Figure 1.--This is Mrs. Earl Taylor with three of her children. The whole family included Mr. taylor and four more sons. Earl Taylor was the foreman of a Resettlement Administration (RA) project crew. as was often the case, the crews were recruited from the hard up people that the RA was attempting to assist. The photograph was taken in their home. The children are wearing overalls and coveralls, as was common at the time. The girl put on a necklace, probably a dress-up touch for the photo. Boys often wore overalls without shirts during the summer. This was less common cor girls. The photo was taken during June 1937 in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. By this time the RA had been folded into Farm Security Administration. Source: Library of Congress LC-USF34-030179-D.

President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration (RA) (May 1, 1935). Unlike most other New Deal Agencies, he created ot by executive action (Execurive Order 7027) and not by Act of Congress. This suggestshe understood from the beginning that it would extremely controiversial. It was formed from the Subsistence Homesteads Division (DSH/SHD) in the Interior Department. The President chose New Deal Braintruster Rexford G. Tugwell to head the new agency. Tugwell and the RA sought to relocate dislocated urban and rural families to new communities planned by the Federal government. He used his relationship with the President to get approval for the agency. Tugwell, an economics professor at New York's Columbia University who became an important advisor to Governor Roosevelt during the 1932 presidential election campaign. After his election victory, the President The President appointed Tugwell to positions in the Agriculture Department involved in efforts to alleviate the Depression. Efforts to assist the dispossed were especially important to Tugwell and thus he had great plans for the new agency and the President with overwealming Congressional majorities was willing to back him. Mrs. Roosevelt took an interest in the RA. The Agency administered various programs under four divisions: Rural Rehabilitation, Rural Resettlement, Land Utilization, and Suburban Resettlement. [Sternsher, pp. 262-65.] Tugwell had expansive plans for his new agency. He hoped to move some 650,000 people from 100 million acres (400,000 km2) of agriculturally exhausted, worn-out land, meaning many sharecroppers. This elicited intense criticism from Congress including Democrats, especially southern Democrats. Many Congressmen saw it as socialistic, seeming similar to Soviet collectivuztion. Others, especially southern Democrats, objected to relocating farm laborors including share croppers which they thought would weaken the rural economy. While the President could create the Agency, Congessional support was needed for funding. And Congress refused the massive outlays that Tugwell needed for his resettlement efforts. The RA was only given limited funding for relocating only a few thousand individuals from 9 million acres (36,000 km2), less than 10 percent of Tugwell's goal. Several greenbelt cities were built which received some positive commentary. The cooperative future that Tugwell envisioned, however, was never accomplished. A major weakness of Tugwell's plan was the failure to understand the importance of the private sector and the need for productive employment. The Government could build planned communities, but without jobs, the new communities wre still born and required on-going Federal financing. The FA was disolved even before the Republican and conservative victories undercut New Deal programs (1938). The main focus of the RA thus became the building of relief camps in California for migratory workers, something that was badly needed. Caligornia was where the devestated refugees from the Dust Bowl of the southern Plains who became known as 'the Oakies as many came from Oklahoma headed. Many Californians did not welcome the arrival of large numbers of destitute families. So the RA took on the task of setting up resettlement camps, even this was not popular. With so much opposition, the RA did not last long. The agency was dissolved (January 1, 1937). Some of the projects were taken over by the Farm Security Administration (FSA).

Subsistence Homesteads Division (DSH/SHD)

Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933)

The Agriculture Marketing Act, which established the Federal Farm Board initiated Federal efforts to imprive the market for agicultural commodities (1929). President Roosevelt's New Deal attempted a more forceful effort to raise farm prices. Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933). It became one of the center pieces of the New Deal (1933). The primary objective ws to raise farm income by reducing agricultural production in an effort to raise prices. The AAA paid farmers subsidies not to plant on part of their land and to reduce livestock herds. It was hoped this would reduce crop surplus and thus cause prices to rise. Money for the subsidy payments was to generated by taxing companies processing farm products. The Act created a new agency, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to administer the subsidy program. The Act had other provisions to adress farm problems. One of these was the Land Use Program authorized by Land Poloicy section of the Act. The program sought to purchase submarinal land and to aid 'economically underprivlidged sellers. The Supreme Court eventually struck down. the AAA, findung that the tax used to generate funds for the subsidies to be unconstitutional--United States v. Butler (January 6, 1936). This was one of the Court actions leading to President Roosevelt's Court Packing scheme. .

