Sold – Warren Harding Elucidates the Essential Principal of His Successful Foreign Policy and Fundamental 20th Century American Tenets

The real Warren Harding is lost in history. Portrayed as an utterly failed president ruined by corruption, Harding actually had important accomplishments in office that made him very popular in his day. He created the Veterans Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget, and was particularly successful in his foreign policy. And Harding’s cabinet appointments were largely of highly qualified men, such as Andrew Mellon and Herbert Hoover.

In the wake of signing the peace treaties that officially ended World War I, Harding sought to take a bold step to prevent future wars. He spearheaded a monumental global conference, held in Washington, D.C., to limit the armaments of world powers, including the U.S., Japan, Great Britain, France, Italy and China, among others. Starting on November 6, 1921 and ending February 6, 1922, leaders of these nations met to control a naval arms race and to bring stability to East Asia. The U.S. assumed a primary role in the conference and made the pivotal proposal: the U.S would reduce its number of warships by 30 if Great Britain decommissioned 19, and Japan 17 ships. The conference enabled the great powers to potentially limit their large naval deployment with the intent of avoiding conflict in the Pacific. It produced six treaties and 12 resolutions.

Typed Letter Signed, on White House letterhead, Washington, August 9, 1921, to Charles C. Fisher, his next door neighbor in Marion, Ohio, showing his excitement about the upcoming conference and stating that the United States would be impartial and seek to influence affairs using that principal as its basis. “I was very glad to have your letter of August 3rd and hope that nothing attends a position of responsibility which forbids an old-time friend and long-time neighbor from continuing the agreeable practice of addressing one as “dear friend”. Your letter pleased me greatly. It is always gratifying to know of the approval of old friends and associates. I really think that great things are likely to come to the international conference, full arrangements for which are soon to be completed. Everything is going finely and I am looking forward to developments in the most optimistic way. The fine thing about our American position is that we are seeking nothing for ourselves, but are seeking a great accomplishment in the most thoroughly disinterested way. When one can look at everyone else in the face utterly unselfishly and lay all the cards face up on the table, he is in a position to be influential if there is such a thing as influence in international affairs. I do not know at this moment whether there is going to be an acceptable manner in which you could be helpful in this big work, I do want to say in this connection that I have had it in mind to some way find a suitable recognition for your talents and your long-time friendship. I'm sure that such an opportunity will come sometime during my four years in public office, and I want you to know that I'm having it in mind.”

Harding was anything but an isolationist, but in 1923 he was gone. His successors were less interested in foreign entanglements, and the good work Harding did slipped away. In a different atmosphere, Japan would bring war to the Pacific just a decade later. It is also noteworthy that the informal tone of this letter, showing the trust Harding placed in his friends, illustrates the opposite side of the man – the side that got him into trouble because those friends were corrupt.