Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge
Subject(s): Addams, Jane, 1860-1935, Books and reading, Brewer, David J. (David Josiah), 1837-1910, Hull House Association, Industries, La Farge, C. Grant (Christopher Grant), 1862-1938, Militarism, Rainsford, W. S. (William Stephen), 1850-1933, Russia, Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910, Wister, Owen, 1860-1938
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President Roosevelt writes to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge about Jane Addams’s book. He criticizes her stance against militarism. Roosevelt compares Addams to Leo Tolstoy in their similar actions in speaking out against war and industrialism, but being ultimately misguided in their argument that because there are hardships that result from these, they should be entirely abandoned, rather than acknowledging the positives and working to alleviate the negatives. It is just as bad, Roosevelt says, to preach unrighteous peace as to preach unrighteous war, and even more foolish.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-02-13
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
La Farge, Florence Bayard Lockwood, 1864-1944
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
4
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge. [February 13, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201621. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge. [13 Feb. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 16, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201621.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, February 13]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o201621.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 16, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
