Disarmament? Not now, but—
Subject(s): Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919, Moon, Naval art and science, Peace, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, Shepherds' crooks, United States. Congress
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Industrialist Andrew Carnegie, peace advocate and sponsor of the upcoming International Peace Congress at the Hague, holds a shepherd’s hook labeled “Peace Congress” and reaches up to grab the “naval program” horn dangling from a moon featuring President Roosevelt’s likeness.
Comments and Context
Andrew Carnegie had been persuaded to be the principal supporter of the Second International Peace Conference at Hague, set for October 1907. Since the first conference in that Dutch city, nominally convened at the invitation of Russia even as it planned its own military buildups, Carnegie had sold his steel and related enterprises, and became arguably the world’s richest man. With that increased fortune, and more time to himself, the canny Scots-American pursued interests from simplified spelling to establishing “free libraries” to promote peace.
The 1907 conference was “called” by the United States, but it was Secretary of State John Hay, more enthusiastic than President Roosevelt, who promoted the idea; and it was his project before dying, in 1905.
This cartoon shows that a clever idea can survive clumsy execution and bad caricature. Artist Kirk L. Russell shows Carnegie, at the time when plans for the conference were made public, endeavoring — futilely? — to capture the moon of President Roosevelt who simultaneously promoted the peace conference and pressed Congress to increase naval forces; he also unveiled plans for the United States Naval Fleet to circle the globe.
To Roosevelt this was no contradiction; he believed in peace through strength, and sought to gain the respect of other nations if they knew America could not be trifled with.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-04-17
Creator(s)
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Page Count
1
Production Method
Record Type
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:
Disarmament? Not now, but—. [April 17, 1907]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301520. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Russell, Kirk L., 1873-1934. Disarmament? Not now, but—. [17 Apr. 1907]. Image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 19, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301520.
APA:
Russell, Kirk L., 1873-1934., [1907, April 17]. Disarmament? Not now, but—.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o301520.
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. February 19, 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.
