Politics of the 1920’s
Theme 1: The Republican administrations of the
prosperous 1920s pursued conservative, pro-business
policies at home and economic unilateralism abroad.
Theme 2: The great crash of 1929 led to a severe
prolonged depression that devastate the American
economy and spirit, and resisted Hoover’s limited
efforts to correct it.
I. Harding Administration
A.
Election of 1920
1.
2.
3.
4.
B.
Harding (“return to normalcy” v Cox)
Good Cabinet (Hughes, Mellon, Hoover)
Bad Cabinet (Daugherty-AG, Fall-Interior)
Lobby Groups (“Ohio Gang” and Veterans Bureau)
Dismantle War Economy (Mellon and Hoover)
1.
Deregulation: War Industries Board, RR (Esch-Cummins)
a. Adkins v. Children’s Hospital reversed Muller case
2.
3.
4.
5.
C.
No friend to labor (United Mine Workers Strike)
High Tariff (Fordney-McCumber)
Cut Taxes (Bureau of the Budget)
Lacked civil rights leadership
Foreign Policy (Hughes)
1.
2.
Senate resistance to treaties except disarmament and oil
WA Disarm Conference, 1921-22
a.
b.
c.
3.
5 Power Treaty-military
4 Power Treaty-political
9 Power Treaty-economic
Died in San Francisco, 1923 at Palace Hotel
Legacy of Harding
In the PC game Civilization IV, you receive a score
at the end of games. One of them is a comparison
with one of humanity's leader's, with Harding
being the 3rd worst score you can get!
In a 1983 poll in which “conservative
historians” and “liberal historians” ranked
the worst presidents, both groups ranked
Harding as worst president.
II. Coolidge Administration
A.
Election 1924
1. Deadlocked Demos v. Silent Cal v. liberal La Follette
B.
Domestic Policy
1.
Continued conservative economic principles
a. Deregulation and low taxes
2.
Refused help to Farmer
a.
b.
3.
Refused help to Appalachia
a.
4.
5.
C.
McNary-Haugen Bill
Senator LaFollette and badly needed liberal tonic
Muscle Shoals
Refused help to Immigrants
Supported civil rights and Native American citizenship
Foreign Policy
1.
2.
Kellog-Briand Pact, 1928
In and out of Latin America
a.
b.
Caribbean and Mexican oil
$10 million IOU paid with Dawes Plan
Legacy of Calvin Coolidge
“Silent Cal”
It is said that a White House dinner guest once made a
bet with her friends that she could get the president to
say at least three words during the course of the meal.
Upon telling Coolidge of her wager, he replied simply
with the words "You lose."
"Collecting more taxes than absolutely
necessary is legalized robbery.“
--Calvin Coolidge
“It looks like he was weaned on a pickle.”
-Alice Roosevelt, oldest daughter of TR
III. Hoover Administration
A.
Domestic
1.
Election 1928
a.
b.
2.
3.
4.
Help the Farmers (AMA)
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
Black Tuesday, 10/29/29
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
5.
British raise interest
Overspeculation (buying on margin)
Overextension of credit
Overproduction of farm and factory
Unequal distribution of wealth
Reaction to the Depression
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
B.
A wet, Catholic, city slicker v. self-made
millionaire (“rugged individualism”)
“Hoovercrats” and Radio
Public Buildings Act ($750 million)
RFC ($500 and $300 million)
Norris-La Guardia Anti-Injunction Act
Routing the Bonus Army
Vetoed Muscle Shoals-too socialistic
Foreign Policy
1.
2.
Hoover-Stimson Doctrine after Manchuria
Good Neighbor Policy in LA
Statements Issued by Hoover about the
economic situation from 1929 to 1930
•“Any lack of confidence in the economic
future or the basic strength of business
in the US is foolish.” (November, 1929)
•“Let us be thankful we are getting back
on our feet.” (January, 1930)
•“The crisis will be over in 60 days!”
(March, 1930)
•“The worst is over without a doubt”
(June, 1930)
•“We have hit the bottom and are on
the upswing.” (September, 1930)
Legacy of Hoover
"Once upon a time my political opponents honored me as
possessing the fabulous intellectual and economic
power by which I created a worldwide
depression all by myself."
One day, President Hoover was walking down
the street with Andrew Mellon. He suddenly
stopped and said, “Andy, I came out this
morning without a cent in my pocket. Lend
me a nickel, will you? I want to call a friend.”
Andrew Mellon replied, “Here’s a dime, call
both of them!”
Putting Things In Order
(use
the information from chapter 32 to answer these
questions)
1.Amid economic collapse, Congress raises the tariff barriers to
new heights and deepens the depression
2.An American sponsored plan to ease German reparations
payments provides a temporary successful approach to the
international war-debt tangle.
3. An American sponsored conference surprisingly reduces
naval armaments and stabilizes Far Eastern power relations
4.The prosperous economic bubble of the 1920’s suddenly
bursts, stetting off a long period of hardship
5.A large number of corrupt dealings and scandals become
public knowledge just as the president who presided them is
replaced by his honest successor.
Answers to Putting Things In Order
A.5
B.2
C.1
D.4
E.3