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Theodore Roosevelt comments on a pamphlet written by Judge Henshaw. He writes that he agrees overall with Henshaw’s writings, but objects to Henshaw’s opinions on criticism of the government and loyalty to the nation. Roosevelt criticizes the differences between what Henshaw writes about President Wilson and World War I in his personal correspondence and in his pamphlet.
1918-05-13
George B. Cortelyou, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, appears as Sisyphus rolling a large boulder labeled “Majority for Roosevelt” up a steep hill.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1904-09-14
Representatives of the “Democratic, Republican, Populist, [and] Prohibition” parties carry a larger-than-life-sized President William McKinley on a sedan chair, and wave their hats as a show of support for McKinley’s policies. Behind them, on the right, are standing William Jennings “Bryan,” former senator George Frisbie “Hoar,” and Edward “Atkinson” (head of the Anti-Imperialist League) dressed like Filipinos. The U.S. Capitol building is in the background. Caption: All parties support him now, – except the unreconstructed Filipinos.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1901-05-29
Illustration shows two views of William Jennings Bryan sitting at a desk working on his campaign principles. The lower scene shows Bryan preparing for the 1896 presidential election. To the right are Carl Schurz, Henry Watterson, William Bourke Cockran, Richard Olney, and David B. Hill, all in disagreement with Bryan, each holding a sheet of paper disclaiming his principles. In the upper scene, Bryan has crossed out 1896 and replaced it with 1900, adhering to, and remaining consistent with, his earlier principles. To the right are the same five disclaimers. This time they bow to Bryan and offer only one comment: “We do not believe you will do what you promise to do, and we admire you because we think you are insincere. Hill, Olney, Cockran, Watterson, Schurz.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1900-10-24
Richard Croker, dressed in formal wear and wearing a sash labeled “Tammany,” proclaims that he/Tammany supports William Jennings Bryan for president while, behind his back, he slips a vote for William McKinley into the pot labeled “Nov. Election.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1900-07-25
Theodore Roosevelt stresses to Richard M. Hurd of the American Defense Society that in light of the end of the First World War, there is a continued need to “fight for Americanism.” Roosevelt supports the acceptance and equality of immigrants that become “nothing but an American.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1919-01-03
Theodore Roosevelt will follow Gifford Pinchot’s suggestion on the letter from Max W. Ball. Roosevelt takes umbrage with Henry Cantwell Wallace’s recommendations on discussing military preparedness in Des Moines, Iowa. He says he will stand behind President Woodrow Wilson “precisely to the degree in which Abraham Lincoln stood behind Polk in the Mexican War…” He will stand behind every public servant to the degree in which they serve the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1918-02-05
Theodore Roosevelt draws comparisons between several past elections and his own recent experiences with the Progressive Party.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-06-30
Theodore Roosevelt regrets losing his German friends because of his opinion on the war and feels that his views, compared to Hugo Münsterberg’s, are “as far apart as the poles.” Roosevelt is an American and nothing else. He opposes “hyphenated Americanism.” He believes English should be the language of the United States but Americans must also remain distinct from the people of Europe. Citizens should be treated equally but also held to a high standard of citizenship. Roosevelt judges each nation by their conduct and that is why he is opposing Germany and Austria-Hungary. He admires German ideals but their conduct during the war has been deplorable. Roosevelt’s main concern is that the United States is prepared to do its duty and maintain the nation’s honor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-19
Theodore Roosevelt defends the shipping of munitions to the allies as this is allowed by the Hague Conventions. This provision was demanded by Germany on behalf of the Krupp family. Roosevelt also defends Belgian neutrality and compares Belgium’s situation to the neutrality of Albert Kuhn’s native Switzerland. Kuhn’s duty is to be “American and nothing else.” He should be opposing Germany due to Germany’s warfare against the American people.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-05
Theodore Roosevelt believes that there is growing public sentiment in favor of his views on the war. He would like to encourage this sentiment but does not want an “open fight” or to be considered a political candidate. Roosevelt does not trust the supposed change of German Americans. The decent German Americans will eventually support Roosevelt but the “professional hyphenated German-Americans” will only do so because they respect an “open and efficient foe” and not President Wilson’s “timid and treacherous make-believe friend.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-12-21
