Kishinev Massacre (Chișinău, Moldova : 1903)

President Roosevelt looks at a large bear labeled “Russia” dressed in military attire. Roosevelt holds a protest behind his back.

Comments and Context

The context of this cartoon by Clifford K. Berryman, halfway through his tenure at the Washington Post (1896-1907, after which he became a Washington fixture, drawing for the Star) is the Kishinev Massacre by Tsarist forces in Moldova. Almost fifty Jews were killed, and hundreds injured in what the world regarded in horror as a pogrom.

The cartoon makes no reference to the massacre (unless the keeper of the White House scrapbook carelessly excised it) or, in, fact any event, issue, or personality. Typically for a Berryman cartoon, it purported to illustrate a situation or headline, with no specific criticism or advocacy.

President Roosevelt and a bear labeled “Russia” look at one another. Roosevelt holds a “protest agains the Kishineff massacres” while the bear holds up a “protest against lynching in the United States.”

Comments and Context

As President Theodore Roosevelt and his Administration sought means effectively to protest the pogrom in Kishinev, Moldova — where Tsarist forces killed almost fifty Jews and injured hundreds — he was acutely aware of a wave of lynchings in the United States, and his obligation to respond… and, perhaps, address the similarities. 

Of course, the national Administration did not sanction nor encourage lynching, but state governments did, and so did some prominent politicians, like Senator Ben “Pitchfork” Tillman of South Carolina.

Secretary of State John Hay and President Roosevelt argue with one another over a scroll of paper labeled “Kishinev Massacre protest.” A bear labeled “Russia” stands in the doorway. Caption: The bear—”Why not refer your little difficulty, gentlemen, to my court of arbitration at The Hague?”

Comments and Context

The general revulsion against the Kishinev Massacre in Moldova, at the hands of Tsar Nicholas’s Cossacks — a reported forty-nine deaths and six hundred in juries — was shared by President Theodore Roosevelt. That it was part of a series of repressive acts against ethnic minorities in Russian provinces, and democratic activities, did not mitigate the demands for reprisals against the Russian Court.

American Jews were understandably outraged by the pogrom, and pressured the government to, at least, register a diplomatic protest. Roosevelt was informed by the American ambassador at St. Petersburg that Russia would, formally, not “receive” such a protest — an act of diplomatic impertinence that offended the president. 

President Roosevelt trails a number of weapons behind him and stands holding only a roll of paper labeled “protest” as he faces a large bear labeled “Russia” mauling a woman—”Kishineff.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-03

This Saturday Review article begins by observing the American penchant for lectures. President Roosevelt’s annual message is one example of a lecture, which the author calls a “sermon.” However, the author suggests Roosevelt does not understand that “there is nothing weighty in [his annual message] but its style.” The author concludes by mentioning the dichotomy of Roosevelt lecturing the rest of the world but letting the American people off.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-10

Third draft of a letter with handwritten edits. President Roosevelt formally accepts the Republican presidential nomination. He then reviews several campaign issues and the achievements of his administration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-15

Jacob H. Schiff believes that the Kishinev petition, written after the recent massacre of Jewish citizens in Russia, was a mistake and that the proposed conference between Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States is unjust. There is no “Jewish problem” for the United States and Russia must find a solution from within. Schiff wants the American ambassador to Russia to represent “true American spirit.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-06

After investigating the situation of Russian Jews, Arnold White suggests a conference between Russia, Great Britain, and the United States to discuss Russia’s “Jewish question.” White’s proposed solution is that Russia will provide territory and the western powers will provide the necessary capital for expanded Jewish settlements.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-28

Arnold White reviews the “deplorable” condition of Russian Jews and claims that a “racial dislike” is behind the conflict between Jews and Russian peasants. The conflict is only held in check by the Russian government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-27

Edward E. Norton suggests that George H. Lyman advocate for the inclusion of Godfrey Morse at a meeting with President Roosevelt. The meeting will discuss the B’nai B’rith petition to Emperor Nicholas II regarding the Kishinev Massacre.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-09

In order to check Russia’s aggressive diplomatic policy against the United States, Great Britain, and Japan, the writer argues, one nation or a combination of nations must call its bluff. The article suggests the United States may be in the best position to check Russia’s actions, and that the initiative rests more with it than with either Japan or Great Britain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-04

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary has sent a copy of an extract from one of Roosevelt’s speeches referring to the Kishinev Massacre of Russian Jews so that Oscar K. Davis may provide answers for “such questions as this one.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-26

President Roosevelt was informed by Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis that Count Arthur Paul Nicholas Cassini did not officially state that the Russian Government would not receive the petition, although he did express that the Russian Government was opposed to the idea of the petition. This refers to the Kishinev petition that protested the slaughter of Russian Jews in Kishinev.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1903-07-15

By request of Oscar K. Davis, Frank Harper encloses a copy of the speech Theodore Roosevelt made on the Kishinev Massacre of Russian Jews.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-26

President Roosevelt fully approves of John St. Loe Strachey’s editorial regarding lynching, murder, and corruption in the United States and hopes that growing public opinion on the matter may have “some slight…effect against the evil.” Wishing he could write more, Roosevelt briefly discusses the harm of delegating too many powers to local, instead of central, government, along with communities’ conflicting responses and tolerances. He is currently facing a dispute with the senate on arbitration treaties.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-09

President Roosevelt congratulates John St. Loe Strachey and his wife on their three-year-old son, John Strachey, believing that “what really counts in this life is a full and happy home life.” Roosevelt believes that friendly critics do not need to only say pleasant things, but wishes that they would only say unpleasant things if that is truly their opinion. He remarks that when presented with a petition against the lynchings in America by English Peace Society, he agreed entirely with their position and told them that he believes all communities should condemn lynchings. The president concludes with a discussion about a third term.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-05

President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Gurney Cannon, Chairman of the Notification Committee, to formally accept his nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and to approve the platform adopted by the Republican National Convention. In the letter, Roosevelt provides a comprehensive defense of his foreign and domestic policies and outlines what he believes are the major differences between the Republican and Democratic parties in the upcoming election. Roosevelt discusses, among other topics, his position on international relations, antitrust legislation, tariffs, the gold standard, pensions for Civil War veterans, the military, civil service, commerce, agriculture, taxation, and self-government in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

President Roosevelt sends Senator Lodge a letter from Mr. Cohen, whose advice he says helps prevent Lodge and Roosevelt from making direct allusion “to either the Kishinoff massacre or the passport business.” Roosevelt hopes local troubles in a variety of states will be straightened out to prevent the end result from being unfavorable in the upcoming election. Secretary of the Navy Moody is uneasy over the tariff situation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-02

President Roosevelt instructs Acting Secretary of State Loomis to communicate with Secretary of State Hay regarding the procedure for forwarding a petition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-02

Isaac Seligman reports on a productive conference with Sergei Vitte, wherein they discussed the mistreatment of Jews in Russia. The conference demanded immediate freedom from persecution for Russian Jews, and Vitte will discuss this with the government assembly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-17