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New President, New Decade

The year 1920 not only marked the start of a new and promising decade for America, it was a year Americans would choose a new president. President Woodrow Wilson had been elected four years earlier largely with the help of reform-minded progressives who promised just that - progress. By the time of the 1920 election, most of the progressive reform initiatives had been realized. The 18th Amendment had been passed, outlawing alcohol, and the 19th Amendment, passed early that year, gave the vote to all citizens. World War I and the anxiety created in its aftermath by flu epidemics and leftist radical violence left Americans focused on everything but further progressive reforms.

The Republican candidate for president in 1920, Warren Harding, would put the feelings of America into one simple slogan. He promised a 'return to normalcy.' Harding really caught the mood of the times with this mantra as Americans, desperate to feel normal again after the turmoil of the previous years, turned away from activism. Harding was not an enthusiastic man, but he had no real political enemies. He was the perfect candidate for the party. His running mate would be Calvin Coolidge, who had won popular attention as Governor of Massachusetts for his opposition to the Boston Police Strike a year earlier.

Wilson had already served two terms, and while no laws prevented him from running again, he had neither the will nor good health to challenge the two-term tradition. The Democrats chose Ohio Governor James Cox and a young New Yorker named Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the vice presidential candidate. Harding easily won the election, taking 404 electoral votes to just 127 for Cox.

Normalcy?

Many presidential historians compare Harding's presidency to that of Ulysses S. Grant. Harding's cabinet, like Grant's, had some of the best minds and some of the worst. Harding quickly established a pro-business tone and called for a 'new era of prosperity for America.' Tax cuts were made to bring the nation out of the brief, but impacting, post-war slump and a more lenient attitude towards government oversight of corporations was adopted. Regulatory agencies created during the Progressive Era remained but were rendered ineffective.

Like Grant, Harding is remembered for scandal more than any of his policies. Three years after being elected, Harding learned that an official in the Veterans Bureau was stealing medical and hospital supplies and selling them for profit. The official fled to Europe and resigned. Harding's General Counsel committed suicide, and a close friend of the Attorney General shot himself. The Attorney General himself was accused of mishandling German assets that were seized during World War I.

Teapot Dome

The most notable scandal of Harding's administration was the Teapot Dome scandal. Like other presidential scandals, such as Watergate during the 1970s, Teapot Dome became a catchword of the day, synonymous with wide-reaching corruption. Teapot Dome was an oil deposit in Wyoming put aside as a natural reserve and administered by the Department of the Interior, controlled by Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall.

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american politics in the 1920s: transition

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corruption & the teapot dome scandal - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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American Politics in the 1920s: Transition, Corruption & the Teapot Dome Scandal - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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The year 1920 not only marked the start of a new and promising decade for America, it was a year Americans would choose a new president. President Woodrow Wilson had been elected four years earlier largely with the help of reform-minded progressives who promised just that - progress.

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In 1919, 8 White Sox team members, including Shoeless Joe Jaclson, Eddie Cicotte, Claude "Lefty" Williams and others, were bribed to throw the game against the Cincinnati Reds. They were later nicknamed The Black Sox once the truth had surfaced. All the players salaries were under 8,000$, therefor they were always looking for extra sources of income. The men were not jailed but were banned from playing professional baseball for the remainder of their lives.

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The grand effect of the political scandals in the U.S. was that the people realized the government was corrupt and that those Harding appointed did not have the country`s best interest in mind, only personal gain. The scandals also made Americans realize that many people that are believed to be upstanding citizens and heroes can make grave mistakes and commit devilish crimes.

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Many of Harding`s aides were also corrupt. The Attorney General, Harry M. Daugherty,

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Many of Harding`s aides were also corrupt. The Attorney General, Harry M. Daugherty,

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was investigated for bootlegging with his assistant, Jess Smith, who committed suicide after destroying incriminating documents.The director of the Bureau of Veterans Affairs, Charles R. Forbes, was convicted of bribery and corruption.The Head of Office of Alien Property,Thomas W. Miller, was convicted of fraud and selling German creations taken after WWI, as well as bribery.

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Harry Houdini died after taking a surprise attack of multiple blows to the abdomen. Houdini had previously claimed he could withstand any hit, but only when properly prepared. Fatty Arbuckle was accused of raping actress Virgina Rappe, and proceeding to kill her with his enormous weight.

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Leopold, 19 and Loeb, 18, were two young men convicted of the murder and kidnapping of a 14 year old boy in 1924. They bludgeoned the boy then dumped his body in a distant place. They planned to rent a car, find a wealthy victim and dump the body. They were convicted to life imprisonment for the murder and 99 years for kidnapping.

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Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, conducted on investigation on immortal conduct on homosexuality going on in the Naval base.

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Warren Harding had men follow him into his presidential administration from Ohio, they were know as the Ohio Gang. It included Albert B Fall Secretary of Interior, who took bribes for access to the Teapot Dome, as well as Edwin C. Denby, Secretary of the Navy, who also took part in the Teapot Dome Scandal

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It is unsure if President Harding was aware of the Teapot Dome Scandal, but he was aware of his own personal scandals. Harding had affairs with 4 different women, Susie Hodder and Carrie Fulton Philips with whom he shared over 100 intimate letters were two of these women who were also his wife`s close friends. He also had one with his senatorial aide, Grace Cross and Nan Britton who was obsessed with Harding since she was in high school.Harding was also accused of attending drunken orgies, and being a member of the Klu Klux Klan.

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The Teapot Dome was the biggest political scandal of the 1920's. The Teapot Dome was an oil field that belonged to the U.S. Navy. Many wanted to use this valuable oil source. The two companies allowed to use it had not put in a substantial bid to use the fields, therefor the Senate started an investigation. It turned out to be Alber B. Fall, Harding`s Secretary of Interior, who took bribes from both companies in exchange for the rights to cultivate the oil. During the investigation they discovered bootlegged liquor in the offices of many of Harding`s associates.

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Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States. He held his position from 1920 till his death in 1923. He reduced income tax and federal spending, as well as lowering the unemployment rate 10% and created peace with Germany, Japan and Central America. He was not personally involved in scandals and it is unknown if he was aware of those happening very close to him, but the men he appointed were the causes of many of the political scandals of the 1920's.