A Return to Normalcy? Unit 3 Lesson 1

Objectives Identify major political, economic, and social changes the US faced after the war. Examine Republican leadership during the “Roaring 20’s.”

Wilson After WWI (1918-21) End of Progressive Spirit Demobilization 18th / 19th Amend Demobilization End govt control = inflation Cut back production = prices  Surplus workers = wages  Union strikes Recession 1920-21 Public Hysteria Red Scare- fear of Communists Fear of all foreigners Anti-union Progressive spirit disappeared as America focused on Treaty and League Wilson fell ill and couldn’t provide leadership 18th Amend (prohibition) and 19th Amend (women’s suffrage) are last measures w/Prog influence Demobilization- return to peacetime economy Govt ended all wartime controls, industries scale back on production, causing rising prices and inflation Return of 4.5 million military men led to surplus of workers, force women and Afro- amer into unemployment Workers earnings drop while cost of living rises 1919 4 million workers strike for higher pay- steelworkers, coal miners, Boston police force Equate strikes as Communist attempt to take over US Wave of anticommunist fear swept US- fuels fear and hatred of all foreigners Attny Gen A Mitchell Palmer leads series of raid to rid US of subversives and radicals Calms down by 1920, but damage done A. Mitchell Palmer

Post-War Political Developments Democratic Party Split Eastern + Urban = Progressive Southern/Midwestern, + Rural = Conservative Republican Party Pro-business, Prohibition Win 1920-1928 Presidential elections! Women’s Vote Not much impact, low turnout, vote like hubby’s

Return to Normalcy Warren G. Harding Ohio Sen 1920-1923 Economic growth Social stability Isolation Ohio Senator with little understanding of national problems. Dark-horse candidate hand picked by political bosses after convention couldn’t decide. (6 convention ballots, secret mtg, won on 10th ballot) Campaigned against Dem James Cox from his front porch…elusive about foreign and domestic policies… Kept promising a “return to normalcy”, return to simple days before progressive days and international involvement (war) Ignored Progressive Era dvpts…Policies favored Less govt- reduced fed spend, restricted use of Pres powers Pro-business- higher tariffs, lower taxes, laissez-faire regulations Isolation from world affairs

Harding’s Accomplishments Domestic Legislation Emergency Quota Act National Origins Act Veterans Bureau Act Fordney-McCumberTariff Act Foreign Affairs Reject League Dawes Plan – GRM payment of war debts Washington Naval Conference Naval disarmament Chinese independ Quota Act 1921 severely restricted immigration by set max # on people who could enter the US from each nation Amended 1924 further limits esp on immigrants from eastern and western Europe Vet’s Bureau 1921 created single agency to administer vet’s benefits Fordney McCumber Tariff 1922 provided for high tariffs Saw election as nation’s spirit to reject Leauge and return to isolation Signed a separate treaty with Germany War Debts- Allies tried to get debts cancelled (spend $ for US materials)… US said no… Brit and France can’t sell enough goods to repay war debts, GRM can’t pay reparations so no money from that well Almost start another war with GRM to get payment…pass Dawes Plan and Young Plan to schedule payments Wash Conference- US, GB, FRA, ITL, JPN Stop building large naval warships for 10 yrs, limit current fleets to ridiculously low numbers (5 per US, GB) Also agree to support equal trading rights in China, respect independence

Harding’s Failures- Scandal Ohio Gang- pals appt to Cabinet Vet’s Bureau- Forbes stole govt $ Attorney Gen Daugherty- kickbacks Teapot Dome Albert Fall, gets $ and gifts for leasing govt oil reserves…jail 1923 Sudden Death Ohio Gang- surrounded himself with friends who abused powers House on M Street- poker, alcohol, prostitutes in DC Vet’s Bureau- Charles Forbes pockets millions through various shady deals 1925 sentenced to prision Attny Gen Harry M Daugherty and other Harding patrons invovled in substantial kickbacks following rigged sale govt property One man commits suicide, one goes to jail, Daugherty saved twice by hung jury Teapot Dome (Wyoming) and Elk Hills (CA)- Albert Fall, Sec of Interior Secretly gave private businessmen liberal leases to govt oil reserves…in return, received “loans” and gifts Leases cancelled, Fall sentenced to jail 1923, Scandals become public…Harding suffered sever illness and died…sudden and oddd, some think his wife may have poisoned him! VP Calvin Coolidge succeeds him…

Staying Cool with Coolidge Calvin Coolidge Gov Mass, VP 1923-1929 “Business of America is Business” Deregulation Stock market spec. Cut govt spend No govt aid to farmers Low taxes Began as Gov of Massachusetts- won national attn by using Natl Guard to settle Boston police strike received VP nomination, called up to serve when Harding died Served remainder of Harding’s term then won (re)election in 1924 3 party race- Rep keep cool with Coolidge, Dem nom lawyer John Davis, 3rd party Progressive’s nominate Robert LaFollette LaFollette concentrated on issues and won more votes than any previous 3rd party, but still lost by 10 million votes Cleaned house, prosecuting those involved in scandals, restores respect for Repub Party and national govt Focused on supporting growth of industry, did not intervene in econimc matters Prosperous but brought on Depression

Cal’s Accomplishments Domestic Legislation Immigration Act Soldier’s Bonus Act Foreign Affairs Kellogg-Briand Pact Outlaw war Immigration Act – tightened immigration restrictions Soldier’s Bonus Act- passed over Cal’s veto provided WWI vets with paid-up life insurance policies when $ doesn’t come to them, march on DC demanding payments Kellogg Briand- US Sec of State and French Foreign Minister propose plan to settle all disputes peacefully Most nations, including GRM, JPN, and ITL sign In 1928, Cal announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election

Election 1928 Republican Democrat Herbert Hoover Sec of Commerce Businessman Democrat Alfred E. Smith NY Gov Irish, Catholic! BOTH: Pro-business, reform immigration laws, protect farmers, maintain isolationism DIFFERENCE: Hoover “Dry”, Smith “Wet”

Hoover Administration 1929-1933 Herbert Hoover Sec of Commerce 1929-1933 “Rugged Individualism” Big govt endangered econ progress and personal liberty High tariffs Free enterprise Balanced budget This philosophy would be his, and America’s, downfall when the Depression hit…

Hoover’s Administration Domestic Legislation Repeal Prohibition “Noble Experiment” Prosecute Capone National parks Native Rights (BIA) Native VP Lack action onset Depression… Foreign Affairs Hoover-Stimpson Doctrine No territories taken by force Immigration Act – tightened immigration restrictions Soldier’s Bonus Act- passed over Cal’s veto provided WWI vets with paid-up life insurance policies when $ doesn’t come to them, march on DC demanding payments Kellogg Briand- US Sec of State and French Foreign Minister propose plan to settle all disputes peacefully Most nations, including GRM, JPN, and ITL sign In 1928, Cal announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election

Closure What were the three shared beliefs of the 1920s Republican Presidents? Economic growth: laissez-faire Social stability Isolationism

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