Passports

Oscar S. Straus acknowledges the letter and enclosures Jacob Saphirstein sent him of an editorial from the Jewish Morning Journal regarding the Russian passport question and the endorsement by Straus of Theodore Roosevelt’s proposal for arbitration of the passport question. Straus verifies his support of Roosevelt’s proposal and lists some of reasons for doing so. Straus invites Saphirstein to visit to discuss further details.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-24

Oscar S. Straus informs Theodore Roosevelt he received a letter from Jacob Saphirstein, the editor of the Jewish Morning Journal, containing an editorial responding to Roosevelt’s proposal for arbitration regarding the Russian passport question, which Straus consulted with Roosevelt regarding and fully endorsed. Straus has written back to Saphirstein and is enclosing a copy of his letter to Roosevelt. Straus feels more convinced than ever that arbitration is the way forward to arrive at a satisfactory solution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt thanks John A. Sleicher for the editorials from Leslie’s Weekly he sent. Roosevelt is glad Professor M. M. Kovalevskiĭ published a report about the negotiation of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, because he never felt at liberty to discuss how he interceded with Sergei Vitte in the matter of Jewish Americans being prohibited from visiting Russia.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-08

Herman Bernstein asks if Theodore Roosevelt received his letter of September 13 regarding the “passport question” because he is still waiting for a reply.

Comments and Context

According to Herman Bernstein’s previous letter, “the passport question” refers to whether the United States should permit Russia to continue to violate the treaty of 1832. The Russian-American Commercial Treaty of 1832 includes articles giving American citizens the right to visit Russia and have the same security and protections as native citizens. However, Russia denies entry to anyone who is Jewish, discriminating against Jewish Americans and effectively violating the 1832 treaty. Russia’s discrimination because of religion was a major political issue of the time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Henry Green is organizing a meeting to protest Russia’s refusal to honor American passports held by clergy members, Jews, and other Americans. Green asks Theodore Roosevelt to join his committee of influential Americans. He will send Roosevelt the full list of committee members in the next few days and includes a short-list of members who already accepted the invitation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-15

Herman Bernstein writes to Theodore Roosevelt after having read Roosevelt’s article “Peace of Righteousness.” Bernstein recalls having an agreeable meeting with Roosevelt, during which Roosevelt informed Bernstein he cannot, as a former President, write publicly on foreign matters. Bernstein urges him to reconsider.

Bernstein states that he understands foreign nations have no international legal standing to interfere with “Jewish massacres”, and that foreign nations cannot criticize the lack of reforms that had been codified in the Manifesto of October 17, 1905. However, Bernstein claims that Russia violated the Russo-America treaty of 1832 due to their treatment of Jewish Americans and states that by allowing in to continue, “Uncle Sam… should permit his ‘face to be slapped’ ” – quoting Roosevelt’s own words.

Attorney General Bonaparte relays to President Roosevelt the language of the immigration law enabling the President to prevent the Japanese government from issuing passports for immigrants to the continental United States who first travel through other countries or United States territories and the draft executive order. Bonaparte suggests changes to the order to make it conform with the immigration law.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-14

This article from the “Jewish Advocate” discusses the American Jewish Committee meeting and their view that the Russo-American treaty of 1832 should not be abrogated since it might create an outburst of anti-Jewish sentiment. Since Russia will not recognize American passports of Jews, they agree with Theodore Roosevelt that the matter should be arbitrated by the Hague. 

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1911-11-16

This article from the “Jewish Advocate” criticizing an article from The Outlook regarding Jews and the Russian passport question. It also criticizes the views of Dr. Lyman Abbott and Theodore Roosevelt’s attempt to throw the issue in The Hague. 

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1911-11-17

Theodore Roosevelt asks Oscar S. Straus his opinion on the enclosed piece. He believes that including a designation for “Hebrew” is appropriate on a census, for example, but that it is not appropriate for a passport. He wonders if it is “of sufficient importance to justify our treating it along these lines in a small editorial paragraph?” He adds that it was nice seeing Straus and his wife the other day.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-30

Theodore Roosevelt writes in confidence to Israel Frederick Fischer and asks not to be quoted in a way that it appears he is criticizing the current administration. He notes, with reference to the suggestion that “Hebrew” be included as a classification on passports, that he “would not put in the word Hebrew. I believe that from the standpoint of the Christian, just as much as from the standpoint of the Jew it is ill advised to treat what is really a religious matter as a race matter.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-30

President Roosevelt asks James Bronson Reynolds to come “at once” regarding the Jan Janov Pouren matter. He instructs Reynolds to see Schiff and have him publish Secretary of State Elihu Root’s letter about the Pouren matter and passports.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-20

President Roosevelt thanks Prime Minister Sergei Vitte for relaying a message from Tsar Nicholas II, stating Russia will view the United States as equal to other powers as under the “most favored nation” clause. Roosevelt also continues a discussion he had with Vitte about Russia allowing passports to “reputable American citizens of Jewish faith.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-10

President Roosevelt informs Nathan Bijur that Julius M. Mayer will be calling upon him with a suggestion; Roosevelt thinks it is Bijur’s patriotic duty to accept. Roosevelt also asks Nijur to discuss sending the statement on the passport question to the State Department with Mayer and George B. Cortelyou, Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-06

President Roosevelt has sent Oscar S. Straus a draft of what he has written about the passport question for his letter of acceptance. Roosevelt has also sent copies to Jacob H. Schiff and Nathan Bijur.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-05

President Roosevelt has sent Jacob H. Schiff a draft of what he has written about the passport question for his letter of acceptance. Roosevelt has also sent copies to Oscar S. Straus and Nathan Bijur.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-05

President Roosevelt is very interested in Jacob H. Schiff’s experience with the passport question.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-02

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 thanks William Nathan Cohen for his letter. Roosevelt does not see how any allusion can be made in the party platform to the passport business that is “not mere flapdoodle.” It is not possible to take any active steps beyond what is already being done through diplomacy to affect the issuance of passports by the Russians, and Roosevelt does not believe in putting anything in a platform about which the party can do nothing.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-02

President Roosevelt believes that the government was doing exactly what the Carnegie meeting and petition attempted to do. The passport question is difficult because there is no way to force the Russian government to recognize American passports. Pressure will continue to be exerted on Russia to recognize the passports.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-13