The New Deal (1933-1938) programs, usually known by their initials, were called “alphabet soup” agencies. The large number of similar titles amused and confused Americans in the 1930s and have challenged history students ever since. There were at least four agencies (FERA, CWA, CCC, WPA) operating similar programs to give relief to the unemployed. There were two AAAs (Agricultural Adjustment Administrations) and two CCCs (Civilian Conservation Corps, Commodity Credit Corporation). The WPA and PWA administered similar public employment programs. This editorial in the Greenfield Daily Recorder-Gazette injects humor into the confusion by suggesting that “alphabet soup” is an old tradition.
Greenfield Daily Recorder-Gazette. “Alphabet Soup.” January 15, 1934. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l08-031/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.