Intervention (International law)

President Roosevelt explains his opinion to Lyman Abbott on several points on which they disagree. First, Roosevelt would interfere on behalf of the Armenians if they were willing to fight. Second, he is currently trying to form an agreement with Japan that would prohibit laborers from each country immigrating to the other. However, he feels that all the Japanese already in the country should be given “the franchise and school facilities,” and treated as well as possible. Third, he is “not well acquainted with the situation in Utah,” but thinks Mormons should be treated exactly as anyone else. He does understand the situation in Idaho, which was not about Mormonism. McLain W. Davis’s claims regarding polygamy among Mormons in Idaho were investigated and found baseless.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Uncle Sam, as a large rooster, stands among several small free-ranging chicks labeled “Argentine Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Salvador, Peru, [and] Hayti [sic].” Confined to a “European Coop” labeled “Monroe Doctrine” are five roosters labeled “Russia, England, France, Germany, [and] Italy.” Caption: Europe — You’re not the only rooster in South America! Uncle Sam — I was aware of that when I cooped you up!

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1901-10-09

Illustration showing two concerned citizens and Joseph Pulitzer imploring Uncle Sam, dressed as a U.S. policeman, to break up a fight taking place in the background labeled “South Africa” between John Bull and Paul Kruger.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1900-03-07

President Roosevelt chides Governor Guild for being involved with a petition that recently came to Roosevelt’s desk on behalf of Africans in the Congo Free State. Roosevelt receives hundreds of such petitions on a variety of topics based on whatever the current social cause is. If he had absolute power, and the United States were “prepared to embark on a long career of disinterested violence on behalf of all sufferers outside its limits,” then Roosevelt would gladly intervene, but as it stands he does not have any authority to intervene in any of the cases presented to him. Moreover, as the United States would not actually go to war in any of the cases, Roosevelt feels that the government should not “put itself into the ridiculous position of making a fuss which it does not intend to back up.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt congratulates Lord Cuzon on taking office. He encloses the statement he made after the sinking of the Lusitania for Cuzon to read. Roosevelt tells Cuzon he wishes he could direct the foreign policy of the United States. He believes the American people would get behind taking action against Germany, but right now they are content to follow a different approach.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt considers G. Lowes Dickinson as a dreamer who “treats facts as irrelevant to the work of life.” International peace must be backed by an international force on the basis that “might shall be put behind right.” An international force is not possible until the “civilized states” guarantee to use force against recalcitrant states. The United States could have taken an important step by acting on behalf of Belgium’s neutrality but President Wilson did not take this step and pacifists cheered him for this “treachery to the cause of peace.” Dickinson is damaging his cause by basing it on false grounds. Roosevelt argues that all nations are not equal and making believe they are will only create “far-reaching harm.” Mankind has benefited from European colonization, and treating the natives as equal to white colonists will lead to the death of all colonists and many natives. Dickinson strives for much that is right but will remain utterly powerless.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt thanks Senator Lodge for the letter informing him and his wife about their son, Ted, who does not write home often enough. Roosevelt wrote to Ted an “earnest and truthful” letter about his “folly.” Roosevelt also informs Lodge of the meeting in Cuba between Secretary of War William H. Taft, First Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon, and Cuban President Tomas Estrada Palma. The temporary agreement for a provisional government with military support from the United States will help secure peace while Cuba begins self-government. Roosevelt hopes this will secure Cuba’s liberty, and any future policy will be in the “permanent interests of both Cuba and the United States.” Roosevelt also has acted to “prevent hurt” to the Republican nominees in the upcoming state elections, particularly in New York, and New York City. Wealthy business men, like William Randolph Hearst, and “Bourbon reactionaries” are running for office to gain political power, not for the “have-nots,” but to deflect regulations on their wealth. Roosevelt believes Charles Evans Hughes is the right man to run against Hearst for governor, as he will enact progressive reforms with a fair mind.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt writes to Oscar S. Straus about the international situation, and while Russia has promised to take steps to prevent trouble being done to its Jewish population, Roosevelt also comments on the impossibility of interfering in other countries, such as the Congo Free State or Turkey. Issuing petitions can sometimes be harmful unless the United States is able to back up the petitions with military force, which it is unlikely to do. Roosevelt knows he does not have to convince Straus of this, but some of Straus’s friends “need to have these considerations ever clearly before their eyes.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt thanks General Duffield for the article, and comments that some Senators want to limit the United States’ ability to deal with foreign powers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt hopes that the public will come to understand that it is the country’s duty to intervene in Central and South America in the “interest of order and civilization.” However, intervention should be avoided whenever possible. Roosevelt hopes to minimize interference in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

