Theodore Roosevelt describes the conditions of a lodging house he visited recently in New York with Frances Kellor. Many of the men there are unemployed simply because there is no work available. There is a distinction, Roosevelt says, between those who desire work but are unemployed and those who are unemployable. He argues that it is the government’s responsibility to provide relief measures for the unemployed by creating work, and he makes recommendations for charitable actions that can be taken by local organizations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

Period

Post-Presidential Years (1913-January 6, 1919)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

14

Production Method

Typed

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Speech

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:

Conditions of unemployment in New York. [January 26, 1915]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288755. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Conditions of unemployment in New York. [26 Jan. 1915]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 18, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288755.

APA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1915, January 26]. Conditions of unemployment in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288755.

Cite this Collection

Chicago:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. 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. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 18, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.

APA:

Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.