Politics of the Roaring Twenties Chapter 12

Post-War America Giant wave of nativism returns Keep America for Americans Disillusioned by the war Go back to isolationism Post-War America

The Red Scare 1919 prices went up 77%, in 1920 28 more. Workers want higher wages. 1919 3,600 strikes occur!

Red Scare cont’d Biggest strikes: Boston Police Force Steel Industry (69 hr. weeks) Coal Miners

Police Strike

Calvin Coolidge

Red Scare Cont’d People began fearing Communism. Bolsheviks were predicting downfall of capitalism Felt strikes were first step toward communism.

Reaction Terrorist incidents frighten people more in 1919. A. Mitchell Palmer, orders arrest of 5,000 suspected Communists (political radicals) in 33 cities.

Palmer Raids Many civil rights violations. ACLU formed in opposition Arrests w/o warrants, denied lawyers. ACLU formed in opposition 200,000 people were watching out for communists. No communist plots ever found.

Jane Addams

Upton Sinclair

Raids cont’d Justice Department seized only 5 guns from the 5,000 they arrested.

Sacco & Vanzetti Case

Sacco & Vanzetti Accused of murdering a paymaster and guard in holdup. Accused for sole purpose of being anarchists, and Italians Evidence was ridiculously flimsy.

Cont’d Both had alibis Judge: Guilty by association Given the death sentence. Appealed for 7 years, executed August 23, 1927.

Sacco & Vanzetti

Judge Webster Thayer

Immigration Cuts Attempt to keep foreigners out Established a quota system Discriminated against eastern and southern Europe

The Return of the KKK Membership up to 2 million in 1925. March in Washington D.C. “Keep the Negro in his place.”

Harding as President

Harding Newspaper man and Senator “He looked like a President.”

Warren G. Harding

As President Laissez Faire, what the people wanted. Taxes cut & Gov’t spending way down.

Cont’d Huge surplus used to pay down the massive debt. Laws passed to help business Eliminates taxes on businesses from the war. Raises the tariff (Fordney-McCumber Tariff)

Scandals Brought the Ohio Gang with him to Washington. Most were unqualified/ corrupt Charles Forbes swindled $200 million from the country Scandals

Gang had been selling pardons etc… One advisor commits suicide Harding was devastated, takes vacation. Dies in S.F. 8/2/23

Tea Pot Dome Attorney General Harry Daugherty forced to resign. Leased government land for kickbacks. Other officials implicated Trials went to 1930

Teapot Dome Scandal

Coolidge Very quiet and dry. Never looked happy A man of great integrity Became a national hero

As President Takes oath of office from father. Remained untouched by all of the scandals of the time.

Own Term Refused to comment on controversial issues Little contact with Congress “The Business of America is Business”

Cont’d Continued to reduce national debt Country was in a huge business boom Radios, washing machines, and especially automobiles

Boom Car prices down Steel, rubber, and glass industries became huge White collar jobs expanded=education

Credit Americans began buying on credit Debt rising 2 ½ times faster than income! Getting way over their heads.