Politics of the 1920s

The Russian Revolution, 1917 During WWI, Russia underwent a

sweeping revolution Lenin came into power

The Soviet Union became a Communist county under Lenin & the Bolshevik party

Communism is an economic/political system controlled by the government

Usually associated with a dictator Lenin in the Soviet Union

End private property & the government would own everything

We are afraid of an attempted Communist takeover in the USA

The Red Scare, 1920s Fear of the Communist

takeover in the USA

The Communist Party formed in the USA & many radicals joined the party How do we feel about

radicals?

Several bombs were mailed to the government, which seemed to confirm our suspicions.

Link: Red Scare Video

What do you know about how we feel about immigrants? What do you think we’re

going to do?

The Palmer Raids Attorney General of the USA

(Head of the Justice Dept.) USA government began hunting

people who were a threat to our government

Communists, radicals, socialists & anarchists

Didn’t abide by due process, trampled on peoples’ constitutional & civil rights

Failed to turn up any evidence of a Communist takeover in the USA

Was he just trying to boost his image, after all, he did aspire to become President

Fueled fear of foreigners & immigrants

Link: Palmer Raids Video

Sacco & Vanzetti, 1920Link: The Trial

Italian immigrants who just so happened to be anarchists (watch out) Avoided the draft during WWI =

unpatriotic

Arrested & charged with robbery & murder of a paymaster

“Appeared to be Italian”

Judge in trial the made racial remarks

Jury found them guilty & they were sentenced to death

"What I wish more than all in this last hour of agony is that our case and our fate may be understood in their real being and serve as a tremendous lesson

to the forces of freedom, that our suffering and death will not have been in vain.“

- Vanzetti to Sacco’s son the day he was executed

Link: Sacco & Vanzetti Documentary

• There are 15 parts to the documentary, about 90 minutes total.

• The link shows evidence & transcripts from the trial

Millions of people around the world supported Sacco & Vanzetti in their

quest for a fair trial

Despite international support, both men were executed on August 23, 1927.

The trial proves there was no real interest in justice or innocence

We were going to make an example out of them to serve as a warning to others

Radicals, Communists, immigrants, etc.

1960s: Ballistic evidence proved that 1 bullet was fired from Sacco’s weapon, but no way to determine who actually fired.

Results of the Red Scare

A rise in nativism swept the nation

Anti-immigrant attitudes had been on the rise since the immigration boom of the late 1800s

Organizations & federal guidelines were created to combat the immigrants

Emergency Quota Act, 1921

Result of the immigration boom of the late 19th Century Immigration up 600%

Established the maximum number of people that could come to the USA from a foreign country ie: We will only accept 500 Serbian

immigrants

Goal was to decrease the number of European immigrants Especially from S. & E. Europe &

Japan Chart on page 622 in the book

Rise of the KKK

“100% American” 4.5 million members by 1924 Main goals were: “Put blacks in their place” Attack Unions Forcing Jews, Catholics & immigrants

out of the USA Dominated state politics, especially in

the South Began to decrease by end of the

1920s

KKK Resurgence

The 1915 release of “The Birth of a Nation” helped revitalize KKK

ideals

Labor Unrest on the 1920s Strikes were illegal during the war

Most companies/workers agreed, it was good for the war effort

Putting in extra time, working for little pay etc.

After the war, many workers went on strikes wanting to be recognized for their war effort More pay

Unions become associated with Communists Industry claimed these strikes were

Communist plots

Strikes

3 strikes in particular grabbed our attention

Boston Police Strike: Seen as striking against public safety

Steel Mill Strike: Showed people how bad working conditions were Still not allowed to unionize

Coal Miner’s Strike: Forced the gov’t. to negotiate with union John Lewis: Strong leader of the

Miner’s Union

Decline of Unions

Immigrants were willing to work in bad/unsafe conditions Language barriers made unions difficult to organize Associated with Communists

Warran G. Harding, 1921 - 1923

Won the 1920 election

Republican

Wanted a “Return to Normalcy” Go back to simpler times, before

Progressivism Link: Harding's delivers "Return to

Normalcy“

Wanted limited government involvement in business

Fordney-McCumber Tariff, 1922 Protective tariff; raised taxes on all

imports to 60%! Done to protect American business

Made it difficult for England & France to make money & repay war debt Demanded German reparations &

France threatened to go back to war – the crazy cheese eaters

The Dawe’s Plan: US industry would loan Germany $2.5 million so Germany would repay France & England France & England would then repay

what they owed the USA US getting paid with its own money!

The Ohio Gang

Harding’s poker buddies who sat on his cabinet What is this called?

Involved in many scandals that would have a negative impact on Harding’s administration

Illegally selling gov’t. supplies to private companies & taking bribes

Teapot Dome Scandal

Teapot Dome was on oil deposit in the West set aside for Naval use only

Albert Fall (Sec. of Interior) sold the oil reserves to the oil industry & received over $100,000 mysteriously

Almost $1.3million today

“I have no trouble with my enemies…But my friends…they’re the ones that keep me walking the floors at night!” - Harding

Harding died of a stroke in 1923

To put it bluntly…

Calvin Coolidge, 1923 - 1929 Republican

Became Pres. after Harding’s death & won the 1924 election

Had a pro-business business “The chief business of the American

people is business”

Used laissez-faire policies – limiting gov’t. involvement in business Wanted to protect American profits,

keep taxes down & allow businesses to expand by issuing more credit

BUY! BUY! BUY!If you see 10 troubles coming down the road, you can be sure 9 will run into the ditch before they reach you.

Farmers & Coolidge After WWI, farmers still overproducing

for the war effort No longer need such large quantities

& the market is flooded with agricultural products

Too many products caused prices to decline – Fast!

Farmers were losing money

Farmers asked for help from the Fed. Gov’t. & asked for price supports A minimum purchase price

Coolidge failed to pass price supports for farmers Will effect the American economy in

the 1930s!

Kellogg-Briand Pact,

1928 Made offensive war illegal & renounced war as a national policy Signed by 15 countries No real way to enforce it

What international organization was created to prevent war from starting?