German Americans--Political activity

Letter from G. C. Berkemeier to Theodore Roosevelt

Following their meeting at the Outlook office, Reverend Berkemeier invites Theodore Roosevelt to attend and speak at the “Harvest Home” celebration held by the Wartburg Orphans’ Farm School in Mount Vernon, New York. Berkemeier informs Roosevelt the orphanage is a German Lutheran institution, “American in its spirit”, and the celebration, previously attended and enjoyed by Governor Charles Evans Hughes, will be attended by many German Lutherans

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-22

Creator(s)

Berkemeier, G. C. (Gottlieb Cleophas), 1855-1924

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Emil von Schleinitz

Letter noted as “Not Sent.” President Roosevelt would like to speak with Emil von Schleinitz regarding the attitude of German Americans towards the Roosevelt administration. Roosevelt is sure that Schleinitz supports treating foreign powers courteously and upholding American interests against any foreign power.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to George Lucas

His secretary sends Theodore Roosevelt’s thanks and acknowledgements to George Lucas and the German-American Republican Club. Roosevelt only wishes he could schedule another visit with them to meet more of the members and hopes that New Jersey will join the other Republican states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-05-24

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hugo Munsterberg

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-01-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frank Knox

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.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-12-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Bryce

Theodore Roosevelt argues in favor of a military draft and suggests that the lack of a draft has limited Great Britain’s strength. Roosevelt believes that President Wilson is motivated by fear of pacifist and German-American voters. Wilson also has the “Jeffersonian Buchanan tradition” of avoiding all physical danger. If he had been president, Roosevelt would have taken action after the invasion of Belgium or the sinking of the Lusitania and he believes the country would have supported him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-11-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur Hamilton Lee

The Wilson administration has behaved “infamously,” and Theodore Roosevelt considers President Wilson to be a timid man who will “avoid war at all hazards.” Wilson is favoring Germany and attempting to keep the German American and pacifist vote. Roosevelt breaks down American opinion into four sections; German Americans, professional pacifists, the majority who are not interested in international affairs, and a small percentage that think like him. Three of Roosevelt’s sons have finished training at the Plattsburgh camp, and they all did well. He has his volunteer division sketched out and guarantees it will do its duty. Roosevelt is distressed at Russia being “terribly smashed,” and he hopes the allies can stay together as they can win the war together.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-09-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence Godkin

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Lawrence Godkin for publishing Dr. White’s statement. Roosevelt states the German American propaganda reflected poorly on President Wilson’s administration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-09-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur Hamilton Lee

Theodore Roosevelt does not understand Leopold James Maxse of the National Review who is being “severe” towards the United States and the role Jews play in British society. Maxse supported William H. Taft and is supporting President Wilson even though they do not want the United States to do its duty towards Great Britain. American public opinion is shifting towards Britain and the allies. Wilson is pursuing a policy that will appease the pacifists and not antagonize the allies. Roosevelt hopes Britain will not provoke the United States and other neutrals by violating the rules laid out in the Hague Conventions. He is anxious over German submarines disrupting commerce and chagrined at the German victory in East Prussia. However, Roosevelt believes that Germany will be defeated if the allies remain united.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

Theodore Roosevelt enjoys Lawrence F. Abbott’s response to a pro-German letter. He agrees with the pro-German on the sentimentality of our people. However, Roosevelt believes the pro-German has erred, deifying brutality, and simply getting facts wrong.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

Theodore Roosevelt believes the Wilson administration is the “worst and most disgraceful” in history. He has no doubt that the “frightful cases” in Mexico are true but has no way of authenticating them. The information might be included in Roosevelt’s next article on military preparedness. He has been attacking the efforts of German Americans to use the United States in the interests of Germany. Roosevelt asks Senator Lodge not to quote his political statements as he does not think the time is right for him to announce his position. He congratulates Lodge on the Shipping Bill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt describes the attitude of the German American press as “infamous.” He regrets that large numbers of German Americans want to build up nationality groups in the United States and that President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan are catering to them. Archibald Roosevelt is home for the holidays and is already worrying about what he is going to do after college. Roosevelt has been working for Metropolitan Magazine and hopes to continue working until Quentin Roosevelt is ready to be “launched in the world.” The war and the Mexican situation are the most interesting matters in the United States but the Wilson administration refuses to make any military preparations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

