If Mr. Walter Cunningham would vote for politicians in favor of social programs such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and comply in other ways ("hold his mouth right"), he could get a job with this government department and be better able to support his family.
If he were to go to work with the WPA, Mr. Cunningham would lose his farm because he would not be able to cultivate his land. Furthermore, like many farmers, Mr. Cunningham loves the good earth that he toils in for hours so that it will produce food and provide for his family, so his loss would be emotional and a matter of pride as well as financial. Added to these losses, Mr. Cunningham would lose his independence by working for the government, since he would no longer be his own boss. He would also be expected to go to whichever areas the government sent him to work and to vote on the side of the political party which issues the WPA checks.
Mr. Cunningham is not willing to sacrifice his integrity and independence, so he refuses to take a WPA job. Instead, he ekes out his living on his farm, knowing that something belongs to him even if he is financially strapped.
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