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| | The election of 1920 brought new faces to the White House, and a "dark horse" candidate won for the Republicans this time: Warren G. Harding. | | The election of 1920 brought new faces to the White House, and a "dark horse" candidate won for the Republicans this time: Warren G. Harding. |
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| − | == The Roaring 20's == | + | == The Roaring Twenties == |
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| − | Warren Harding was a conservative president who nominated 4 conservative Justices to the Supreme Court, some of whom later invalidated key parts of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)'s New Deal. Harding also supported Prohibition, which was a conservative Christian women's movement. Harding opposed the League of Nations, which was a form of "world government" that conservatives today still dislike. Harding opposed immigration, and with his support of the tightest restrictions on immigration in the nation's history.
| + | The Roaring Twenties was the period from 1920 to 1929 when there was tremendous economic growth ''and'' remarkable cultural progress. It was a period of great excitement and accomplishing in our nation's history on many levels: in politics, business, literature and music. It was a great time to be an American and there was a vibrancy in the country rarely seen before or since. |
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| − | Harding has some immediate achievements. The Federal Highway Act in 1921 provided $75 million to states in matching funds for state roads. The Washington Naval Conference (1921-22) was an international treaty that limited arms in navies worldwide, delayed war in Pacific, and temporarily protected China against Japan. The Fordney McCumber Act of 1922 increased tariffs to very high levels, but this was later criticized by historians for creating hardship for Europe after World War I, which had ended just a few years earlier. | + | Politically, the period started with the election of Warren Hardin as president. He was a conservative who nominated four (4) conservative Justices to the Supreme Court, some of whom later invalidated key parts of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)'s liberal New Deal. Harding also supported Prohibition, which was a conservative Christian women's movement. Harding opposed the League of Nations, which was a form of "world government" that conservatives today still dislike. Harding opposed immigration, and with his support of the tightest restrictions on immigration in the nation's history. |
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| | + | Harding and his wife were colorful characters, opening the White House up to the public again (Wilson had closed it during his illness) and for throwing regular garden parties for veterans. The President and his wife relaxed at poker parties in the White House library, where liquor was available to guests despite being illegal during Prohibition. |
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| | + | Harding has some immediate political achievements. The Federal Highway Act in 1921 provided $75 million to states in matching funds for state roads. The Washington Naval Conference (1921-22) was an international treaty that limited arms in navies worldwide, delayed war in Pacific, and temporarily protected China against Japan. The Fordney McCumber Act of 1922 increased tariffs to very high levels, but this was later criticized by historians for creating hardship for Europe after World War I, which had ended just a few years earlier. |
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| | Most of all, Harding laid the basis for a tremendous economic boom in America which lasted the entire decade of the 1920s. | | Most of all, Harding laid the basis for a tremendous economic boom in America which lasted the entire decade of the 1920s. |
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| − | But the Harding Administration was accused of scandals and corruption, such as the Teapot Dome Scandal. On April 14, 1922, the Wall Street Journal reported an unprecedented secret arrangement in which the secretary of the Interior, without competitive bidding, had leased the U.S. naval petroleum reserve at Wyoming's Teapot Dome to a private oil company. Wisconsin Republican Senator Robert La Follette (remember this founder of the progressive movement!) arranged for the Senate Committee on Public Lands to investigate the matter. After his announcement, his quarters were mysteriously ransacked in the Senate Office Building! | + | But the Harding Administration was accused of scandals and corruption, such as the Teapot Dome Scandal. It was observed that George Washington could never tell a lie, but Warren Harding could never tell (recognize) a liar! On April 14, 1922, the Wall Street Journal reported an unprecedented secret arrangement in which the secretary of the Interior, without competitive bidding, had leased the U.S. naval petroleum reserve at Wyoming's Teapot Dome to a private oil company. Wisconsin Republican Senator Robert La Follette (remember this founder of the progressive movement!) arranged for the Senate Committee on Public Lands to investigate the matter. After his announcement, his quarters were mysteriously ransacked in the Senate Office Building! |
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| | The focus of the inquiry was this: "How did Interior Secretary Albert Fall get so rich so quickly?" The result was that Fall became the first former cabinet officer to go to prison. The investigation resulted in the landmark 1927 Supreme Court decision of ''McGrain v. Daugherty'' which held, for the first time, that Congress had the right to compel witnesses to testify before its committees. | | The focus of the inquiry was this: "How did Interior Secretary Albert Fall get so rich so quickly?" The result was that Fall became the first former cabinet officer to go to prison. The investigation resulted in the landmark 1927 Supreme Court decision of ''McGrain v. Daugherty'' which held, for the first time, that Congress had the right to compel witnesses to testify before its committees. |