W.P.A

W.P.A or Works Progress Administrated was the largest program in America that employed thousands of people to carry out public works projects. W.P.A was created to try and create jobs for the unemployed in the American depression.
In this context W.P.A means that Mr Cunningham was willing to go hungry, to keep his land in good condition and vote than to try and get a job. It would have been easy for him to get a W.P.A or a Public Works job or project.