Being greatly commended by my lord because I had so faithfully performed my
duties as a citizen, I began to see that even an insignificant person, like myself, might
contribute materially to the general welfare and prosperity of his country. From that
time I saw how homely daily labor, which most people think of only as a disagreeable
task, might be made to have a high meaning in it, and I determined to devote all
my energies to the service of others. I felt sure that there must be some way of
relieving the distress of the poor, some measure of providing for the future of people.
The result was that I gradually elaborated the Houtoku system. -- Ninomiya Sontoku

I propose to create a Civilian Conservation Corps to be used in simple
work -- more important, however, than the material gains will be the moral
and spiritual value of such work. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 9, 1933

Franklin Roosevelt and the Civilian Conservation Corps

Robert W. Norris


When I was first asked to write a short article on someone or something in U.S. history that embodied the houtoku seishin, I had to stop for a minute to think. First of all, how can one translate houtouku seishin into English? The expression "return virtue for virtue" is often used, but that translation seems a bit awkward to me. Other expressions such as "spirit of philanthropy," "spirit of public service," and "spirit of altruism" come to mind first.

"Philanthropy," to me, conjures up an image of a rich person donating money and time for the public good, but when I think of Ninomiya Sontoku, I don't see him as a rich man working for the public good. "Public service" implies someone working as a government employee, but without any moral purpose. That image doesn't fit well, either. "Altruism," however, gives a sense of someone working unselfishly for the benefit of others. I think that definition comes closest to defining what is meant by houtoku seishin.
 
Throughout American history there have been many people who have performed altruistic acts, but the strongest example I can think of has more to do with a group of people than one person. That group of people is the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). President Franklin Roosevelt is the person most responsible for creating the CCC, but in terms of the actual work and service done for society, those people who participated in the program should be given credit.

What was the Civilian Conservation Corps?

 
In response to the Great Depression, a time when an estimated 25% of the U.S. workforce was unemployed, President Franklin Roosevelt's Executive Order 6108, issued on April 15, 1933, officially established a national conservation program. The Civilian Conservation Corps employed jobless young men aged 18 to 25, along with older World War I veterans, in rebuilding the nation's environmental infrastructure. The CCC became one of the most popular of Roosevelt's New Deal Programs.
 
The young men who were employed by the CCC program had to be unmarried and come from families on relief. The enrollment period was for six months with the opportunity to re-enlist for six-month increments not to exceed two years. Each enrollee was paid $30 a month, of which $25 was sent to his family. The remaining $5 could be used by the enrollee for personal expenses of his choice. Room, board, clothing, and tools were provided by the government. The enrollee was expected to work a 40-hour week and to follow the camp rules. While serving in these camps, each enrollee was taught a new skill and could also attend classes to better his education.

Background to the Great Depression

 
The 1920s were a time of economic boom. Speculation in the United States became a national habit. Americans were investing money in hopes of making a huge profit and getting rich quickly. By the late 1920's, speculation had gotten out of control. It seemed investors believed that no matter how much they paid for stock, someone would buy it from them at an even higher price. Eventually, the stock prices reached a level when nobody else was willing to buy.
 
Finally, on October 24, 1929, more stocks were being sold than bought, causing prices and the market to plunge. By Tuesday, October 29, the plunge had reached an all- time low. That day became known as "Black Tuesday." The decline in stock prices caused a panic and the Great Stock Market Crash marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
 
By 1932, many Americans had lost everything they had: their businesses, jobs, investments, homes, and self-respect. Many more were starving and out of work. In 1932, the total income of all Americans had fallen by over half. Estimates are that 13,600,000 were unemployed in 1933.

Establishment of the CCC

 
On March 4, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt took his presidential oath of office in the middle of a terrible bank panic. In his inaugural address he told the nation "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He also called Congress into immediate action in a special session that would last 100 days. The next day President Roosevelt announced a bank holiday, and Congress passed his Emergency Banking Bill. The bill strengthened, reorganized, and reopened the most solvent banks. The success of the bill also convinced both Congress and the public that Roosevelt’s New Deal was the right thing to do for the country, and it set the stage for the establishment of the CCC.
 
Over the next nine years while the CCC was in service, 46,854 bridges were constructed; 800 state parks created; 4,622 fish-rearing ponds established; 3,980 historic sites restored; 5,000 miles of water lines laid; 3,462 beaches improved; two to three billion trees planted; millions of acres and thousands of lakes surveyed and mapped for the first time; 1,865 drinking fountains installed; 27,191 miles of fences built; 204 lodges and museums established; 3,116 lookout towers constructed; and thousands of men fought forest fires. A total of 3,463,766 men enrolled in the program and worked in over 4,500 camps.
 
These numbers represent only a portion of the work the CCC accomplished. Of even greater importance is that the CCC program saved hundreds of thousands of young men who were on the verge of physical, economic, emotional, and moral collapse. Most had roamed the country for up to two years looking for any kind of work. They were helpless and didn’t know where to turn for help. The CCC provided these men with the work, clothing, food, and education that restored their self-respect and confidence. Most of them returned to their own communities as proud, disciplined, hard-working, and contributing members.
 
I think the story of the CCC, its accomplishments, and its positive effect on the lives of over three million desperate young men greatly reflects the principles of Ninomiya Sontoku, who himself applied daily the principle of the worth of honest labor for the betterment of others. This simple idea formed the basis of his houtoku theories.

REFERENCES

1. "Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni." http://www.cccalumni.org/ (accessed Dec. 19, 2003).
2. Droppers, Garrett. 1894. "A Japanese Credit Association and Its Founder. " Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vol. XXII: 69-102.
3. Garrety, John A. 1994. The Story of America.  New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.