Chapter 26-by 1920 progressive era was fragmented. Its leaders had gone with Roosevelt's death in 1919. larger focus now on restoring “new era” prosperity. Organized labor resentful of Woodrow Wilson's crackdown on strikes. Farmers felt discriminated against from wartime prices. Liberal intellectuals disenchanted with prohibition, KKK, and religious fundamentalism. -not to mention progressive movement had accomplished its major goals with the 18th amendment on prohibition and the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. -did not disappear completely. Progressive republicans and democrats maintained leadership jobs in congress. Yearning for honest efficient government still strong at local levels-most people tired of Woodrow's idealism by end of WWI-for election of 1920 Republicans nominated Ohio senator Warren G Harding. Conservative who wanted to end Wilson's progressivism. Promised to safeguard America and put it first. “return to normalcy” showed voters desires for stability and order. Toted as an old fashioned plain fellow, he liveda personal life of squalor and bad behavior.-Democrats nominated former newspaper publisher James Cox. Franklin Delano Roosevelt for VP. Moods towards Wilson and postwar attitude hurt the democrats. -Harding wins. -Harding's cabinets had a few of the best and a few of the worst. -Charles Evans Hughes distinguished secretary of state-Herbert Hoover in commerce. -Andrew W Mellon in treasury. -Henry C Wallace in agriculture.-all did very well. Rest not so much. -”bloviating” Harding's term for speaking with gaseous eloquence. Had previously loved politics but became in over his head as president. Full of self doubt. -still had a political agenda to work against progressivism. -inherited economy burdened with wartime taxes and national debt. Mellon helped resuce government spending and lowered taxes. -Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 which created new Bureau of Budget which would streamline process of annual budget. Mellon also planned tax reductions that would go towards the rich in the hopes that wealth in the hands of the few would help further economic investments. Revenue Act of 1926 further helped. -instead the money going to the wealthy just spawned further excess. Still, debt fell a little with expenses. Mellon hailed. -Mellon favored high tariffs on imported goods. -Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922. rates go up on chemical and metal goods to help prevent germans from rising to power. Also extended duties on agricultural imports to help farmers. -regulation wanted to be “friendly” to businesses. Appointed conservatives to Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Reserve Board, Federal Trade Commission.-Harding reversed segregation policies for government jobs. Spoke out against racism. Attacked the KKK and urged to pass a bill against lynching. Did not get passed.-Americans wanted revival of isolationism. Harding against Wilson's original idea to lead League of Nations. Killed league. -USA still had expanding foreign interests. USA world's chief banker. Increasing US exports. Overseas possesions like the Phillipines kept them involved in foreign affairs.-US had given massive loans to France and Great Britain for war debts. Expected to be paid back. Didn't exactly work out. Britain and France used America's habits from post Revolutionary War to validate their own. -to get US dollars European nations had to sell goods with high US tariffs just making things worse.-Unrealistic amount in reparations set on Germany. Complex system of loans from American banks.-many Americans blamed massive armaments for the violence of WWI. Wanted to limit size of navies and armies. America had 2nd biggest naval fleet behind UK in 1916 and neither wanted to decrease naval power. Both still worried about growing Japanese power.-Harding invited diplomats from 8 nations to naval-armaments conference in Washington.-Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes made massive proposal to “end it now” and met to great applause. -delegates from USA, Britain, Japan, France, and Italy signed Five Power Treaty in 1922. limited size of navies. Would also refrain from further fortification of Pacific possessions. -had their drawbacks. Only limited “capital” ships (Battleships and aircraft carriers). Continued production of cruisers, destroyers, subs, continued. -Japan withdrew from agreement in 1934. Soviet Union and Germany excluded altogether. By 1934 thedream had died. -hopes of outlawing war as a whole-American Committee for the Outlawry of War in 1921. -culminated in signing of Kellogg-Briand Pact. Started by french foregin minister Aristide Briand who proposed idea to secretary of state Frank B Kellogg in 1927. in it, two countries would agree to never go to war with each other. Actually a French ploy to get US into the French security system.-Kellogg outraged. Fights back by planning to get all nations to sign. Briand had to grudgingly agree. -officially signed as The Pact of Paris in August 27 1928. 62 nations signed but kept right of “self defense”. One senator considered it to be worthless. -Herbert Hoover and other republicans wanted to improve relations with Latin America. -ideas of isolationism welcomed in Latin America as they hated “Yankee imperialism”-Harding administration paid Columbia $25 million it demanded for America's righs to Panama Canal. -Americans leave Dominican Republic after 8 years in 1924.-leave Nicaragua in 1925 but returned a year later on outbreak of civil war. Stayed until 1933 because of actions of rebel leader Cesar Augusto Sandino. Strained relations between US and Mexico. Expropriation occurred in 1938 but Mexican govt reimbursed American owners. -Harding's Ohio Gang were exploiting his presidency for their own benefit. Several scandals.-Teapot Dome was like the Watergate of the time for all the corruption. -Teapot Dome was government-owned oil field in Wyoming. Set aside as oil reserve. Harding moved administrative control from Department of Navy to Department of Interior. Secretary of interior Albert B Fall began letting close friends in on contracts to oil field. Taken bribes. Fall caught and sent to prison. -Harding shocked at scandals surrounding him. -died in 1923 from food poisoning while speaking tour of West Coast and trip to Alaska territory. -nation heartbroken. -grief would eventually lead to hate and contempt as scandal revelations poured out. -Nan Britton published book on his affair with