychological and economic boost, reducing unemployment and injecting capital into local economies. However, it faced criticism from conservatives like those in the American Liberty League for its cost and from left-wing figures like Upton Sinclair for not going far enough. Its existence was effectively ended by the ramp-up of World War II industrial production, with its functions terminated by Executive Order 9064 in 1942.

Related Legal and Executive Actions

Executive Order 7034 was directly enabled by the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935. It was part of a suite of major Second New Deal actions, including the Social Security Act, the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act), and the Revenue Act of 1935. Subsequent executive orders modified the WPA's structure, such as Executive Order 7252 which made it an independent agency. Later large-scale employment programs, like the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and the National Youth Administration (NYA), operated under similar principles. The model of federal work relief influenced later initiatives, including Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs and modern public works proposals during economic downturns.

Category:United States federal executive orders Category:New Deal Category:Works Progress Administration Category:1935 in American law