Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edith Wyatt
Subject(s): Brothels, Chastity, Prostitution, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1831-1878, Salvation Army, Women--Violence against
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Theodore Roosevelt returns to Edith Wyatt a manuscript about the exploitation of women, “the saddest, and most perplexing, problem we have to face.” He laments that merely abolishing brothels and professional prostitution is not adequate, as evidenced in Sweden and in Vermont, where there is “lamentably widespread sexual immorality, and self-sale of the most callous kind” by women raised in respectable homes. Roosevelt comments that he was taught that chastity was as much the duty of the man as the woman. He abhors excusing the man and letting the blame fall on women. Roosevelt hopes to help through organizations such as the Salvation Army.
Collection
Creation Date
1912-12-15
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Language
English
Period
Progressive Party Candidate (1911-1912)
Repository
Newberry Library
Page Count
4
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
See the Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library Terms of Use for further copyright information.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edith Wyatt. [December 15, 1912]. Newberry Library.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o291624. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edith Wyatt. [15 Dec. 1912]. Multi-image.
Newberry Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o291624.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1912, December 15]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edith Wyatt.
Newberry Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o291624.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Newberry Library. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/newberry-library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Newberry Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 12, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/newberry-library.
APA:
Newberry Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/newberry-library.
