Militarism

Creation Date

1916-02-18

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gertrude Battles Lane

Theodore Roosevelt gives permission for his letter to Mrs. Wilkinson to be published. Roosevelt adds a statement in support of military readiness and against pacifism.

Collection

Creation Date

1915-12-06

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph Hodges Choate

Theodore Roosevelt tells Joseph Hodges Choate that he has accepted the invitation, but expresses concern about Nicholas Murray Butler and Andrew Carnegie heading the list. Because of their role in being “professional pacifists,” Roosevelt asserts that men like Butler and Carnegie encourage militarism in “virile” countries, and they are afraid of denouncing what is wrong.

Collection

Creation Date

1915-07-02

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Fraser Metzger

Theodore Roosevelt does not think of Fraser Metzger as a German American any more than he thinks of himself as a Dutch American. He believes that, as a whole, German immigrants were better but compares Germany under Prussian militarism to the Southern slave-holding regime before the Civil War. Roosevelt enjoyed Agnes Repplier’s article and plans to send Metzger’s letter to her.

Collection

Creation Date

1915-01-09

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge

President Roosevelt writes to Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge about Jane Addams’s book. He criticizes her stance against militarism. Roosevelt compares Addams to Leo Tolstoy in their similar actions in speaking out against war and industrialism, but being ultimately misguided in their argument that because there are hardships that result from these, they should be entirely abandoned, rather than acknowledging the positives and working to alleviate the negatives. It is just as bad, Roosevelt says, to preach unrighteous peace as to preach unrighteous war, and even more foolish.

Collection

Creation Date

1908-02-13

Creator(s)

Letter from L. H. Bailey to Theodore Roosevelt

L. H. Bailey shares his feelings on the necessity of preparedness in response to Theodore Roosevelt’s recent statement on the topic. He believes it a mistake to “confuse militarism and war-for-glory with adequate preparation for defense.” Because of the many governmental checks and the lack of such a history in the United States, Bailey does not fear militarism. However, he does caution the over-development of the military establishment.

Collection

Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde), 1858-1954

Creation Date

1916-02-09

Creator(s)

Letter from James Andrew Drain to Theodore Roosevelt

James Andrew Drain’s magazine, Arms and the Man, has published an article with accurate, official statistics in response to Andrew Carnegie’s article about the cost of militarism. Drain hopes that Theodore Roosevelt can help give the article wide publicity.

Collection

Drain, James Andrew, 1870-1943

Creation Date

1913-02-14

Creator(s)

Letter from Edward Grey to Theodore Roosevelt

British Foreign Secretary Grey informs President Roosevelt that Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand will be replaced, and while he understands Roosevelt’s desire to have Arthur Lee in his place, that is politically impossible. Temporarily, Esmé Howard will be sent to Washington as Councillor to the Embassy. Grey appreciated Roosevelt’s explanation of his telegram to German Emperor William after the Portsmouth Peace. Grey explains that his foreign policy is not anti-German, but to be independent he feels it necessary to strengthen the entente with France and come to an agreement with Russia. Grey believes that his generation has had enough of war, and the British people feel a special bond with the United States. Grey hopes the dispute between Canada and the United States over Newfoundland will soon be settled. He also adds that many in Great Britain are upset over reports of slavery and plunder in the Belgian Congo.

Collection

Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933

Creation Date

1906-12-04

Creator(s)

The issue

President Roosevelt—It—wears a number of signs: “imperialism,” “protection for monopoly,” “personal orders substituted for acts of Congress,” “militarism,” “extravagance,” “my Cortelyou—the fat fryer,” “standpatism,” and “promotion of personal favorites.” His “party” and “despotism” legs crush “international law” and “the Constitution of the United States.” He holds “the big stick” in one hand and a revolver in the other.

Collection

Bush, Charles Green, 1842-1909

Creation Date

1904-08-03

Creator(s)

An answer to Bryan’s cartoon suggested by a Times reader

Alton B. Parker sleeps in a bed and awakes from a nightmare of a hydra-headed monster: “militarism,” “violation of the Constitution,” “the race issue,” “the spirit of war,” and “imperialism.” A “voter” brings Parker an “election verdict” pill.

Collection

Van Leshout, Alexander J. (Alexander Josef), 1868-1930

Creation Date

1904-10-25

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Sturgis Bigelow

Theodore Roosevelt has sent William Sturgis Bigelow’s letter to Crosby. Roosevelt believes that Bigelow said everything that was necessary to say, and that men who “advocate tomfool peace, must share the responsibility for wrong done by the militarists.” Roosevelt believes that Prussian militarists have no greater ally than American pacifists.

Collection

Creation Date

1916-05-10

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Raymond Robins

Theodore Roosevelt views the war as a battle between militarism and democracy. Currently, Russia and Japan are allied with democracy, but with their “alien” institutions and ideals they may “menace civilization.” To do her duty, the United States must be the “just man armed” and avoid pacifism. Roosevelt, and his views, are unpopular and he no longer desires to be a political candidate. He fears his candidacy would be interpreted as greedy ambition. Roosevelt is also opposed by many Catholics due to his previous policies and recent statements. His victory in the Barnes libel suit was also a victory for his supporters as it showed they were right about “boss rule and crooked business.” Roosevelt feels he has done his share in the progressive movement and can no longer take a leading role. The public has had enough of reform and Roosevelt’s presence will now hinder, rather then benefit, the cause.