The Arabian stallions were not sent to President Roosevelt. It was a newspaper story and the horses were actually sent to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. There might not be any horses left for Ted Roosevelt as all of Roosevelt’s horses are having health issues and he currently is unable to ride. It appears that the Panama treaty will be ratified but the situation in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) is chaotic and Roosevelt had to intervene. He hopes to defer doing more for as long as possible. Roosevelt has been paying close attention to the Russo-Japanese War. Russia had been behaving “very badly” in Asia and, secretly, Roosevelt is pleased with the early Japanese victories.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt had a low opinion of Colombia and considered their government to be “cruel despotism.” He was happy to assist Colombia. The tyranny over Panama would end and the canal would not be blocked.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Cecil Spring Rice informs President Roosevelt of his recent illness and encourages him to take his children to the doctor if any of them have stopped up noses. Due to his illness he has had to leave Perisa, but Spring Rice tells Roosevelt that he will either take a quiet post or retire when he has recovered. Spring Rice suggests that newspapers are in the hands of Roosevelt’s enemies and are hostile at heart. Spring Rice believes that there is little that can be done to avoid challenging racial difficulties in the future, as the Muslims in the world have had enough of Christian aggression. However, the English government is mostly concerned with internal affairs and has mostly ignored questions of foreign policy. Spring Rice worries about relations between Germany and England and believes that Germany might attack England at some point in the future. He concludes with his well wishes for Christmas and mentions that his wife Florence Spring Rice hopes to see Roosevelt soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-04

Creator(s)

Spring Rice, Cecil, Sir, 1859-1918

Secretary of War Taft writes President Roosevelt about the course of events likely to be followed in Cuba. Taft predicts that when a quorum cannot be reached in Congress, President Tomás Estrada Palma will resign and ask the United States to intervene. American troops will then land in Cuba and proclaim a provisional government unless Roosevelt directs otherwise.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-28

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

After speaking with Frank S. Cairns and Eugene Frederick Ladd, Secretary of War Taft believes the Cuban government under President Tomás Estrada Palma cannot continue. A small number of rurales and militia are spread around the island, with artillerymen and a few thousand municipal police concentrated in Havana. Insurgents are surrounding the city and also areas of Santa Clara, slowed by the arrival of United States troops on the Denver. Estrada Palma lacks support and is unprepared, and his office under Fernando Andrade is linked to abuses of power and election fraud. Without public support, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon and Taft cannot recommend supporting Estrada Palma, yet insurgents still need to be driven out to protect the Cuban government and its people. A meeting will be held today with liberal leader Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso as well as insurgent leaders. Forcible intervention on the part of the United States cannot be avoided and Roosevelt’s approval is sought to move forward.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-21

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Assistant Secretary of State Adee informs William Loeb of treaty articles which define the President’s “power and duty regarding maintenance of adequate government in Cuba.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Creator(s)

Adee, Alvey A. (Alvey Augustus), 1842-1924

John H. Parker describes the annexation of Cuba by the United States as inevitable due to its strategic location and suggests that the current state of affairs might present an opportunity for such an intervention. Parker considers it best to accomplish the goal diplomatically but acknowledges that the military might be used as a last resort. If direct intervention is not the desired goal at this time, Parker proposes that the United States government quietly provide military advisers to Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma so that he can put down an uprising in Santiago and restore public order.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-02

Creator(s)

Parker, John H. (John Henry), 1866-

Jacob Sleeper, chargé d’affaires in Cuba, updates William Loeb about the insurrection in Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-01

Creator(s)

Sleeper, Jacob, 1869-1930

Assistant Secretary of State Adee informs chargé d’affairs to Cuba Sleeper about a telegram stating Cuban insurgents disarmed guards and took horses from the Trinidad Sugar Company. Adee directs Sleeper to alert the Cuban government and to extend protection to the company.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-31

Creator(s)

Adee, Alvey A. (Alvey Augustus), 1842-1924

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt lists several confidential problems regarding foreign matters for the Naval War College. Roosevelt asks what and how interventions will be employed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919