Theodore Roosevelt is finding it difficult to be courteous to his Outlook colleagues due to their “unutterably silly” views on the arbitration treaties. They want to agree to arbitrate everything because it is unlikely that the issues that the United States would refuse to arbitrate will ever be submitted for arbitration. Roosevelt compares the issue to the tense situation in Europe that he believes will only be peacefully resolved if Germany concludes that France is willing to fight and Great Britain is ready to provide support. He knows that the German war plans involve flank marches through Belgium and Switzerland even though Germany has treaties with these nations guaranteeing their territories.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

Language

English

Period

Progressive Party Candidate (1911-1912)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

2

Production Method

Typed

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Letter

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 Henry Cabot Lodge. [September 12, 1911]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o219694. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge. [12 Sep. 1911]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 20, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o219694.

APA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1911, September 12]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o219694.

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 20, 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.