RA Creation (May 1935)

President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration (RA) (May 1, 1935). The RA took over the AAA Land Use Program. Unlike most other New Deal Agencies, he created The RA by executive action (Execurive Order 7027) and not by act of Congress. This suggests that he understood from the beginning that it would extremely controiversial. It was formed from the Subsistence Homesteads Division (DSH/SHD) in the Interior Department and the Land Use Adjustment program in the AAA. The President chose New Deal Braintruster Rexford G. Tugwell to head the new agency. Tugwell and the RA sought to relocate dislocated urban and rural families to new communities planned by the Federal government. He used his relationship with the President to get approval for the agency. Tugwell, an economics professor at New York's Columbia University had become an important advisor to Governor Roosevelt during the 1932 presidential election campaign. After his election victory, the President appointed Tugwell to positions in the Agriculture Department involved in efforts to alleviate the Depression.

Programs

Efforts to assist the dispossed were especially important to Tugwell and thus he had great plans for the new agency and the President with overwealming Congressional majorities was willing to back him. Mrs. Roosevelt took a special interest in the RA. The Agency administered various programs under four divisions: Rural Rehabilitation, Rural Resettlement, Land Utilization, and Suburban Resettlement. [Sternsher, pp. 262-65.] Tugwell had expansive plans for his new agency. He hoped to move some 650,000 people from 100 million acres (400,000 km2) of agriculturally exhausted, worn-out land, meaning many sharecroppers to the RA projects.

Controversy

Tugwell's expansive plans elicited Comgressional opposotion. This included Democrats supporting New Deal efforts, especially southern Democrats. Many Congressmen saw it as socialistic, seeming similar to Soviet collectivuztion. Others, especially southern Democrats, objected to relocating farm laborors including share croppers which they thought would weaken the rural economy.

Accoplishments

The RA launche a range of projects all over the country. While the President could create the Agency, Congessional support was needed for funding. And Congress refused the massive outlays that Tugwell needed for his resettlement efforts. Congress only approved funding for relocating a few thousand individuals on 9 million acres (36,000 km2), less than 10 percent of Tugwell's goal. Several greenbelt cities were built which received some positive commentary. The cooperative future that Tugwell envisioned, however, was never accomplished. And while this was undeniaably a well intentioned effort, it is not clear just how effective the various programs were. One of the most appealing elements of the effort was the destitute families that the RA resettled on abandoned or unused land. Farm Security Administration photographers provided hear-rending images of many of these resettlement efforts. We do not know, however, how the individuals resettled made out on their new honsteads. Several greenbelt cities were built which received some positive commentary. These programs were from the beginning experimental. And there were during the New Deal admiring, hopefull assessments. [Nowell] As the programs did not prove very effective, there were less discussion by liberal academics who had hoped the programs would suceed.

Weakness

A major weakness of Tugwell's plan was the failure to understand the importance of the private sector and the need for productive employment. The Government could build planned communities, but without jobs, the new communities wre stillborn and required on-going Federal financing. This included both resettlement camps as well as individuals the RA helped buy homesteads, often on marginal land. Many could not turn the land into profitable farms and sublemental jobs which could have made a difference were not available in many of the relocation areas. This is a problem with many Government welfare programs, they use tax funds to maintain families at low levels, not correcting the problem. but perpetuating it.

Relief Camps

The main focus of the RA thus became the building of relief camps in California for migratory workers, something that was badly needed. California was where the devestated refugees from the Dust Bowl of the southern Plains who became known as 'the Oakies as many came from Oklahoma headed. Many Californians did not welcome the arrival of large numbers of destitute families. So the RA took on the task of setting up resettlement camps, even this was not popular

Dissolved

With so much opposition and so nlittle in positive results , the RA did not last long. The agency was dissolved (January 1, 1937). This was a great disappointment to Tugwell as well as Roosevelt intimste Harry Hopkins. The First Lady was especially disappointed. We are noit sure just what the President's attitude was. But we notice The President nd First KLadt visiting some of the projects even after the RA projectswere foldes into Farm Security Administration. The FA was disolved even before the Republican and conservative victories undercut New Deal programs (November 1938). This was of course just at the time that Hitler began his aggressions and the New Deal began to phase down as America began to prepare for the coming War. Defense contracts from Euriopecanhd the American military began to create jobs that in short order would end Depression. It also shifted the Presiuden's attention from domestic issues to the need to deal with Fascist aggression.

Farm Security Administration

Some of the projects were taken over by the Farm Security Administration (FSA).

Sources

Nowell, R.I. "Experience of Resettlement Administration Program in Lake States," Journal of Farm Economics Vol. 19, No. 1, (February 1937), pp. 206-220. Published by: Agricultural & Applied Economics Association.

Sternsher, Bernard. Rexford Tugwell and the New Deal (Rutgers University Press, 1964).

Created: 5:01 AM 2/4/2015
Last updated: 10:47 PM 8/22/2018