German Americans--Political activity

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

An article Theodore Roosevelt wrote on exercising the naval right of search will be published soon and it generally follows Ambassador Spring Rice’s opinion. If he were president, Roosevelt would not let anyone exercise the right of search but he would also have intervened on behalf of Belgium and prevented Americans from violating neutrality. Roosevelt views President Wilson as a timid, unscrupulous, coldblooded, and selfish man. He believes Wilson is attempting to keep the support of pacifists and placate the German and Irish vote. Eventually, Great Britain and France will need American help and Wilson will become the “righteous peace-maker.” Wilson’s current misconduct will then be forgotten.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Rudyard Kipling

Theodore Roosevelt encloses several articles he has written on the war in Europe which call for American military preparation and stress the nation’s duty to interfere on behalf of Belgium. He does not state the form of interference, as the American public would not support him. Roosevelt views the American public as short sighted with far too much confidence in their security across the Atlantic Ocean. He has a low opinion of President Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt has not seen first hand statements regarding the German outrages in Belgium and recommends that Great Britain launch an investigation among the Belgian refugees. Strong evidence is needed to reach world opinion.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to C. B. Wolffram

President Roosevelt thanks C. B. Wolffram for the birthday wishes. He also thanks Wolffram for promoting the campaigns of William H. Taft and Charles Evans Hughes among German Americans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Harry S. New

President Roosevelt writes to Henry S. New about getting Edward Gustave Halle to work with German American voters in Indiana like he successfully did in Illinois. Roosevelt does not believe they should take chances in Indiana, where William Jennings Bryan and other Democrats think the Republican voter base is weak.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge discussed the British arbitration treaty with President Taft who assured him that the phrase “all questions internationally justiciable” will provide an escape for issues that no nation could agree to arbitrate, including all domestic issues. Lodge feels that the phrase will make the treaty safe but also very limited in scope. The Democrats are troubled by the treaty and Lodge believes that they are being influenced by opposition from Irish and German Americans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-15

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

Letter from Edward G. Halle to William Loeb

Edward G. Halle sends William Loeb extracts from a speech given by Harry Rubens that praise President Roosevelt. The speech was given at a banquet of the American Institute of Germanics honoring General Peter Osterhaus. Halle informs Loeb that he has not met a German-American who does not support Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-24

Creator(s)

Halle, Edward G. (Edward Gustave), 1844-1918

German immigration to Pennsylvania

Benjamin K. Focht addresses the Hummel family reunion. Focht discusses German immigration to Pennsylvania, starting with a history of Germany and leading to the contributions that German-Americans have made to public life in the United States. This is a published version of a speech that Focht gave August 28, 1907.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908

Creator(s)

Focht, Benjamin K. (Benjamin Kurtz), 1863-1937

Letter from the Roosevelt League

The Roosevelt League invites the recipient to a gathering of Americans of German descent who are supporting Theodore Roosevelt’s candidacy for president. Roosevelt understands the Germans and their cultural achievements better than any other candidate and has done the most to ensure a fair election. There will be a meeting, a banquet, and then a short visit to the White House. The recipient is asked to respond, by telegraph if possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt League

Ein vertrag mit dem volke

German language edition of the 1912 Progressive Party platform.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1912-08-07

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ernest Brucken

Theodore Roosevelt agrees that Americans should be “Americans and nothing else” but criticizes Ernest Brucken for betraying this principle by organizing and threatening to use the German American vote. German American organizations and pacifists have joined together and forced the government into a policy of “abject tameness.” American citizens should be working to create an American culture common to everyone. German American organizations are preventing the development of a distinct American culture.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-06-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Guy Thomas

Theodore Roosevelt regrets possibly hurting Dr. Appleman’s feelings but Appleman should publicly repudiate the views of Professor Rohrbach. The published letter from Rohrbach called for German Americans to oppose military readiness in favor of the interests, and possible victory, of Germany and Japan. Appleman said nothing and needs to publicly announce that the interests of the United States come first.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick H. Bates

Theodore Roosevelt denies he advocated for war against Germany. He has stated that if he were president he would have gone to war, if necessary, to end the violence in Mexico and the murder of Americans at sea. Roosevelt only wants support from Americans, and if the German-American friends of Frederick H. Bates cannot support him because he is opposing Germany then they are not acting like Americans. Citizens should not vote based on their origin or the origin of their parents. Americans must vote and act only with regard to their duty towards the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Erving Winslow

Theodore Roosevelt will not appeal to President Wilson as he feels this would influence Wilson to do the reverse of what Roosevelt suggests. Roosevelt believes that Wilson is favoring Germany in order to secure the German American vote and because Wilson is afraid of Germany.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-11-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

The president at the summer White House

Woodrow Wilson, at his summer home Shadow Lawn, is shown being menaced by a number of a shadows, including ones labeled “German American Vote,” “T.R.,” “Wilson’s Mexican Policy,” “Democratic Extravagance,” “R.I.P. Principle of Arbitration,” “Military Impotence,” “Poor Appointments,” “Pork,” “Women’s Vote,” and “Daniels.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1916-09-08

Creator(s)

McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949

“Politics makes strange bedfellows”

Print shows the ghost of the British Lion reacting with fear at finding an “Irish American” and a “German American” in a bed labeled “Anti Anglo-American Alliance.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-05-03

Creator(s)

Dalrymple, Louis, 1866-1905

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Governor Roosevelt declines a visit to the Cowles’s residence, as he must work on state business every day until after his next trip out West. Roosevelt describes aspects of the political campaign that he finds frustrating and difficult, although he believes his ticket will win the election in the end.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-08-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Some timid fusion men

Summary of the meeting of the first Fusion conference. The conference will meet again before June 1 and seek to form a permanent organization in September. The Republicans of the conference are concerned about a “trap” and the German-American organizations want an “honest Fusion movement.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-05-12

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Emil von Schleinitz to Theodore Roosevelt

Emil von Schleinitz sends enclosures regarding German-American anger at the constant attacks against Germany appearing in the press. Schleinitz fears that this anger will lead to opposition to the Republican Party and the Roosevelt administration within the German-American community.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-06

Creator(s)

Schleinitz, Emil von, 1858-1920

Summary of letter from Hugo Münsterberg

Ambassador von Holleben is leaving the United States with appreciation and gratitude for the kindness showed to him by President Roosevelt. He does not believe the rumors that Roosevelt requested his withdrawal in favor of Hermann Speck von Sternburg. Hugo Mu¨nsterberg has been working to convince German periodicals that they should support the Roosevelt administration. Director Heinrich Conried of the Irving Place Theatre would like Roosevelt to attend a performance of Alt Heidelberg.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-14

Creator(s)

Presidential Office Staff

Letter from Hugo Münsterberg to Theodore Roosevelt

Hugo Münsterberg discusses various German-American issues and asks President Roosevelt to be patient with the German warmongers regarding the Venezuelan crisis. Münsterberg closes by asking for Roosevelt’s help and support with the organization of the St. Louis World’s Fair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-26

Creator(s)

Münsterberg, Hugo, 1863-1916