Lusitania (Steamship)

Theodore Roosevelt responds to a letter from James Stevenson-Hamilton, noting that it came when he was discussing Stevenson-Hamilton’s book with Carl Ethan Akeley and Charles Sheldon. They all agree it “is one of the very best books” they know. Roosevelt does not believe that the United States ought to be pardoned for failing to defend Belgium against Germany. If he had been president, Roosevelt would have taken action regarding Belgium and believes the public would have supported war after the sinking of the Lusitania. His book, Fear God and Take Your Own Part, will soon be published and will cover his views on the war. The conduct of the Turks towards Armenians has been dreadful but, unlike the Germans, the Turks can behave “in civilized fashion in a war with the antagonists they respect.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-02-07

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 thanks Samuel Kerr for writing and addresses his questions. The tradition was broken when the United States signed the Hague Conventions. He refers Kerr to his response at the time of the sinking of the Lusitania, detailing how President Woodrow Wilson should have reacted. The United States cannot respond to English attacks on commerce until the “graver offence” has been handled.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-02-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Gutzon Borglum writes to Theodore Roosevelt about his frustration with President Wilson’s reaction to the sinking of the Lusitania. He mentions an article in the New York Times where Wilson mentioned that he does not care to arouse patriotic sentiment.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-05-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Viscount Bryce for his friendly response. Roosevelt encloses two articles he has written since the sinking of the Lusitania and congratulates Bryce on his work regarding German attacks. Roosevelt expresses his dismay toward the American “Pontius-Pilate-like attitude of neutrality.” He concludes that he does not have the patience to discuss pacifists such as Jane Addams.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-05-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt wishes a judge of Judge Amidon’s “breadth of view” had presided over his libel suit. More evidence would have been admitted against William Barnes and the jury would probably have been unanimous. Regarding the Lusitania, Roosevelt believes that President Wilson has failed in “performing national and international duty in a world crisis.” Wilson should have acted earlier and the time for thought and words has passed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-05-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt tells John St. Loe Strachey, editor of the London Spectator, that he is mistaken in believing that the American public will acknowledge Roosevelt as a leader again. Roosevelt does, however, believe that what he has said will influence public opinion and they will see that his position was right. Roosevelt sends two of his articles about the Lusitania disaster to Strachey, which were and are still not popular. Roosevelt sends his regards to Strachey’s daughter and wife and is glad their house has become an emergency hospital. Roosevelt will write James Bryce expressing his approval of Bryce’s report on German atrocities.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-05-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt is impressed with Judge Harry Olson’s letter and asks Medill McCormick to tell him so. As Roosevelt addressed in his speech, the problem is that the public sees in broad strokes of pro-German and anti-German sentiment.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-01-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Raymond Unwin informs George D. Wardrop of a change in his travel plans to see Theodore Roosevelt to better fit his schedule.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-14

Creator(s)

Unwin, Raymond, Sir, 1863-1940

Citation for the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Ethel Roosevelt Derby, eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, in October 1977 by P. James Roosevelt. The citation recognizes her service as a nurse in World War I, her role as a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History, and her work on behalf of various causes in Oyster Bay, New York. The citation strives to give a sense of Mrs. Derby’s personality and how she employed it in service of preserving the memory of her father, President Roosevelt.

A picture of Ethel Roosevelt as a child with her father and another showing her receiving her Distinguished Service Medal accompany the citation.

Reprint of an article that originally appeared in Ms. Magazine in August 1976. Author Harriet Shapiro interviewed Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Ethel Roosevelt Derby at her home in Oyster Bay, New York. Much of the piece is devoted to Ethel’s memories of life with her family at their family home Sagamore Hill. She relates how her parents, Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, dealt with the children, and she notes how the Roosevelt siblings paired off, and she talks of her relationship with her older sister Alice Roosevelt Longworth.

A familiar picture of the assembled Roosevelt family and a close-up of Ethel Roosevelt Derby accompany the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1977

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Robert J. Wickenden about his view on World War I. Roosevelt believes that the nation should have prepared itself for war with Germany rather than taking an isolationist stance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Germany was the first belligerent nation to violate American rights and German violations are of much greater consequence then the British interfering with American trade and mail. The United States failed to effectively protest after the sinking of the Lusitania which has limited protests of subsequent, smaller offenses. Roosevelt sends Frederick A. Reiter a copy of his book, Fear God and Take Your Own Part, and directs him to several passages. He has taken a stand for Belgium and wants each nation to be treated according to its conduct.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-05-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt believes the current administration will get the U.S. into the war through “sheer cowardice and weakness.” Roosevelt believes they should have started to prepare as soon as war was declared in Europe and then the Lusitania incident would not have happened.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt is disgusted by President Wilson’s actions after the sinking of the Lusitania. He is pleased that he spoke out publicly on the sinking.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt is pleased that Whitney Warren likes what he has written and hopes he has seen his comments since the sinking of the Lusitania. Roosevelt does not believe that most Americans approve of what he said, but he is very glad he has said it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt is sorry that he cannot fight in the war. He believes he could raise a division of riflemen, as he did for the Spanish American War. Roosevelt is glad that J. H. Patterson liked his book on Brazil. Roosevelt will not attempt that kind of adventure again. Roosevelt is also interested in Patterson organizing a corps of Russian refugees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt speaks out about “the Hun within our gates”, or German Americans he says are helping Germany from within the United States. Roosevelt says the term Hun was attributed to the German forces by William II himself and that it matches the atrocities committed by the German military in Europe and Asia. He gives examples of the Huns within our gates, particularly pacifists, and compares them to the “Copperheads” of the Civil War era. He calls for all Americans, regardless of ethnic origins, to unite under one flag and one language.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-09-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt thanks members of the Armed Forces for their service during World War I and praises men willing to fight for their country. He condemns the actions of Germany and says that the war is being fought for the greater good of America and for humanity. He gives several examples of Germany’s cruelty and ruthlessness, including the sinking of the Lusitania. He denies claims of the war being a “rich man’s” war but says that anti-war movements are backed by the wealthy for commercial reasons. Roosevelt calls for better preparedness in the future as well as the implementation of universal service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-09-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Typed draft with edits of Theodore Roosevelt’s speech at the Columbia County Fair. Roosevelt says that while America is a melting pot of many cultures, it is still a single country. He calls for all citizens to be united under one flag and one language. He condemns Germany’s actions during the war and says anyone that does not fully support the United States is a traitor. Americans have an obligation to be loyal to their country and to demand justice for all men regardless of social class. The country needs to be better prepared for war in the future.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-09-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919