Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt believes that Holbrook Bonney deserves honor from his fellow citizens of the U.S. because of his willingness to fight, most likely referring to fighting in World War I.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-11-17
Theodore Roosevelt thanks General Wood for his letter, and encourages him not to engage in any controversy regarding a matter involving Secretary of War Lindley M. Garrison in which Roosevelt believes the public opinion is with Wood. Roosevelt attempts to arrange communication between Wood and Frances Kellor of the National Americanization Committee. According to Roosevelt, Kellor is hoping Wood can recommend people for a national defense association related to her committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-09-02
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Clive Phillipps-Wolley for the letter and poem. Roosevelt believes President Woodrow Wilson should have taken action after the invasion of Belgium. If there is war, Roosevelt intends to raise a division and serve with his four sons. Roosevelt praises Canadians for the way “they rallied in the defense of the Empire.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-08-20
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Alvin V. Baird for his letter. Baird states “the melancholy truth” when he says that many Americans approve Wilson’s stand. Roosevelt believes if the country had a president such as Andrew Jackson, who would not have tolerated the terrible things done by Germany, the citizens would have rallied.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-09-01
Theodore Roosevelt praises Hugh Aiken Bayne’s recent address. Roosevelt particularly appreciated the “fine and high patriotism” it expressed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-08-04
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Edward Solon Goodhue for his letter. Roosevelt believes Goodhue is correct in thinking there are sections of the United States where patriotism is not fashionable and that President Woodrow Wilson also seems to believe it ought not to be fashionable.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-07-05
Theodore Roosevelt is opposed to “hyphenated Americans” as they tend to be “loyal only to what comes before the hyphen.” Representative Longworth made this distinction well in his recent speech and Roosevelt agrees that most Americans of German descent are among the best citizens. Roosevelt argues against Longworth running for Senate if he has to give up his seat in the House before the primaries. A Senate campaign will require two hard fights and considerable expenditure. Roosevelt believes that Longworth would strengthen the Senate and approves of a campaign if his House seat is not threatened.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-24
Theodore Roosevelt was impressed by Chester A. Congdon’s speech on patriotism and would like to use some of the statements in his own speech. If Congdon is in New York, Roosevelt would like the chance to see him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-04-03
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-05-30
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-06-01
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Helen Lindsey and Bessie Dickbreder for the letter and writes that they have the “right spirit” and are “good Americans.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-22
Theodore Roosevelt does not want to talk about the case John Reynolds brought up. The Menace, a paper that Roosevelt thinks is “un-American and un-Patriotic,” has been attacking him lately.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-06
Theodore Roosevelt will use the quotation, because it expresses exactly the views that good Americans should have.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-13
Theodore Roosevelt has a negative opinion of Arthur Ruhl and will not provide a letter to help him in Russia and Serbia. He suggests Mark Sullivan write to Ambassador Jusserand. Roosevelt enjoyed the Jonas story and approves of John Waterbury’s poem, especially since Waterbury styles himself as an appropriate type of hyphenated American, an “American-American.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-04
President Roosevelt congratulates the Army League of the United States on the patriotic work they do.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-04
Theodore Roosevelt will not sign and does not agree with the appeal calling for Americans to call themselves Anglo-Americans and sympathize with England as the motherland. Roosevelt believes Americans are a separate people and should view the United States as their motherland. He is not an “Englishman-once-removed” but is “straight United States.” A foreign nation should be treated according to its conduct and not influenced by a shared ethnic heritage. Roosevelt has publicly supported Belgium, which includes admonishing Germany for its conduct and praising England for defending an ally. However, he did so because it was morally right and not due to a shared “ground of community of origin” between the United States and England.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-12-22
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Father Hendrick for his letter and states he felt it was time to speak up.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-12-17
Theodore Roosevelt was pleased to be able to secure wide publication of Ladislaus Hengelmuller von Hengervar’s letter. Roosevelt has been concerned about the “terrible war.” He believed it would be advantageous for Bosnia and Herzegovina to enter the Austrian orbit instead of the Ottoman or Serbian. However, the Bosnians and Herzegovinians could not be made loyal to Austria and hindsight shows the annexation to be unwise. Roosevelt understands that the warring nations felt forced to act “by the fatalistic pressure of the past,” except for the case of Belgium whose invasion should have been rebuked by all civilized nations. He concludes by congratulating Hengelmuller von Hengervar for the “genuine national spirit” that has been shown by Austria-Hungary.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-11-16
President Roosevelt agrees with James F. Cave that it is outrageous that a man is barred from membership in any organization because he is a member of the Iowa National Guard. However, Roosevelt cannot do anything about the matter. He hopes the people of Burlington, Iowa, will regard it as their patriotic duty to take care of “such a man.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-30
President Roosevelt is glad to hear from Major General Davis that the American National Red Cross is making an effort to increase its membership and efficiency to match societies in Europe and Japan. Roosevelt hopes that patriotic citizens of the United States will support the Red Cross by becoming members.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-04