p.

419-421

THE HARDING PRESIDENCY

Objectives
Contrast Hardings policy of normalcy with progressive era
reforms

Identify scandals that plagues the Harding administration

HARDING STRUGGLES FOR PEACE

Washington Naval Conference

Charles Evans Hughes

Secretary of State
Urged no more warships be built for 10
years
Wanted the naval powers to scrap their
largest ships
The delegates were largely behind the idea
and agreed to disarm

Kellogg-Briand Pact

15 county pact that

renounced war as a national
policy
Set no means of enforcement

HARDING STRUGGLES FOR PEACE

High Tariffs and Reparations

Britain & France has barrowed $10

million to fight the war
They could
pay it back
in two ways

Selling goods to the United States

Collecting reparations from Germany

Fordney-McCumber Tariff
Raised taxes on some imports as much
at 60%
Made it impossible for Britain &
France to sell enough goods in the U.S.
to repay debts

HARDING STRUGGLES FOR PEACE

High Tariffs and Reparations (cont.)

Experiencing terrible inflation

Was forced to default
Fail to make payment

Germany

French troops march

American banker, Charles G. Dawes, sent

in to negotiate loans
U.S. would give Germany a $2.5 billon
load to pay back Britain & France
Thus, the U.S. was paying themselves

Dawes Plan

SCANDAL HITS HARDINGS ADMINISTRATION

Hardings Cabinet

Charles
Evans
Hughes
Secretary of
State

Scandal Plagues Harding

Herbert
Hoover

Andrew
Mellon

Secretary of
Commerce

Secretary of
the Treasury

Ohio gang

Charles R. Forbes

Thomas W. Miller

Cronies
a close friend or
companion
Poker buddies

Veterans Bureau
Caught selling
government and
hospital supplies to
individuals
Sentenced to 2 years,
$10,000 fine($134,480
2014)

Office of Alien Property

Caught taking a bribe
Sentenced to 18
months
Paroled and later
pardoned by Hoover

SCANDAL HITS HARDINGS ADMINISTRATION

The Teapot Dome Scandal
Teapot Dome Scandal
Oil rich public lands set aside in Teapot Dome,
Wyoming & Elk Hills, California
Originally under control of the Navy

Albert B. Fall
Secretary of the Interior
Transfers control of the reserves
Leases the land to two private oil companies
Receives $400,000
Convicted of bribery

SCANDAL HITS HARDINGS ADMINISTRATION

The Teapot Dome Scandal (cont.)

Harding dies of a heart attack or stroke

Calvin Coolidge come to office and tried to
restore the respect and integrity of the
government and the Republican party

I have no trouble with my

enemies But my friends,
theyre the ones that keep me
walking the floor nights!

1. Why was the Kellogg-Briand Pact Ineffective?

2. How did Hardings tax policy on imports affect Britain
and France and the war debt issue?
3. How did Hardings friends damage his administration?