Theodore Roosevelt is humiliated by the Wilson administration and angered by the attitude of “professional German Americans.” However, there are many German Americans who do not sympathize with Germany. Americans do not understand foreign affairs and many will simply follow where the president leads. Roosevelt agrees that each nation must look out for itself but suggests that in twenty-five years Great Britain could be allying with Germany against Russia.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Wingate Sewall

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with William Wingate Sewall’s views on President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan. They shirked their duty regarding Belgium and their conduct in Mexico has been “atrocious beyond belief.” Roosevelt believes that the Wilson administration is attempting to court German American votes and he is angered that German Americans are using their American citizenship against the interests of the United States. Citizens should be “straight United States and nothing else.” Roosevelt is unsure about the future of the Progressive Party, and from a national standpoint, he would like to await developments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

The success of German submarines has given Theodore Roosevelt a “very uneasy feeling.” Roosevelt is concerned that Great Britain’s ability to continue fighting might rely on American merchant shipping. As such, the British should be cautious when protesting neutrality rights and confiscating cargoes. Great Britain must decide what is in their own interests, but if they are mistaken the responsibility is upon them. Roosevelt hopes the British will avoid a “clash” with the United States, no matter who is in the right. The Wilson administration is courting the German vote and Roosevelt understands British contempt for the administration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

Theodore Roosevelt would like Henry White to review his response to White’s daughter, Countess Margaret Muriel Seherr-Thoss, who Roosevelt suspects was directed by German officials to include papers justifying their invasion of Belgium in a letter to Edith Roosevelt. Roosevelt hopes that White has seen his book, America and the World War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

Theodore Roosevelt reviews American public opinion towards the war, which is generally favorable towards the allies. However, German Americans are “furiously on the side of Germany,” and most politicians have more to fear from an interested minority than a “tepid” majority.” Roosevelt believes that the strong German American feeling derives from the fact that American contraband trade is significantly more valuable to the allies. He recommends that Great Britain be lenient on the contraband trade with Germany, as a strict policy will damage American merchants and turn public opinion in favor of Germany. Roosevelt does not want Great Britain to insist on rights that will create hostility, expand its view on belligerent rights to extremes, or be too strict with contraband.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with William Dudley Foulke’s letter except that he believes Governor Johnson would be a “first-class President.” Roosevelt agrees that it is too early to discuss nominations or even an individual’s availability. He would consider acting with the “scoundrels” that control the Republican Party but only because the Wilson administration is handling foreign affairs and military preparedness so poorly. Roosevelt is uncomfortable with Albert J. Beveridge’s attitude towards Germany as it seems to be influenced by the idea that German Americans will have a longer memory regarding what side a politician supports. He believes that German victory or a German-Japanese alliance would lead to conflict with the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Andrew Noll

Theodore Roosevelt defends himself against accusations that he is slandering Germany and supporting England. Roosevelt seeks to treat all Americans alike, regardless of their nationality. Roosevelt has not slandered Germany but stated that the violation of Belgium’s neutrality was a “dreadful wrong.” He regrets losing Andrew Noll’s support but believes that nations should be judged by the same standard of conduct. Roosevelt receives many letters imploring him to support a certain country based on the letter writer’s nationality. However, he believes that foreign and domestic affairs should only be viewed from “the standpoint of simple American citizenship.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hugo Munsterberg

Theodore Roosevelt has been told that President Wilson and William F. McCombs contacted Hugo Munsterberg regarding the hostility of German Americans towards the Wilson administration. The information came to Roosevelt from an outside source and he assures Munsterberg that he did not leak the information about Wilson’s communication. Roosevelt would like Edmund von Mach to know that he appreciated von Mach’s account of the significance of Kiao Chou (Jiaozhou) and he finds the threat to the “extension of civilization” to be a dreadful part of the war.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919