美国总统28 沃伦·哈定.docx

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1、美国总统28沃伦哈定WarrenHarding:DamagedVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodayWearetalkingaboutWarrenHarding.Hewasthe29thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.PresidentWarrenHardingHardingwasverydifferentfromthe28thpresident,WoodrowWilson.Wilsonsupportedchange;Hardingpromisedareturntonormalcy.Wilsontookstep

2、stoprotectAmericanworkers;Hardingoftenworkedtoprotectbusinessowners.Wilsonwasslowinsupportingvotingrightsforwomen,andinacceptingAfrican-Americanpeopleasequaltowhites.HardingsupportedwomenssuffrageandcivilrightsforAfrican-Americans.Yetbothmenwerepopularduringtheiryearsinoffice.Today,however,historian

3、susuallythinkofWilsonasoneofAmericasbestpresidents.ButHardingisrememberedasoneoftheworst.EarlylifeWarrenHardingwastheeighthpresidentfromthestateofOhio.Hisparentswerebothdoctors.Hardingspokeabouthavingahappychildhood,growinguponafarmwithhisbrothersandsisters.Someofhisfavoriteearlyactivitieswereperfor

4、minginaband.1.ater,Harding-alongwithtwofriends-boughtanewspaper.Thepaperbecamesuccessfulforseveralreasons.Hardingwaskindtohisemployeesandsharedthecompanysprofitswiththem.Healsotriednottopublishstoriesthatcriticizedpoliticsorpoliticiansfromanyparty.Finally,hemarriedawomanwhohadanexcellentheadforbusin

5、ess.FlorenceKlingHardingledthenewspaperscirculationdepartment.Shealsohelpedtodirectherhusbandspoliticalcareer.FlorenceHardingzpicturedherewiththepresident,wasmarriedbrieflybeforeandhadason.SheandWarrenHardingdidnothaveanychildrentogether.Intime,WarrenHardingbecameastatesenator,alieutenantgovernorofO

6、hiozandthenamemberoftheU.S.Senate.Heespeciallylikedbeingasenator-andmanyoftheotherlawmakerslikedhim.OnereasonisbecauseHardingrarelytookacontroversialpositiononanyissue.Instead,heacceptedmostoftheideasoftheRepublicanParty.Hewasalsogood-lookingandhadanexcellentspeakingvoice.Thesequalitieshelpedearnhim

7、theRepublicanpresidentialnominationin1920.Afewmonthslater,heeasilywonthenationalelection.PresidencyPresidentHardingtookofficeshortlyafterWorldWarIended.HepromisedtomakeAmericansfeelcalmagain,andalsoimprovethenationsprosperity.TwoofHardingsgoalsweretosupportbusinessandtolimitimmigration.Hesucceededon

8、bothissues.Hisadministrationreducedtaxesforbigbusinessesandwealthypeople.Italsoincreasedtariffs-taxesonforeignimports.AndtheHardingadministrationputinplacenewrulesonimmigration.TherulesmadeiteasierforimmigrantsfromnorthernEuropetoenterthecountry,butharderforimmigrantsfromRussia,easternandcentralEuro

9、pe.Hardingalsotookstepstoimprovetheeffectivenessofthefederalgovernment.Buthisadministrationisrememberedmostlyforitsproblems.Atthebeginningofhisterm,Hardingreportedlytoldfriendsthatthejobofbeingpresidentwastoomuchforhim.Heappearedtowanttodowellzandheworkedhard.Butheturnedovermostoftheresponsibilityto

10、hisfriendsinthecabinet.Afewwereveryable.Butsomeweredishonest.Theyabusedtheirpositionstogainwealthforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.OneofthemostfamousexamplesofcorruptionduringHardingsadministrationisknownastheTeapotDomeScandal.ThenameTeapotDomecomesfromarockinthestateofWyoming.Therocklookedlikeateapot.S

11、cientistscorrectlybelievedthatoilcouldbefoundinthegroundunderneathit.Atthetime,theU.S.navydependedonoiltofuelitsships.So,thefederalgovernmentclaimedthelandincasethenavyneededtousetheoilinanemergency.ButacabinetofficialwhowasafriendofHardingtookcontroloftheland.Hegaveaprivatecompanypermissiontosearch

12、foroilonitinexchangeforalargeamountofmoney.Somelawmakersbecamesuspicious.Sotheyopenedaninvestigation.Intime,lawyersprovedtheactofcorruption.Hardingsfriendwasthefirstpersontobefoundguiltyofacrimewhileservingasacabinetofficial.ButPresidentHardingdidnotlivetoseehisfriendgotojail.Theinvestigationwasjust

13、beginningwhenHardingtookatriptotheWestCoasttocampaignforhispolicies.SomesaythatHardingwasalsotryingtoescapetheproblemsinhisadministration.Hereportedlytoldonereporterthatworryingaboutwhathisfriendsweredoingkepthimawakeatnights.Duringthetrip,Hardingshowedsignsofnotbeingingoodhealth.Doctorsthoughthecou

14、ldhavefoodpoisoningorpneumonia.HewastakentoahotelinSanFranciscozCalifornia.Foraday,heappearedtobefeelingbetter.Hewassittingupinbed.Andthensuddenly,hisbodyshookandcollapsed.Hediedinstantly.ReportsatthetimedifferedonthecauseofHardingsdeath.Someevensaidthathiswifepoisonedthepresidenttoprotecthimfrombei

15、ngpunishedforthewrongdoinginhisadministration.Butmosthistoriansthinkthathehadlongsufferedfromheartfailure,andwasstruckbyaheartattack.Hewas57.1.egacyMillionsofAmericansmournedoverWarrenHardingsdeath.TheystoodbesiderailroadtracksashisbodytraveledfromCaliforniabacktoWashington,DC.Thefollowingyear,Flore

16、nceHardingalsodied.SheandherhusbandareburiedtogetherunderagrandmemorialintheirhometowninOhio.Butintheyearsafterhisdeath,Hardingspublicimageworsened.Morecorruptionscandalsinhisadministrationcametolight.Andsomehistorianshavecriticizedhimfornothavingaclearideaabouthowhewantedtoleadthecountry.NanBrittonzpicturedhere,wroteabookcalledThePresidentsDaughter.In1927zawomanpublis