I am not sure of Mr. Willis’ age. I for one lived in the East and Midwest prior to WWII. As for the “unsuccessful projects,” I for one remember libraries, courthouses, bridges, school buildings, highways and regional parks, all with placards or cornerstones indicating the actions of the WPA.

In 1937 my uncle, Joseph P. Brodigan, was in charge of the WPA and CCC in the southern half of Illinois when Cairo, IL, was saved by the above with seven to nine courses of sandbags above the levees.

I have no idea how many families and individual lives were preserved by the small but steady pay...