Alice roosevelt longworth biography
Longworth, Alice Roosevelt (1884–1980)
American socialite, daughter of President Theodore President, who captivated American society near here much of the 20th 100 with her iconoclasm and witticisms. Name variations: Alice Roosevelt. Innate Alice Lee Roosevelt on Feb 12, 1884, in New Royalty City; died in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 1980, punishment cardiac arrest and bronchial pneumonia; daughter of Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919, a soldier and 26th presidentship of the U.S.) and Bad feeling Hathaway Lee Roosevelt (1861–1884); hitched Nicholas Longworth III (U.S.
governmental representative), on February 17, 1906 (died, April 10, 1931); children: Paulina Longworth Sturm (1925–1957).
Mother suitably (February 14, 1884); father joined Edith Kermit Carow (December 2, 1886); family moved from Original York City to Washington, D.C. (1889); family moved from Educator, D.C.
to New York Get into (1895); family moved from Original York City to Washington, D.C. (1897); family moved from Educator, D.C. to Albany, New Dynasty (1898); father became president be more or less U.S. (1901); made formal initiation (January 3, 1903); father deadly (January 6, 1919); published Thronged Hours (1933); daughter Paulina wed Alexander McCormick Sturm (August 26, 1944); grandchild Joanna Sturm first (1946); son-in-law Alexander Sturm dull (November 13, 1951); daughter Paulina Sturm died (January 27, 1957).
After returning from her European honeymoon, Alice Roosevelt Longworth apparently esoteric had her fill of royal house.
"If I see one very king," she said, "I'll possess him stuffed." Yet, Alice in the flesh was called Princess Alice. Chimp such, she had begun bewitching the American public while yet a teenager, as the female child of one of America's ultimate popular presidents. When she epileptic fit in 1980, The New Dynasty Times referred to her variety Washington's "dowager empress" who locked away continued to reign nearly 80 years after she went give somebody no option but to live in the White Terrace.
Unlike monarchs who have comprehend figureheads, America's princess through rectitude years had "influential political connections." Alice once said that on his father "always wants to cast doubt on the corpse at every interment, the bride at every marriage, and the baby at now and again christening." Whether she intended practiced or not, Alice, too, into constant attention, not only on account of she was a president's girl who had an abiding sponsorship in politics, but also being, as The New York Times put it, she was "renowned for her caustic wit" ahead "her happy iconoclasm." Her soupзon was for many decades precise gathering place for political luminaries of all stripes.
"You scheme to have a bit honor malice to be a satisfactory hostess," she once noted. "I'm afraid I'm rather malevolent go up to people." Of her 1935 beckon to the capital, Rebecca West wrote, "Physically, the city admiration dominated by the Washington Marker. … Intellectually, spiritually, the forte is dominated by the solid good thing said by Ill will Roosevelt Longworth."
Alice Roosevelt was exclusive in New York City need 1884 on Abraham Lincoln's festival, the daughter of Theodore Fdr and Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt .
Two days later, underscore St. Valentine's Day, both multifaceted mother and her paternal nanna, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt , passed away. Distraught, Theodore Roosevelt stirred to the Dakota Territory give a lift become a rancher and weigh up Baby Lee, as he entitled Alice, in the care lady his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles , called Bamie or Swishy Bye.
Over two years consequent, on December 2, 1886, Theodore Roosevelt married Edith Carow (Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt ). Footpath a letter, Anna offered highlight continue raising the baby, on the contrary Theodore responded, "I hardly know again what to say about Child Lee. Edith feels more stoutly about her than I could have imagined possible." It at length was determined that the daughter would live with her sire and stepmother.
"It almost impoverished my heart to give renounce up," said Anna years later.
After his second marriage, Theodore Diplomat saw his family grow hurriedly with the birth of Theodore, Jr. (1887), Kermit (1889), Ethel Carow Roosevelt (1891), Archibald (1894), and Quentin (1897). Possibly by reason of this expanding family required all the more of her stepmother's time humbling energy, Alice never felt real wanted in her own trace.
While Edith was a moderately strict disciplinarian, insisting that Ill feeling call her "mother," Alice was a free spirit chafing beneath the code of conduct directly of her. (A friend nominate her father's later inquired gorilla to why he did pule "look after Alice more." Theodore Roosevelt responded, "I can rectify President of the United States—or—I can look after Alice!") Historian Carol Felsenthal notes that "at the core of the mother-stepdaughter relationship was a profound difference" over religion.
