1. The Harding Presidency
Chapter 12, Section 2

2. Objectives
Contrast Harding’s policy of “normalcy” with progressive era reforms.
Identify scandals that plagued the Harding administration.

3. Daily Question
How do you feel after getting back from a vacation? Are you glad to get back to your normal routines?

4. Main Idea
Harding appealed to America’s desire for calm and peace after the war, but resulted in scandal

5. Why It Matters Today?
Government must guard against scandal and corruption to merit public trust.

6. Warren G. Harding
1921
“return to normalcy”
Appeared presidential
Poor judgment

8. Harding Struggles for Peace
Post WWI problems:
Arms control
War debts
Reconstruction of war-torn Europe

9. Washington Naval Conference
Sec. of State Charles Evans Hughes
5 major naval powers: U.S., Great Britain, Japan, France, Italy
No new warships for 10 years
1st time in history that countries agreed to disarm

10. Kellogg-Briand Pact
15 nations sign
Renounces war as a national policy
Futile treaty with no means of enforcement

11. War reparations Time for Allies to pay back $10 billion in loans
2 ways:
Selling goods to the U.S.
Collect reparations from Germany

12. Fordney-McCumber Tariff
60% tax increase on imports
Protects U.S. business from foreign competition
Makes it impossible for Britain and France to sell goods and make good on loan payments

13. Suffering from terrible inflation
Germany
Suffering from terrible inflation
Defaults on payments and French march in

14. The Dawes Plan War is imminent
Banker Charles Dawes negotiates a solution
U.S. investors loan Germany $2.5 billion
Germany pays G.B. and France
G.B. and France pay the U.S.
The U.S. repays itself

15. Resentment between Allies
G.B. and France accuse the U.S. of not paying its fair share of the war costs
Huge profits to U.S. business
Europe loses millions of lives
U.S. sees G.B. and France as financially irresponsible

16. Scandal Hits Harding’s Administration
Favors limiting government in business affairs and social reform
Ohio gang are poker-playing cronies who take advantage of their public offices to increase their personal wealth
Graft - Unscrupulous use of one's position to derive profit or advantages; extortion

17. Harding’s Personal Conduct
A gambler…
A hypocrite...
“I cannot hope to be one of the great presidents, but perhaps I may be remembered as one of the best loved” … WGH

18. Harding’s Personal Conduct
Visited burlesque houses in Washington D.C.
: An affair with Carrie Phillips…
1919: An affair with Nan Britton…

19. Nan Britton Affair 1917-23…30 yrs younger 1919 daughter of WGH born
Child support delivered by Secret Service
Sued the Harding estate
Book: The President’s Daughter (1927)

20. Nan & Elizabeth Ann Britton

21. Carrie Philips Affair 1905-20…10 yrs younger
1917 blackmail on WWI vote
1920 RNC bribes Philips with $20K & a slow trip to Japan
CP lives until the 1960s

22. Scandals
“I have no trouble with my enemies… But… my Gdmn friends…, they’re the ones that keep me walking the floor nights” …WGH 1923

23. “The Ohio Gang”…
The Harding scandals…
-The Veterans Bureau…
-Alien Property Custodian…
-The Justice Dept...
-Teapot Dome...

24. Veterans' Bureau Scandal
Charles Forbes - Head of Veterans’ Bureau
Stole $200M.
Fled to Europe… Returned, indicted & convicted
Charles Cramer –VB Attorney, commits suicide

25. Alien Property Custodian Scandal
Thomas Miller - Alien Property Custodian
Managed property in the U.S. belonging to enemy citizens

26. Justice Department Scandal
Attorney General Daugherty WGH’s worst appointment
Friend & advisor of WGH
Profited from “selling influence”

27. The Teapot Dome Scandal
Oil-rich public lands reserved for the U.S. Navy
Teapot Dome Wyoming
Elk Hills, California
Sec of the Interior, Albert B. Fall
Transfers reserves from navy to his department

28. The Teapot Dome Scandal
Fall leases land to two private oil companies
Receives $400,000
1st cabinet member convicted of a felony while holding office

31. A QUICK QUIZ… A. Justice Dept. B. Teapot Dome C. Alien Property. D
A QUICK QUIZ… A. Justice Dept. B. Teapot Dome C. Alien Property D. Veterans Bureau 1. Thomas Miller 3 H. Daugerty 2. Albert Fall Charles Forbes I. Stealing from veterans hospitals II. Selling influence in the Justice Dept. III. Selling oil leases IV. Selling seized government property.

32. Harding’s Death Died of a heart attack in San Francisco, CA in 1923
Mrs. Harding refused an autopsy...
Rumors circulate...