Collection

Creation Date

1915-06-03

Creator(s)

“Give it another twist, Grover – we’re all with you!”

President Grover Cleveland, wearing military uniform, gives a twist to the British Lion’s tail as it stands on a small island labeled “Great Britain” just off the coast of the “United States” where Cleveland and his backers are standing. Among Cleveland’s backers are Thomas B. Reed, Charles A. Dana doing a headstand on the “N.Y. Sun,” George F. Hoar holding a rifle, William E. Chandler wearing a grenadier’s bearskin hat and holding a sword, Henry C. Lodge with a sword, John T. Morgan, and Charles A. Boutelle also wearing a bearskin hat.

Collection

Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909

Creation Date

1896-01-08

Creator(s)

His battle-ground

William E. Chandler, former Secretary of the Navy under President Arthur, salutes from a trap door in the floor where he is hiding. Red-stained papers labeled “Plan of Campaign Against England” by “W. E. Chandler Jingo-in-Chief” are on the floor, and bombs are exploding outside the door to the room. Portraits of John Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant hang on the wall in the background. Under Grant’s portrait, the text “Let Us Have Peace” has been crossed out. A much larger portrait of “W. E. Chandler Painted by Himself” and labeled “Ex-Secretary of United States Navy – Before the War” hangs next to the others. Also hanging on the wall is a “Proclamation Against England – No. 999” labeled in red “War.” Caption: Where our bloodthirstiest Jingo will be found when a real war comes.

Collection

Taylor, Charles Jay, 1855-1929

Creation Date

1895-12-11

Creator(s)

Uncle Sam’s dream of conquest and carnage – caused by reading the Jingo newspapers

Uncle Sam lies asleep in a chair with a large eagle perched on a stand next to him. He is dreaming of conquests and annexations, asserting his “Monroe Doctrine” rights, becoming master of the seas, putting John Bull in his place, and building “formidable and invulnerable coast defenses.” On the floor by the chair are jingoistic and yellow journalism newspapers.

Collection

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Creation Date

1895-11-13

Creator(s)

The wars that never come

George F. “Hoar” sits with a broken drum labeled “Hawaiian Bluster,” Henry Cabot “Lodge” holds a broken rifle labeled “Behring Sea War Thunder,” and John T. “Morgan” sits with a bent and beaten-up bugle labeled “Nicaraguan War Blast.” A large female angel of “Peace” stands behind, spreading her wings over them.

Collection

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Creation Date

1895-05-29

Creator(s)

The advance agent of modern civilization

William II, German Emperor, with wings fashioned out of swords, rides on a large cannon being pulled and pushed by members of the clergy. Among the crowd following in the background are two banners that state “Love One Another” and “Come and Be Saved; If You Don’t ….”

Collection

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

Creation Date

1898-01-12

Creator(s)

After the carnival

Uncle Sam sits on a bed the morning after a wild night. He is rubbing his head to ease the pain and there is a handgun in his pants pocket. On the floor there is a bottle labeled “Jingo Fire Water” spilling its contents, several papers scattered about that state, “Jingo Speeches in Congress, War Care, War Talk, [and] Jingo Press War Talk,” and nippers labeled “To Twist the Lion’s Tail.” “The Sword of Bunker Hill” hangs from a wall lamp. Sam’s hat hangs over the lamp, with a hole burned through the fabric. One of Sam’s boots is upside down in a pitcher on the nightstand, and a picture of “John Bull,” hanging on the wall, has a large X drawn through it. The “Rising Sun of Peace” shines in the background. Caption: Uncle Sam–By Jingo, it was a great racket! – but I showed ’em the kind of stuff I’m made of, anyhow! – I wonder how John feels?

Collection

Opper, Frederick Burr, 1857-1937

Creation Date

1896-02-26

Creator(s)

A few pleasant recollections of the fifty-fourth Congress

A large group of members of the Fifty-fourth Congress are pictured. Many are dressed as natives, with some wearing grass skirts. Most are armed with spears or clubs, while some have shields. Four are reading the “Reminiscences of John Sherman,” one turns the crank on a spit where John Bull is being roasted, and Thomas B. Reed is standing on a platform on the left. A statue labeled “Jingoism” appears at center. Grover Cleveland appears in effigy with several spears or arrows stuck in him. Joseph G. Cannon sits on the floor on the right.

Collection

Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909

Creation Date

1896-05-27

Creator(s)

His latest effort

John Sherman, wearing a vintage military uniform, uses a handgun to beat on the bottom of a pan labeled “Jingoism.” Next to him, bees from a beehive labeled “Sherman Presidential Hive” join a swarm labeled “Republican Delegates” headed toward a hive in the background labeled “McKinley Headquarters.” Caption: But it’s no use; – the presidential bees are swarming away from him.

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