Whereas Edith took religion seriously, Alice considered Faith dogma "sheer voodoo," and, while in the manner tha her father dragged her in all directions church, Alice would often review a book or practice draw "one-sided nose wrinkle" during class service.
After returning from the Siouan Territory, Theodore became ever added involved in politics.
In 1886, he ran unsuccessfully for politician of New York City. Grip 1889, appointed Civil Service nuncio by President Benjamin Harrison, Theodore moved the family to President. When Mayor William Strong first name Theodore chief police commissioner, they went back to New Royalty. In 1897, the Roosevelts correlative to Washington when President William McKinley appointed Theodore assistant author of the navy.
After grandeur Spanish-American War, during which Theodore won fame as a governor of the Rough Riders, glory citizens of New York first-class him governor which meant regarding move, this time to Town. The stage was set mention his nomination at the Populist national convention as McKinley's vice-presidential running mate.
When McKinley won reelection, the Roosevelts again pulled up stakes and returned put your name down the nation's capital.
During these trusty years, the relationship between Bad feeling and her father was swithering. Felsenthal writes that Theodore "couldn't resist, after long days available the office, leading his race in games—or, as Alice defined them, 'perfectly awful endurance tests masquerading as games.'" Theodore beyond question did not ignore his lineage, but certain physical activities spiteful by her father "terrified Ill will to the point of tears" for she wore ankle-to-knee brace for prevention of orthopedic constraint from age 10 until she was 13.
Alice also seemed envious of her first relative, Eleanor Roosevelt , because objection the attention Theodore gave Eleanor, especially after the death detect Eleanor's father.
Soon after William Denali began his second term insert 1901, he was assassinated disrespect Leon Czolgosz. Alice later known that she danced "a tiny jig" upon hearing the data that her father was telling president of the United States.
The 17-year-old Alice was erelong fascinating the nation with prepare antics. When her father thought that she could no individual smoke in his house, she climbed on the roof boss smoked on his house. Equal a time when few squad took the wheel of dignity still newly invented automobile, she drove her car around Educator with such abandon that she was once stopped for movement.
She bet on the supply and boasted of her booty. When one eccentric suitor persisted in his attempts to espouse his daughter, Theodore responded, "Of course he's insane. He wants to marry Alice."
If you haven't got anything good to inspection about anyone, come and go to see by me.
—Alice Roosevelt Longworth
Alice troublefree her debut in the Take breaths Room on January 3, 1903, the first American president's damsel to have such an motive staged in the White Boarding house.
In planning the festivity, Unfair criticism and her stepmother disagreed sort to whether champagne should exist served. When Edith finally vetoed the idea, Alice complained, "I think my coming-out party was a hangover from the brownstone-front existence of my stepmother just as they had little parties capable a modicum of decorous flickering and an amusing fruit punch." Some 600 guests attended rank gala, including Alice's fifth relative Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"From get down to it to finish it was glorious," he wrote. Franklin, then straighten up student at Harvard, twice danced with Alice, and although soil seemed taken with her, Unfair criticism did not respond in friendly. Throughout her life, Alice restricted Franklin in rather low esteem; a Little Lord Fauntleroy, she called him, "a good slight mother's boy" who was frightened to "rough it." When learn March 17, 1905, Franklin joined Eleanor Roosevelt, Alice's father gave away the bride while Ill will was maid of honor.
In 1905, Alice traveled with a arrangement of some 80 U.S.
lawmaking representatives and their spouses appointment the Orient on what was billed an inspection tour. Granted Alice had many interesting life story, including a proposal of addon from the sultan of Sulu, the most significant happening was the evolvement of a kinship with Nicholas Longworth III, graceful member of the U.S.
Sort out of Representatives from Ohio. Even if Longworth was 14 years aged and at one point Ill will referred to him as "that old bald-headed man," by authority time the tour ended she had fallen madly in prize. In her diary, she wrote, "I love you with the natural world that is in me Clip, Nick, my Nick." In Dec 1905, the engagement of Spite Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth was formally announced despite some disbelieve by Alice's stepmother.
In America, Alice's wedding seemed to transcend resistance other events as newspapers fabricated front-page stories "out of blue blood the gentry smallest detail." The time opening for the social event discern the year was Saturday, Feb 17, 1906; the place was the White House.
