Warren G. Harding’s Presidency “Not heroism, but healing, not nostrums, but normalcy”

Warren G. Harding From Marion, Ohio Newspaper publisher Legislator Lt. Governor 1914, elected to US Senate 1920, elected US President

Harding’s Cabinet Vice-President, Calvin Coolidge Secretary of State, Charles Evans Hughes Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover Secretary of Treasury, Andrew Mellon Secretary of Agriculture, Henry Wallace

Harding’s Economic Policies Tariff and tax policy 1921, Congress passed an emergency tariff act 1922, Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act Protectionist in nature Raised the basic rates, tried to help farmers by raising the tax on imports Lazier faire business policy

Harding’s Domestic Policies Advocated civil rights for all Americans Advocated forming an international commission for improving race relations between African American and whites. Opposition from southern Democrats blocked this Signed anti-lynching bill Advocated suffrage for women Established the Veterans’ Bureau (Department of Veterans’ Affairs) Appointed William H. Taft to Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court

Harding’s Foreign Policy Washington Naval Conference 1st international conference held in the US 1st disarmament conference in history Met to limit the navies of world powers to maintain peace

Problems for Harding When Harding became president, he took to Washington DC many of his friends and supporters (cronyism), they were called the “Ohio Gang” The two that gave him the most trouble were: Attorney General, Harry M. Daugherty Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall “With friends like this, who needs enemies.”

Teapot Dome Scandal By executive order, Harding transferred large oil fields in CA and WY from the Naval Department to the Interior Department. These fields had been reserved for the Navy’s use Albert Fall gave the oil leases to Edward Doheny and Harry Sinclair without putting them out for public bid

The Benefit to Fall Doheny was to profit about $1 million on the California oil fields Gave Fall a “loan” of $100,000 Sinclair was given a 20 year lease on the Teapot Dome oil fields in Wyoming Gave Fall a “loan” of $36,000 cash and $198,000 in Liberty Bonds, followed by another $35,000 in bonds Sinclair also gave Fall $25,000 cash to travel to Russia with him to check out oil fields there

Result of the Teapot Dome Scandal Senate decided to investigate (Harding died during the investigation & Coolidge became president) Coolidge appointed a special prosecutor The case was in court for 6 years Fall became the 1st cabinet member ever sent to prison

Attorney General Scandal Harry Daughtery was involved with a bootlegger named Jess Smith This was during Prohibition Daughtery worked a deal with Smith to supply the White House with booze for parties, etc. Daughtery got “kickbacks” on the sale of booze Daughtery resigned in disgrace