Your TR Source
Bela Tokaji writes to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Times to refute claims that immigrants will be the downfall of America made by Alfred Paul Karl Eduard Schultz. Tokaji states the peaceful and industrious men and women who come to America have demonstrated their loyalty. The children of immigrants will continue to take care build America for centuries to come.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-10
Bela Tokaji writes to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Times to refute claims made by Alfred Paul Karl Eduard Schultz that immigrants will be the downfall of America. Tokaji states the peaceful and industrious men and women who come to America have demonstrated their loyalty. Mary Emelia Clark Barnes is quoted from her speech at the international congress for the welfare of children saying immigrant children are the future of the nation. Since four in five children born in New York City are born to immigrant parents, Tokaji agrees with Barnes and cites immigrant’s enormous contribution to the industrial growth in America as proof.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-09
A man representing Russia holds a cat-o’-nine tails labeled “Russia” with the lashes labeled “Absolutism, Persecution, [and] Tyranny.” Next to him, on the left, are several dead or wounded people with the word “Kish[i]neff” written on the ground, and in the background, clouds labeled “Finland” and “Poland” are hovering above large groups of people being persecuted by the Russians. The man is shielding his eyes against a burst of sunlight on the right in which is a Japanese woman labeled “Modern Japan” surrounded by the words “Justice, Progressiveness, Humaneness, Enlightenment, Tolerance [and] Religious Liberty.” The figure of a Japanese man labeled “Medievalism” lies on the ground, crushed by the light of “Modern Japan.”
With the commencement of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 in the month before this cartoon’s publication, Puck clearly chose sides, as seen in this cartoon by Keppler. The world learned that the failure of often harsh diplomatic exchanges was quickly followed by Japan’s overwhelming victory over the Russian fleet in Port Arthur (occupied Manchuria).
Japan was largely viewed as a civilized Asian culture that was opening to the world’s trade and intellectual exchanges. Russia, at best, was regarded for the most part as a hybrid people recently freed from serfdom; a frequent oppressor of minority races, religions, and classes; and continuously at war with many neighbors in its vast coastline. There were reasons aplenty for the world to share in Puck‘s comparison of the combatants.
Theodore Roosevelt will do his best to provide the aid that Aline Jackson requests for East Africa, but since most charitable donors have already given to European causes, he is not sure how much he can promise. Roosevelt would like to write to her and her husband, Frederick John Jackson, about his South American expedition, but that seems too trivial to write about when the world is at war.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-11-13
Theodore Roosevelt is sad to hear the “dreadful facts” about the suffering in Belgium and pledges to include what he has learned in an upcoming speech. Roosevelt wants the country to take a stand, but he doubts that his appeals will be successful because of the large German American voting bloc. He suggests that it might be easier to get Americans to do something to protect Armenians. Roosevelt adds that he has also heard calls for humanitarian intervention coming from Americans in Mexico and civilians in Poland, France, and England.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-11-01
Theodore Roosevelt replies to a letter about the conditions in Poland to Countess Ladislas Puslouske. He considers the conditions in Poland to be worse than those in Belgium, and the conditions and suffering of the people of Slovenia are worse than Poland. Unfortunately, Roosevelt is uncertain what more can be done.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-04-01
Theodore Roosevelt comments on the Balkans War, commending the Bulgarians for doing so well. Roosevelt also states that he will show Robert Harry Munro Ferguson’s letter to Gifford Pinchot and Amos Pinchot, in hopes that Ferguson will help the brothers turn their attention from trying to root the moderates out the party. Roosevelt then provides several book recommendations on the Turkish invasion of Europe. Finally, Roosevelt expresses his wish to see Ferguson’s wife and children at Christmas.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-12-10
President Roosevelt thanks Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz for the telegram of sympathy on behalf of the American people. Roosevelt also tells Sienkiewicz how much of a fan he and his family are of Sienkiewicz’s books.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-25
Jules Dzianott was exiled to Russia after the Polish Revolution of 1863 and cannot return to his country or family. He asks Theodore Roosevelt for material help. Dzianott is reading Roosevelt’s African Game Trails.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-14
Ambassador Meyer is reporting to President Roosevelt the state of affairs in Russia after having found St. Petersburg quiet. Meyer traveled throughout Russia, Poland, and the Ukraine. The letter examines the situations in many different cities and other topics including removing Jews from Russia, revolution and revolutionaries’ tactics, a pheasant shoot, military escorts, history, travel, and Russian construction quality.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-28
Ambassador Meyer updates Theodore Roosevelt on the socioeconomic conditions in Russia. Meyer discusses the problems of working with the Russian government.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-11
Ambassador Meyer informs President Roosevelt about the unsatisfactory conditions of the Caucasus and Poland. He also tells the President that Russia suffers from poor government administration, roads, and lack of preparation of the army for the war as examples. There is talk about building ships for the Imperial Navy, but nothing concrete as of yet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-05
Cecil Spring Rice shares matters of foreign affairs regarding Russia, Japan, Germany, and other countries with First Lady Edith Roosevelt. Issues regarding the resolution of the Russo-Japanese War and terms for peace – as well as the situation within Russia, which Spring Rice says borders on anarchy – make up the bulk of the letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-29
Boguslaw W. Winid surveys the presentation and interpretation of Theodore Roosevelt by Polish scholars from the Spanish-American War to the end of the Cold War. Winid notes that Roosevelt faded from public view in Poland after the end of his presidency and that he was eclipsed in favor by Woodrow Wilson after World War I. Winid notes that some of Roosevelt’s writings have been translated into Polish, but he faults these attempts for being incomplete. He contends that Roosevelt received almost universal negative treatment by Polish scholars during the era of Communist rule in Poland, and he shows that the studies were mostly ideological with an emphasis on the imperial aspects of Roosevelt’s foreign policy. Winid provides brief reviews of many Polish works that touch on Roosevelt, and he asserts that the end of Communist rule in Poland will allow for more objective works based on historical sources and not just Marxist ideology.
A photograph of Roosevelt standing in the back seat of an automobile in August 1910 appears in the article.
Theodore Roosevelt believes the initial steps to correct suffering in the international community is a foreign policy philosophy that stands for “right and decency and for humanity” with the proper military preparedness to support it. Roosevelt does not feel public meetings will be effective.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-04-15
Maxim Svagrovsky, a Bohemian-American newspaper editor, writes to President Roosevelt from Panama offering his services as a campaign surrogate who could focus on outreach to communities of Bohemians, Slovaks, Poles, and Germans in the United States. Specifically, he could draw on accounts of his recent travels in Panama to highlight the opportunity for the United States that exists there. He praises Roosevelt’s accomplishments and record of public service and compares him to members of the princely houses of Europe.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-22
J. Lincoln Steffens of McClure’s Magazine describes Joseph Conrad to President Roosevelt. He asks his approval to send a note to Conrad authored by Roosevelt. Steffens refers to a man from Chicago who is knowledgeable about the Internal Revenue Services.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-02
John F. Moore has written a letter to Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, and would like Vice President Roosevelt to address and send the letter on his behalf. Moore threatens Nicholas II with a bombardment of St. Petersburg and invasion if Russian troops do note leave China and Poland. Moore had previously wrote to President McKinley offering advice on how to end the Boxer Rebellion in China. We are unsure of the order of the document’s pages.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901