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HARDING, Warren G. Typed draft letter signed ("Warren G. Harding"), as President, to Senator Joseph Medill McCormick, Washington, D. C., 29 August 1921. 8 pages, 4to, autograph emendations in two different secretarial hands.
"VAST EXPENDITURE WITHOUT PROPER CONSIDERATION FOR RESULTS, IS THE INEVITABLE FRUIT OF WAR." HARDING ECONOMIZES AFTER WORLD WAR I
A long, rich, end-of-the-legislative-session letter from the President to a leading Senator, showing the sharp turn towards isolationism as Harding celebrates the rapid dismantling of America's costly military. "The habit," he writes, "of vast expenditure without proper consideration for results, is the inevitable fruit of war." The nation's massive mobilization, coupled with its late entry into the war, had indeed resulted in some astounding waste. Billions were spent for planes, ships and shells that were never put into action. But this "extravagance incident to war" is now over and "it is plain that we are working our way out of a welter of waste and prodigal spending at a most impressive rate."
Harding boasts that his "program of rigorous and unremitting economy" would allow taxes to be cut by $3.5 billion. He contrasts this healthy frugality with the disorder and economic chaos of Europe. He mentions "the conference in November"--the Washington Naval Conference--and hopes that it "may lighten the burdens of both armament and taxation; not only for this but for other lands." Yet he sees no connection between Europe's woes and America's retrenchment. Indeed, he applauds the effort "to limit the inflow of population during a period of depression, and to hasten the day when we may effect the true Americanization of all newcomers to our shores." A generation later, after 1945, even some of Harding's fellow Republicans would look back harshly on this sense of complacency and isolationism.
"VAST EXPENDITURE WITHOUT PROPER CONSIDERATION FOR RESULTS, IS THE INEVITABLE FRUIT OF WAR." HARDING ECONOMIZES AFTER WORLD WAR I
A long, rich, end-of-the-legislative-session letter from the President to a leading Senator, showing the sharp turn towards isolationism as Harding celebrates the rapid dismantling of America's costly military. "The habit," he writes, "of vast expenditure without proper consideration for results, is the inevitable fruit of war." The nation's massive mobilization, coupled with its late entry into the war, had indeed resulted in some astounding waste. Billions were spent for planes, ships and shells that were never put into action. But this "extravagance incident to war" is now over and "it is plain that we are working our way out of a welter of waste and prodigal spending at a most impressive rate."
Harding boasts that his "program of rigorous and unremitting economy" would allow taxes to be cut by $3.5 billion. He contrasts this healthy frugality with the disorder and economic chaos of Europe. He mentions "the conference in November"--the Washington Naval Conference--and hopes that it "may lighten the burdens of both armament and taxation; not only for this but for other lands." Yet he sees no connection between Europe's woes and America's retrenchment. Indeed, he applauds the effort "to limit the inflow of population during a period of depression, and to hasten the day when we may effect the true Americanization of all newcomers to our shores." A generation later, after 1945, even some of Harding's fellow Republicans would look back harshly on this sense of complacency and isolationism.