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Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit about a visit from Walter R. Lawrence and discusses how the British tend to “butter up” Americans. The sketch of Kermit made by Philip de Laszlo came. Ethel Roosevelt Derby writes a postscript saying Roosevelt could not finish the letter because he was taken ill but is now comfortable.
1918-02-08
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; Derby, Ethel Roosevelt
President Roosevelt thanks Arthur Hamilton Lee for sending him the portraits, and returns the three as requested. He plans to give several copies out as Christmas presents, but feels like he should be sparing with the others. Roosevelt is glad to hear Lee’s news that the British people are aware of the necessities of national defense, and applauds the agreement with Japan. Roosevelt believes his strategy of friendly communication with Japan in conjunction with the demonstration of sending the fleet around the world, has produced good results for the United States. Roosevelt is looking forward to his safari, and believes that President-Elect William Howard Taft will do a good job as president.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-20
President Roosevelt discusses the reason behind his new policy of refusing to make requests on behalf of Americans hoping to be presented at court when they are abroad. He believes that Americans should not attend court and notes that when he is no longer president, he will not seek invitations to court. Roosevelt also discusses Congress’s opposition to his policies and his plans to travel to Africa with his son Kermit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-25
President Roosevelt recounts for Viscount Lee how pleasant it was to sit for his portrait by Fülöp László. László allowed him to have guests to speak to while he sat, and Anna Cabot Mills Davis Lodge was a common guest. Roosevelt thanks Lee for his work with William Lyon Mackenzie King, and notes that although the issue of Japanese immigration is not acute yet, it could be soon. He also discusses the success of the Great White Fleet’s tour and target practice.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-08
President Roosevelt tells Arthur Hamilton Lee that Fülöp László has completed his portrait of Roosevelt, and Roosevelt thinks it is the best portrait that has been painted of him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-21
Responding to a letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee, President Roosevelt notes that A. Maurice Low was blacklisted from access to the White House or other governmental agencies after he printed slanderous material. Roosevelt is surprised that Fabian Ware keeps Low on the staff of London’s Morning Post. Roosevelt agrees to have Fülöp László paint his portrait. Roosevelt also informs Lee about international relations between the United States and Canada, particularly with reference to immigration from Japan. He recounts discussions he has had with William Lyon Mackenzie King on this subject, and what the position of the United States is on the matter–namely, that working class Japanese immigrants should be kept out of English-speaking countries, and that working class immigrants from English-speaking countries should be kept out of Japan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-02
President Roosevelt is glad to have received Arthur Hamilton Lee’s letter. He does not need a rest and would rather stay in the fight, but a leader must understand those he serves and maintain their belief in his honesty. He has had to fight against both the mob mentality of the poor and the overwhelming wealth and greed of the powerful. Though his course of action did not cause the panic, it may have hurried its occurrence, and the press, mostly controlled by Wall Street, could sway the public toward William Randolph Hearst or William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt continues striving to “keep the left center together.” There will likely not be any issue with Great Britain, and while issue could arise with Japan, the Pacific states, Australia, and British Columbia feel the same as the United States does. Roosevelt asks Lee to give an introduction to Fülöp Laszlo, the painter, to see if there will he time to have a portrait painted, as Lee requested.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-26
Arthur Hamilton Lee remarks that President Roosevelt’s speech about the English in India came at a critical time for England’s Indian policy and would like a copy of the speech. There have been “agitators” slandering England’s Indian policy. Lee requests Roosevelt’s opinion on Britain’s Two Power Standard of Naval Strength as it applies to excluding the United States. As a distant observer, Lee has been following Roosevelt’s conflict with Congress and believes that the Times correspondents have done “a world of good” with their “excellent dispatches” keeping Roosevelt’s viewpoint before the public. Lee looks forward to Roosevelt’s visit after his trip to Africa.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-29
Arthur Hamilton Lee sends President Roosevelt a number of reproductions of a portrait of Roosevelt painted by Fülöp László. He would have sent them sooner, but in order to have them done in the best quality he had them made in Munich, where they faced several delays. Lee thought that Roosevelt might like to have the portraits to give out instead of photographs of himself, and on that note, asks if Roosevelt would be willing to sign three of the portraits for him. Lee hopes that he did not offend Roosevelt with his previous letter, and comments on the international events in which Britain has recently been involved. He congratulates Roosevelt on the result of the election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-01
Ambassador Reid writes President Roosevelt about a number of issues, both political and social. He adds more information about Lord Edward Marjoribanks Tweedmouth’s mental breakdown and discusses the man who will replace him. Reid also relays an indignant letter he got from Clarise S. Ramsay, an American who wrongly felt she should have been invited to a royal ball. Roosevelt’s plan to go on a safari in Africa after leaving office is, Reid thinks, a very good one, and Roosevelt should not need to worry about receiving proper treatment and courtesies from British officials there. On a personal note, Reid thanks Roosevelt for his kind wishes at the news of his daughter Jean’s engagement to John H. Ward. He discusses his future son-in-law and the couple’s plans following their marriage.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-04
Arthur Hamilton Lee has received Fülöp László’s portrait of President Roosevelt, and is pleased and impressed with its likeness. He thanks Roosevelt for sitting for it, and notes that it will help László’s career in London advance.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-04