Prior done the occasion, much to Alice's dismay, Theodore Roosevelt stymied spruce up attempt by certain Americans the same as raise $800,000 as a nuptial rite gift. Other gifts were conventional from monarchs around the field, including the kings of Italia, England, and Spain, the emperors of Japan and Austria-Hungary, representation kaiser of Germany, and Cixi , the empress-dowager of Crockery.
By eleven o'clock on leadership day of the wedding, rendering White House grounds were plentiful with many of the fantastical who were not among distinction fortunate invited to the sanctification, and every florist's shop fit in the city had been unoccupied. At noon, the ceremony began. Alice chose to have ham-fisted bridesmaids, for she intended have an effect on be the "star of distinction show." The Episcopal bishop pray to Washington, the Right Reverend Chemist Yates Satterlee, officiated; Douglas General, who would become an Indweller hero during World War II, was one of eight ushers; Theodore Roosevelt gave the old lady away; and Cousin Franklin Writer attended with his mother.
Fasten the end of the pleasure, as the newlyweds prepared fit in leave, Alice thanked Edith parade the memorable day. Her well-spring responded, "I want you stick at know that I'm glad manage see you go. You've on no occasion been anything but trouble."
Alice's two-month European honeymoon was one suitable a princess, though Nick enthral times became exasperated when elegance heard himself called Mr.
Grudge Roosevelt. In London, Princess Ill will and her consort stayed smash into Elisabeth Mills Reid and Whitelaw Reid, the American ambassador be against Britain. They dined with Underprovided Edward VII and Alexandra break into Denmark , along with Winston Churchill and Lord Curzon. Rectitude famous operatic tenor, Enrico Tenor, entertained.
In France, the leader of the Republic served orang-utan host at a function take care which Georges Clemenceau, the celebrated World War I French controller, sat on Alice's right. Personal Germany, they visited Kaiser Wilhelm II aboard his royal cruiser, the Meteor.
With a husband who served in the House nominate Representatives for many years put forward a father who became lone of America's most popular presidents, it seemed inevitable that Ill feeling would become
deeply immersed and compassionate in American politics.
Some bureaucratic analysts consider Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 pledge not to seek alternative term to be one run through his greatest mistakes. (Alice solution so too.) In 1908, Attack Roosevelt Longworth demonstrated little zeal for her father's handpicked heiress, William H. Taft. "They cryed Taft great," she mocked. "Great in girth, perhaps, but unmitigated in nothing else." Some eld later, when Taft became superior justice of the U.S.
Loftiest Court, he remarked that explicit enjoyed the position so overmuch that he hardly remembered lifetime president. Cracked Alice, "Neither jar the country."
Despite Alice's advice guarantee he not openly challenge Sculpturer for renomination in 1912, Theodore Roosevelt did so anyway. Uniform so, Alice loyally stuck moisten him and worked steadfastly financial assistance his nomination.
When the Republicans nominated Taft, the Bull Elk Party came into being, corresponding Theodore Roosevelt as its statesmanly candidate. While her husband hardbound Taft, Alice openly supported prepare father, especially after a insubstantial assassin wounded him in Milwaukee.
Politically, the year 1912 was sound a good one for honesty Republicans and the Roosevelt coat.
Woodrow Wilson became the crowning Democratic chief executive since Grover Cleveland while Alice's husband astray his seat in the Line of Representatives. Not much passion was ever lost between Geophysicist and Roosevelt, but relations worsen during World War I in the way that Wilson refused Theodore's request become raise and lead a partitionment of volunteers to fight access France.
After Wilson denied acquiescence, Theodore called the president apartment building "infernal skunk," and Alice change the same. After the battle, she used her influence set a limit prevent the realization of Wilson's dream which was ratification addendum the Treaty of Versailles become peaceful participation by the United States in the League of Generosity.
She stayed in constant tinge with League opponents such tempt Senator William Borah of Idaho. When Senator Henry Cabot Cabin demonstrated any sign of allocation, she called him "Mr. Wobbly." She prayed for "a murrain" on President Wilson and acclaimed victory when, for the position time, the Senate rejected integrity Treaty of Versailles in Go 1920.
On the personal side, Unfair criticism had little to cheer put throughout the next decade.
Conj albeit Nicholas recaptured his seat develop the House of Representatives unfailingly 1914, he began to pledge more and spent countless noontime playing poker with the "boys." Their marriage began to weekend away as he became "attracted tonguelash more than one pretty girl." Alice herself struck up far-out relationship that was more amaze political with Senator Borah assert Idaho.
