"Mr. Monet, have you heard about the recent Teapot Hill incident?" On this day, Albert came to the magazine office and asked Monet with a gloating expression.

The "Teapot Hill" incident that Albert mentioned was a major event that caused a sensation in the United States and even the world at that time!

Beginning in the 1920s, with the upgrading of warships, the power fuel also switched from coal to oil, and the United States, with its huge warships, became the world's largest oil consumer in one fell swoop. To this end, the U.S. Navy has developed two oil fields as strategic reserves for use in the event of war.

These two extremely valuable oil fields are located in California's Central Valley. Reserve No. 1 is in Buena Vista and Reserve No. 2 is at Mount Elk. However, in 1915, another oil field was discovered south of the Salt Creek oil field in Wyoming in a place called Teapot Mountain. (Teapot Hill gets its name from the natural rock formation that resembles the spout of a teapot.) ）

Despite the discovery of huge quantities of oil at Teapot Hill, the U.S. Navy was not capable of engaging in the oil business. The U.S. Department of the Interior, on the other hand, holds the Bureau of Minerals and the Federal Geological Survey.

As a result, Secretary of the Navy, Edwin Dunby, asked President Harding to issue an order placing the development of the oil reserves under the control of the Ministry of the Interior, but the control of the oil fields to the Navy.

Normally, if the Home Office wants to develop the field, it has to open the public for bidding, but the Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, after receiving $500,000, directly arranged for his friends, mainly Harry Sinclair (who controls Mammoth Oil) and Edward Doheny (Pan American Oil Company), to develop the field. There is no doubt that this is against US law.

When the news media reported on the incident, the whole public opinion exploded, and the Teapot Hill scandal of the 1920s showed Americans one thing: the oligarchs of the oil industry can influence government policy and make the government completely corrupt through huge amounts of money.

The story of the Teapot Hill scandal is essentially that of an incompetent and incompetent president being fooled by his subordinates. After World War I, Americans who thought they were returning to normal life found themselves in the hands of an incompetent man leading a group of crooks to rule their country.

It's just that Monet was a little puzzled by Albert's gloating expression, because he didn't think that this guy could predict the future, and from the current situation, this situation is not good for the Mellon family: "Of course I've heard about such a big thing, but how do I feel that you seem to be happy?" ”

Albert asked rhetorically, "Isn't it worth rejoicing?" This Albert has often been against Uncle Andrew, and of course I'll be happy that he's unlucky this time! ”

"But don't you think about it, it's not just Hal, the Minister of the Interior, who is unlucky this time, but President Harding is also responsible, and do you think that with his ability to handle this incident?" Monet prompted.

Albert hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Well, even if President Harding is a little mediocre, he still has a group of advisors by his side, so he should be able to handle it." ”

"The Legend of the Fairy Tree"

Monet shook his head and said: "But that is based on Mr. President's emotional stability, if he panics, then no matter how powerful the advisory group is, it will not be able to make up for it!" ”

"Panicked? Not really. Albert questioned.

Because Monet couldn't directly predict the future, he had to say perfunctorily: "It's hard to say." Then the topic digressed.

After a while, Albert ran over to Monet in a panic and said, "Mr. Monet, you really guessed it, President Harding couldn't bear the pressure to leave Washington and go to the West, and even said in private that he was completely unsuitable for the job and should not come to the White House." Tell me, is this what a president should say? ”

"That's why I said a long time ago that no matter how powerful the advisory group is, it can't make up for it!" Monet replied with a shrug.

When the news of Harding's death came on August 2, not to mention Monet, even Albert was a little indifferent, and the only thing he was curious about was the cause of his death.

"Mr. Monet, did you say that the president's wife poisoned him because she couldn't stand his extramarital affair, or did those guys from Pan America kill this chess piece?" Albert gossiped.

"Well, it's all possible to be honest, but one thing is for sure, Mr. Harding became the second-shortest-lived president in American history!" Monet sighed.

Albert thought for a moment, and then said: "The first short-lived is President Harrison, I remember he didn't seem to be in office for many days!" ”

Monet held up a finger and said, "Just a month!" ”

William Henry Harrison was 68 years old when he took office. And at the inauguration ceremony, he felt a cold, and then turned into pneumonia, and he couldn't afford to get sick, and he died after only one month in office. He was the first president of the United States to die in the White House. I do not have a clear political platform, and I have not taken any major actions during my administration. (But in fact President Harrison was a brilliant military commander, winning the Battle of the Thames in 1812 as commander of the Combined Forces in the Northwest Territories.) ）

"Mr. Monet, do you think the silent Karl can do a good job?" Albert asked casually.

Albert's reference to "Silent Karl" refers to then-Vice President Calvin Coolidge, who was called "Silent Karl" because he was a man of few words. (Coolidge was sworn in late at night in a small farmhouse in Vermont, which is pathetic...... ）

A female guest at a White House dinner is said to have made a bet with a friend that she would be able to make the president say at least three words at this meal. When she told Coolidge about the bet, he simply replied with two words: "You lose." When the Boston police went on strike, he also said something that is famous to the nation: "There will be no right to strike without anyone at any time, anywhere, without endangering public safety." ”(There is nht tainst the public safety by anybody， aime.)

"Rest assured, Carl is definitely a good hand financially!" Monet made sense to say this, because Coolidge was able to reduce not only tax rates, but also national debt, so during his tenure, the US economy soared at a high speed and entered the so-called "roaring" twenty years!

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