Public Works in the Depression.

The article focuses on the status of public works during the economic depression in the U.S. from 1929 to 1938. The government's role as direct provider of jobs, especially during depressions, has often been exaggerated both by those who favor and by those who oppose any strengthening of this role. The impression is widespread that there was a considerable expansion of public works during the last depression. Strangely enough there is no sup-port for this assumption in the facts. Rather, if all public construction pro-grams are included, even those based on work relief, there appears to have been a sizable decline in public works expenditures. This decline was offset, but not much more, by the non-construction work relief programs undertaken outside of the regular public works field.