She, who had seemed so in love with Clip, later commented on her wedlock, "I didn't exactly revel rephrase it." In addition, Alice's youngest brother Quentin died fighting critical Europe towards the end custom World War I. Theodore Diplomatist had little chance to carry all before one the Republican nomination in 1916 because he had bolted justness party in 1912; it seemed that after more time confidential elapsed, he might have back number the nominee in 1920.
Despite that, he died on January 6, 1919.
In 1920, the Republicans recaptured the White House when Community G. Harding defeated James Set. Cox. Franklin Roosevelt had antique Cox's running mate. Although Attack referred to the 1920s, spiffy tidy up period when the Republicans set aside sway, as a time conj at the time that "the golden calf gave triad cream," no one, as faraway as Alice was concerned, could equal her father.
Warren President, said Alice, "was not precise bad man. He was nonpareil a slob," although she along with commented that he resembled "a debauched Roman emperor." (This memo is particularly apropos in radiate of the infamous corruption, as well as the Teapot Dome scandal, business Harding's administration.) Harding, like Alice's husband, seemed taken with lovely women, poker parties, and beverages.
When Harding died unite August 1923, he was succeeded by Calvin Coolidge who smiled little and to Alice seemed "as if he had antediluvian weaned on a pickle."
On Dec 7, 1925, Nicholas Longworth was elected Speaker of the Dwelling and served in that to the top until the Democrats gained jail in 1930. In 1928, nearly was enough speculation about Dock being nominated for president acknowledge warrant this newspaper headline, "Will Princess Alice Return to dignity White House?" As it tainted out, the Republicans chose Musician Hoover, who won the post but lacked the charisma castigate both her father and relation Franklin.
Noted Alice, "The Take a shower Vacuum Cleaner is more meagre than the President. But, a variety of course, it's electric."
On February 14, 1925, Alice gave birth be acquainted with her only child, daughter Paulina; the news was reported destroy the world. "I'm always pleased to try anything once," oral Alice to those who wondered whether, at 41, she in point of fact wanted a baby.
On Apr 10, 1931, Nicholas Longworth deadly. Soon after the funeral, Igloo Republicans urged Alice to exercise for her husband's seat. She refused, saying she wanted run into spend as much time by reason of possible raising her daughter. Hatred her refusal, Alice Longworth was as involved in politics likewise she had ever been.
Inconsequential 1932, she became a participant of the board of counsellors of the women's division waste the Republican National Committee, additional in 1936 served as ambassador to the Republican national congress. For a time, she publicized the column "Capital Comment" which sometimes appeared side-by-side with Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day." Longworth too published her memoirs, Crowded Hours. During the 1930s and indeed 1940s, years of Democratic dominion, Alice staunchly opposed her relation Franklin and his New Collection.
She refused to call him "Mr. President," referring to him as a "feather duster." Eleanor, said Alice, was "a brilliant dear but a very emphatic dear."
In 1932, Longworth campaigned merriment Republican nominee Herbert Hoover boss in 1936 for Alf Landon, whom she knew lacked honesty appeal of her popular relative Franklin. "Do you know J.P.
Morgan won't allow the term of Franklin Roosevelt to nominate mentioned in his presence now it raises his blood pressure," said Alice. "I'm for Landon, but I do wish he'd stop lowering my blood pressure."
By the end of the Decennium, foreign policy became an relevant issue, especially after the commence of World War II identical 1939.
Longworth proved to promote to a strict isolationist and diverted leaders of the America Prime Committee. An organization determined farm keep America out of fighting and championed by Charles Flier, America First was strongly traditional and anti-Semitic. (There is miniature evidence that Alice, though dinky bit of a snob, was herself anti-Semitic or otherwise unfair.
The following exchange took wedge some years later, when grand car with Southern places reduce in front of Alice's van, which was being driven provoke her African-American chauffeur: "'What force you think you're doin', give orders black bastard!' the other wood shouted. Without a pause, [she] rolled down her window [and answered] 'Driving me to dank destination, you white son-of-a-bitch!'") She supported Senator Robert Taft foothold the Republican presidential nomination both in 1940 and 1944.
Like that which Wendell L. Willkie won loftiness 1944 nomination, seemingly with practically grass roots support, Alice prompt, "Willkie sprang from the give away roots of American country clubs." About Thomas E. Dewey, nobility Republican nominee in 1944, Longworth wondered how Republicans could look forward Americans "to vote for spiffy tidy up man who looks like well-organized bridegroom on a wedding cake."
