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President Roosevelt tells Nicholas Murray Butler that he is misinformed regarding Roosevelt’s “purpose,” and notes that he is interested in industrial peace rather than international peace.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-12
Andrew Carnegie tells President Roosevelt that he believes the priority at the next Hague Peace Conference must be the establishment of an international police force.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-14
Rudolph Forster writes to William Loeb regarding the plenipotentiary nominations, the plenipotentiary meeting time and location, and the plans for peace. Forster requests information from Loeb concerning Japan’s plans for an armistice.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-01
The writer discusses the factors leading to the Japanese victories over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War as well as the controversy surrounding proposed negotiations for peace.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-23
William Loeb transcribes several telegrams sent to President Roosevelt in his absence concerning the ongoing international diplomatic efforts to end the Russo-Japanese War. In response to Roosevelt’s suggestion, plenipotentiaries from both Japan and Russia will negotiate terms of peace. It is rumored that Russia will recommend Paris as the location for the meeting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-11
Theodore Roosevelt is finding it difficult to be courteous to his Outlook colleagues due to their “unutterably silly” views on the arbitration treaties. They want to agree to arbitrate everything because it is unlikely that the issues that the United States would refuse to arbitrate will ever be submitted for arbitration. Roosevelt compares the issue to the tense situation in Europe that he believes will only be peacefully resolved if Germany concludes that France is willing to fight and Great Britain is ready to provide support. He knows that the German war plans involve flank marches through Belgium and Switzerland even though Germany has treaties with these nations guaranteeing their territories.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-12
Theodore Roosevelt shares with Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow the “frank disbelief” of Dr. Lyman Abbott over the contents of a letter written by President Charles Eliot of Harvard University. Roosevelt would like a copy of the letter to share with Abbott, who is incredulous that Eliot opposes war preparations by the United States “because the Allies [are] going to win anyhow.” He also requests that Bigelow read the respects to German-Americans that Roosevelt wrote for the next Metropolitan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-13
Theodore Roosevelt considers G. Lowes Dickinson as a dreamer who “treats facts as irrelevant to the work of life.” International peace must be backed by an international force on the basis that “might shall be put behind right.” An international force is not possible until the “civilized states” guarantee to use force against recalcitrant states. The United States could have taken an important step by acting on behalf of Belgium’s neutrality but President Wilson did not take this step and pacifists cheered him for this “treachery to the cause of peace.” Dickinson is damaging his cause by basing it on false grounds. Roosevelt argues that all nations are not equal and making believe they are will only create “far-reaching harm.” Mankind has benefited from European colonization, and treating the natives as equal to white colonists will lead to the death of all colonists and many natives. Dickinson strives for much that is right but will remain utterly powerless.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-12-02
Theodore Roosevelt does not believe there can be a satisfactory peace until the wrongs against Belgium have been redressed. He thinks that most Germans acted out of an “honorable fear,” but a small portion, including many German leaders, have pursued an aggressive foreign policy regardless of the rights of other nations and international morality. Belgium has been ruined and Roosevelt wants them to receive reparations and a guarantee that the wrongs will not be repeated. He agrees that Russians are backwards but argues that liberal ideas are gaining ground and that a liberal Russia will prevent “Asiatic rule over Europe.” Roosevelt is not a pacifist and seeks peace by “putting international force behind an international desire to secure at least a reasonable approximation toward justice and fair play.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-10-03
President Roosevelt strongly agrees with Representative Williams about the need for an international “council of the civilized world” to promote peace, and hopes to discuss it with him in person.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-12
Jørgen Løvland, on behalf of the Nobel Committee, extends an invitation to President Roosevelt to give a lecture in Kristiania, Norway, after his African tour. Løvland acknowledges that Roosevelt was unable to conform to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation during his presidency; this is why the Nobel Committee was previously unable to invite him to give a lecture. The Norwegian nation and the Nobel Committee would cordially welcome Roosevelt if he is able to accept the invitation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-27
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-04
With peace talks soon beginning for the Russo-Japanese War, the Progressive Party issues its views with regards to terms for peace.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-18
American Ambassador to Russia George von Lengerke Meyer writes to President Roosevelt in response to a previous letter. The letter is part of the frequent correspondence between Meyer and Roosevelt during the Russo-Japanese war. Meyer updates Roosevelt about his difficulty with getting in contact with Tsar Nicholas II, how the war affects the Russian peasants, and the current stance of the conversations about peace. The last two pages are a copy of the letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-08
Joaquim Francisco de Assis Brasil, Secretary General of the 3rd International American Conference, transmits a resolution to Secretary of State Root thanking the United States for the actions it took to help successfully mediate a peace agreement between Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. He asks Root to transmit the resolution to President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-26
President Roosevelt attempted and failed to bring better understanding between Germany and England, and feels that the parties are too divided to hope for peace.
Massachusetts Historical Society
1905-05-22
Formal photograph taken onboard the USS Mayflower before the beginning of the Russian-Japanese peace conference at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. From left: Count Sergei Iulievich Vitte, Chief Russian Envoy; Baron Roman Romanovich von Rosen, Russian Ambassador; Baron Jutaro Komura, Japanese Foreign Minister; Kogoro Takahira, Minister of Japan.
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
1905-08