Theodore Roosevelt remembers Edith Brander Macy and is fond of her family. He agrees that the best way to protect her sons is to “build up the proper standard of American life and proper loyalty to ideals, and national preparedness.” Roosevelt has been working to build up American patriotism and show the country its “lack of dignity and purpose.” He directs Macy to some of his recent writings.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-11-29
Theodore Roosevelt is grateful for Agnes Repplier’s writings on the pacifists and on national duty. Roosevelt believes that Americans’ main national duty is to make sure that those of foreign birth or parentage are “Americans and nothing else.” It would be best if someone of foreign birth or parentage led the effort. President Wilson has failed to lead the nation and its “unpreparedness is moral and spiritual.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-10-18
Theodore Roosevelt is opposed to “hyphenated Americans” as they tend to be “loyal only to what comes before the hyphen.” Representative Longworth made this distinction well in his recent speech and Roosevelt agrees that most Americans of German descent are among the best citizens. Roosevelt argues against Longworth running for Senate if he has to give up his seat in the House before the primaries. A Senate campaign will require two hard fights and considerable expenditure. Roosevelt believes that Longworth would strengthen the Senate and approves of a campaign if his House seat is not threatened.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-24
Theodore Roosevelt is not interested in votes from people who “cannot act as a plain United States citizen.” People who are not “American and nothing else” have no business voting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-02-04
Theodore Roosevelt is doubtful of E. A. Filene’s peace proposition and is opposed to recognizing that Americans of foreign birth have divided interests due to their affiliation with foreign countries. He does not want to encourage “group political action by nationality or creed.” Roosevelt argues that the only peace worth having is a righteous peace as “nonrighteous peace may be as evil as the most unrighteous war.” He faults President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan for not living up to the country’s international obligations and failing to follow a policy of military readiness. Roosevelt concludes by comparing Wilson and Bryan to Spain’s Prince, Manuel de Godoy, whose policies reduced his country to “complete impotency,” lost Spain’s American possessions, and led to a French invasion under Napoleon.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-04-05
Theodore Roosevelt defends his statements regarding the war and German conduct in Belgium. Roosevelt can feel goodwill towards Germany while also condemning their conduct. He has carefully read the German side of the case and was not convinced. Belgium was determined not to allow the violation of its neutrality by any other nation and only Germany decided to break faith, invade, and subjugate Belgium “against every rule of right and of humanity.” Roosevelt argues that no one can remain an American citizen while subordinating the “interests and duty of the United States to the interests of a foreign land.” He accuses George Sylvester Viereck of being wholeheartedly behind his birth country, Germany, and not his adopted country, the United States. Therefore, Viereck is being a poor citizen of both nations and should return to Germany, renounce his American citizenship, and join the German army.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-15
In the next issue of Metropolitan Magazine, Theodore Roosevelt goes after German Americans “without gloves.” If the United States goes to war with Germany, he believes he could raise enough men of German ancestry to “put down all the traitorous citizens at home and also fight the Germans abroad.” Roosevelt is feeling warlike and thinks there is “good fighting material” in the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-13
Until the outbreak of war, Albert Apponyi’s correspondence with Theodore Roosevelt was anti-Austrian and Apponyi considered Roosevelt “lukewarm for liberty” because he wanted Hungary to stay within the Austrian Empire. Roosevelt does not agree that the war is against Russia, as Germany stated that the war is primarily against Great Britain and Russia attempted to have the Austria-Serbia conflict placed before the Hague court. He also disagrees about Belgium and does not believe that Britain would have gone to war if Belgian neutrality had been observed. Roosevelt has friends throughout Europe and is working to prepare the United States so they will not suffer a disaster similar to the Belgians or Poles.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-05
Theodore Roosevelt understands that the United States could help stop the war by prohibiting the shipment of supplies. However, he argues this would be dishonorable as it would mostly harm the allies and benefit Germany. Roosevelt is “plain United States” and wants the country to do their duty towards other nations and to themselves. To do this, the country must be prepared and should have started months ago. The United States needs to prepare for self defense, judge other nations by their conduct, live up to their obligations, and “not be neutral between right and wrong.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-03