The Politics of the 1920s Chapter 10, Section 1

Where were we…? World War I has ended, Congress did not ratify Treaty of Versailles Labor force flooded with returning soldiers o Post-war production drop off Racial turmoil Red Scare

President Warren G. Harding Elected in 1920 “A return to normalcy” Charles Evan Hughes, Herbert Hoover, and Andrew Mellon important appointments Nepotism heavily present

The Ohio Gang Friends, allies, and contributors from term in Ohio Powerful positions in control of money Drinking, gambling, smoking Kept bootleg whiskey at the White House

Forbes Scandal Member of Ohio Gang Head of the Veterans Bureau Scandal: o Sold scarce medical supplies o Kept money for himself o Cost tax payers $250 million

Teapot Dome Scandal Navy switched from coal to oil, needed reserves Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall Made (legal) contracts with oil producers Accepted $300,000 in bribes

Mellon’s Influence Balance budget Reduce government debt Cut taxes Run government like a business Supply-side economics

Hoover’s Work Cooperative individualism Found new markets for companies Founded Bureau of Aviation Federal Radio Commission

Silent Cal Harding dies of heart attack while touring the west “Silent in 5 Languages” Kept on Hoover and Mellon, dismissed others Prosperity rested on business leadership Hands off relationship between government and businesses

An End to Isolationism Had not ratified Treaty of Versailles Did not join League of Nations Refused to join World Court (1921) Reality: too powerful and too connected Arms control agreements and economic polices used for peace

Ending Isolationism cont. Dawes Plan o Needed a strong European economy Washington Conference o Looking to end naval arms race o Charles Evans Hughes 10 year moratorium on construction Listed ships to be destroyed o Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty o Noting to limit land army o Made Japan mad

Kellogg-Briand Pact US Secretary of State Frank Kellogg French Foreign Minster Aristide Briand 27 August 1928 US & 14 nations signed No binding force Agreed to abandon war Settle all disputes peacefully