The “Roaring Twenties” are the only decade in American history with a nickname. They started in 1920 until the roar ended in 1929. While we try to reconcile our distrust of 2020, let’s look at some of the history-making 1920 events that deserve a centennial celebration this year.
The Ponzi scheme was invented in 1920. But that really deserves a 10-year sentence, not a centennial.
The League of Nations was established. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson presented what he called the “Fourteen Points,” which were a plan to end war forever. This could only have come from an idealistic president with a mental dysfunction. But world leaders, cynical of humanity after World War I, accepted the war-ridding Fourteen Points enthusiastically, and these became a framework for the League of Nations in 1920.
The League became the precursor of the United Nations, which of course had no means or clout to prevent wars or international troubles of any kind. They had no military and peace keepers were forbidden to put ammunition in their weapons. They would stop conflict by getting together over sausages and beer. Over the years, wars carried on, and the U.N. protected pyramids.
The United States had a de-facto woman president. While on the campaign trail pushing for the United States to accept the League of Nations, President Wilson suffered a blood clot and brain damage, which may have played a role in the naivety of his 14 points. For the remainder of his term – another year and a half – he was, as a historian describes, “an invalid at best, little more than a rumor at worst,” totally incapable of governing – a precedent thriving with gusto today.
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