John R. Carter updates President Roosevelt on various situations in England, namely, the progress of Mackenzie King in meeting with members of the government and promoting Roosevelt’s policies in regard to Japan. He is doing well, and has met with Edward Grey and leading members of the cabinet. Grey has previously been “sanguine” about Japan, but Carter hopes that King has enlightened him about the issue of Japanese immigration. A new Prime Minister will be installed around Easter, and it will probably be H. H. Asquith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-03
Arthur Hamilton Lee is pleased that President Roosevelt was willing to sit for a portrait by Fülöp László, and looks forward to seeing it. He updates Roosevelt on the progress of William Lyon Mackenzie King, who is in England advocating for Roosevelt’s policy on Japanese immigration to English-speaking countries. Lee agrees that such immigration should be limited, and King is making inroads in getting the government to cooperate on this matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-31
Arthur Hamilton Lee promises to do what he can to assist William Lyon Mackenzie King. Lee has recently talked with Edward Grey, who is anxious to help with the Japanese government as he can, but who also wishes to hear from the King before making plans. Arthur James Balfour spoke with Lee recently on the topic of race relations between Anglo-Saxon and Asian races, and he agrees with Roosevelt’s position on this matter as to the necessity of keeping them apart. While Balfour is not in power currently, Lee suggests it may not be long before this is the case again. Lee is concerned about A. Maurice Low’s potential effect on public opinion in Great Britain, and is glad that he has been black-listed in Washington, D.C. He mentions that Balfour would be gratified to have Roosevelt contact him to discuss a recent lecture. In a postscript, Lee mentions that the artist Fülöp László will arrive in Washington, D.C., soon, and Lee is sure that Roosevelt will be pleased with the results.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-21
Arthur Hamilton Lee writes President Roosevelt on two matters. First, he is glad that Roosevelt has agreed to see the painter Fülöp László when he is in Washington. He thinks László is a talented painter and hopes Roosevelt will sit for a sketch, although he is aware it would be an imposition. Second, he apologizes sincerely for attempting to befriend A. Maurice Low, whose letter was published in the London Morning Post. Lee did not know that Low’s letter would be so bad. He vehemently wishes Low could be fully punished and assures Roosevelt that the Post will not publish such a letter again.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-11
Arthur Hamilton Lee writes to President Roosevelt about the president’s impending retirement and hopes that it will not impact Anglo-American relations significantly when another man takes office. Lee is distressed about how the papers in New York are covering Roosevelt, as if his character is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He hopes the president continues to shine light in dark places of the securities industry so that scandals will be brought to light. Lee ends his letter requesting that Roosevelt sit for a painter, Fülöp László, for two to three hours and believes that Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt will agree.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-13
A. Richard Boera continues his look at the portraits of Theodore Roosevelt painted by Fulop Laszlo. In this second installment, Boera traces the provenance of and locates the original 1908 portrait and five copies. Boera identifies the three artists who made copies of the portrait, and he notes the location of each. Boera also discusses a lesser known Lazlo portrait of Roosevelt executed in 1910, and he notes the other portraits Laszlo painted of Roosevelt family members such Kermit Roosevelt.
A Laszlo painting, a collage of some of his portraits, and two photographs supplement the text.
A. Richard Boera tells the story of Fulop Laszlo’s portrait of President Theodore Roosevelt which was painted at the White House in March 1908. Most of Boera’s text comes from a biography of Laszlo published in 1939, and it includes long passages from Laszlo describing his interactions with Roosevelt, sketching a portrait of Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, and vignettes of life at the White House. Boera’s article in its text and its endnotes also discusses the 1903 John Singer Sargent portrait of Roosevelt.
Four color portraits painted by Laszlo, including those of the president and the first lady, appear in the text.
History of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) that traces the TRA back to the days following the death of Theodore Roosevelt in January 1919. The present day TRA came into being in 1956 following the merger of three Roosevelt memorial organizations. The history notes the TRA’s work in securing historic sites related to the life of Roosevelt, such as his birthplace and home, and the acquisition of additional sites to serve as memorials. It also looks at efforts to preserve historic documents about Roosevelt, and it notes the work of the TRA’s public speaking contests and police awards.
The second page of the article features two photographs from the TRA’s meeting at the White House with President Ronald Reagan on October 27, 1982.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
1999
Twelve topics are covered in the seven pages of this edition of the “News and Notes” section. Highlights include the establishment of a commission to celebrate the centennial of Theodore Roosevelt’s tenure as Governor of New York state; the publication of Edmund Morris’s biography of Ronald Reagan; the visit by C-SPAN to Sagamore Hill National Historic Site; and the establishment of a Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) chapter and police award in New Orleans, Louisiana. The section also notes the Gold Medal conferred upon Anna Curtenius Roosevelt by the Society of Women Geographers, plans for the 1999 annual meeting of the TRA, and the death of Thomas P. DiVita, a volunteer at Sagamore Hill. Some details from Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s funeral instructions, an excerpt from Edward Wagenknecht’s The Seven Worlds of Theodore Roosevelt, and the announcement of a premiere of a play about Theodore Roosevelt, Teddykins: An American Hero, complete the section.
A list of the members of the New York state commission marking Roosevelt’s tenure as governor and an advertisement for the Chicago Clothing Store of Sandpoint, Idaho, appear in the section.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
1999