1. Warren G. Harding’s Presidency:
How is the Harding Administration rocked by scandal?

2. Harding Deals with Post War Issues
1920: Republican Gov Warren G. Harding easily wins election “return to normalcy”
1) Washington Naval Conference, 1921
Sec of State Charles Hughes wants to cut back warship building
US saves big money, first time countries agree to cut military
2) Domestic Tax Cuts
Secy of Treasury Andrew Mellon favors tax cuts (rich get biggest)
3) Fordney-McCumber Tariff, 1922
US raises tariffs on foreign goods
Britain & France already owe US $ and can’t afford tariff

3. 4) Dawes Plan, 1924
France wants immediate payment of German reparations
US will loan Germany money , Germany will pay reparations to France & Britain - France & Britain will pay back US

4. Scandal During Harding’s Presidency
Harding appoints his friends to cabinet (“Ohio Gang”), many are known for taking bribes or graft
Charles Forbes Sec’y of Veteran’s affairs caught illegally selling Veteran hospital’s supplies to private hospitals
2. Thomas Miller, head of Alien Property bureau caught taking a bribe

5. Teapot Dome Scandal
Oil-rich Teapot Dome land in Wyoming is reserved for US Navy
Sec. of the Interior, Albert B. Fall, secretly “loaned” Tea Pot Dome land to oil companies (gets $400,000 bribe)
Fall is found guilty of bribery & becomes first Harding cabinet member to go to prison

6. Administration in Turmoil
Other scandals becoming public – what does Harding know?
Harding acknowledges his “friends” are causing problems
A few days later Harding dies of a heart attack
Calvin Coolidge, Harding’s VP becomes President