Within Alice's family, death continued confront claim a sibling from always to time.
On June 4, 1943, her brother Kermit longstanding suicide. The following year, worldweariness oldest brother, Theodore Jr., unmixed brigadier general in the U.S. Army, died shortly after peculiar himself when the Allies invaded France. On August 26, 1944, Alice's daughter, Paulina married Conqueror McCormick Sturm.
In 1946, Alice's only grandchild was born like that which Paulina gave birth to swell daughter named Joanna Sturm . Alice's son-in-law died on Nov 13, 1951, and then dexterous little more than five time later on January 27, 1957, Paulina died, leaving Joanna badly off parents. Alice took custody finance her and became a devoted grandparent, resulting in a launch relationship between grandchild and grandmother.
After Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945, Alice seemed to become guiltless partisan, less reactionary than she had been during the times that FDR occupied the Pallid House.
She continued to acquire dinner parties to which she invited both Republicans and Democrats. She took delight in bedroom, to the same gathering, assemblage who had a decided turn from for each other. Said Grudge, "I put people next confront each other who are bank of cloud to fight, who are distasteful to one another." Alice set aside a pillow in her move room upon which was fantasy her well-known quote, "If pointed haven't got anything good hurt say about anyone, come mount sit by me." She spoken for her sense of humor funds her second mastectomy at primacy age of 86.
After leadership surgery, she referred to as Washington's only "topless octogenarian."
The Kennedys' style pleased Alice type well as the fact turn this way they were "all for flavour and one for all … which is quite different outlander our family, who were altogether individualistic." She had "an goodwill for them," she said, careful the press often compared Jacqueline Kennedy to Alice in torment heyday.
(Later, upon hearing dominate the former first lady's forthcoming marriage to Aristotle Onassis, she wondered, "Hasn't anyone ever warned [her] about Greeks bearing gifts?") Alice also liked Lyndon Author, whom she called "a delightful rogue elephant," despite his bowing to touch. Longworth's signature dress, a wide-brimmed hat, made stir impossible for him to canoodle her, said LBJ.
Retorted Bad feeling, "That's why I wear it." When he took to infringing his shirt in front sight all and sundry to brag the scar from recent surgical treatment to remove his gallbladder, she commented, "Thank god, it wasn't his prostate."
Although for a delay she found Joseph McCarthy lush, when the Wisconsin senator became too friendly with her next to the HUAC days, Alice rebuked, "My gardener may call tinkle Alice, the trash man modus operandi my block may call task Alice, but you, Senator Writer, may call me Mrs.
Longworth." She supported Richard Nixon on account of she thought him to make ends meet a fighter like her cleric. Her friendship began to placid with Watergate (which she adjacent called "good unclean fun"), yowl because Nixon had broken magnanimity law, but because he seemed indecisive. She felt he sine qua non have destroyed the infamous tapes that incriminated him.
"Dick quite good a weaker man than Irrational thought him." Even she locked away little to say about Prexy Gerald Ford. Informed of representation election of his successor, Prise Carter, she asked, "Oh, position one who's always so jubilant and smiles so much?"
Alert grasp the last, Longworth, who without delay claimed that "the secret carry-on eternal youth is arrested development," was cared for by out granddaughter Joanna as her believable drew to a close.
She died, age 96, on Feb 20, 1980.
sources:
Bingham, June. "Before integrity Colors Fade," in American Heritage. Vol. 20, no. 2. Feb 1969, pp. 42–43, 73–77.
Brough, Felon. Princess Alice: A Biography discount Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, 1975.
Felsenthal, Carol.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth. NY: Putnam, 1988.
Teichmann, Howard. Alice: The Life coupled with Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979.
Vanden Heuvel, Jean. "The Sharpest Repartee in Washington," in Saturday Dusk Post. December 4, 1965, pp. 30–33.
suggested reading:
Hagedorn, Hermann.
The Author Family of Sagamore Hill. NY: Macmillan, 1954.
Harbaugh, William Henry. Power and Responsibility: The Life limit Times of Theodore Roosevelt. NY: Farrar, Straus, and Cudahy, 1961.
Longworth, Alice Roosevelt. Crowded Hours: Paper of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. NY: Scribner, 1933.
Teague, Michael.
Mrs. L: Conversations with Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1981.
collections:
Alice Roosevelt Longworth Collection and Bishop Longworth Papers located in character Library of Congress.
RobertBolt , Lecturer of History, Calvin College, Huge Rapids, Michigan
Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia