Stephen Samuel Wise to Woodrow Wilson
Title
Stephen Samuel Wise to Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Stephen Samuel Wise
Identifier
WWP21264
Date
1917 April 24
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers, 1786-1957
Language
English
Text
My dear Mr. President
I know you will understand and pardon me if I say to you with perfect frankness that I trust there is no ground for the rumor in the press that you are thinking of naming Mr. Elihu Root as the chief of our special Embassy to Russia. It is beyond dispute that Mr. Root is a man of trained mind and of distinguished accomplishments as a lawyer. At the same time, whatever be Mr. Root's repute as a lawyer, he stands out before the American people as the motst eminent and powerful representative of those theories of government and political life to which you as the leader of the American democracy are opposed. It would seem to me that much of the great service which you have rendered the Russian people by your heartening reference in the Message of April 2nd would be lost if Mr. Root should be singled out as the chief representative of the American government and American opinion in the matter of co-operating with the Russian people as one of our Allies in the battle for the security of democratic peoples. Mr. Root has sometimes given of his pre-eminent gifts to the service of the country, but his talents have always been at the command of those reactionary influences in our political and industrial life to free the American people from which you have been twice elected President of the United States.Mr. Root might, I dare say, be trusted to carry out your injunctions if you should commission him to be your representative. But I venture to ask why should a man be singled out for this great opportunity of service to a fellow-democracy in the making who is not of your mind, who is not a sharer of your own spirit touching the fundamental issues of democracy?I must say to you in utmost frankness that I do not believe you have seriously considered naming Mr. Root for that post. Believing as I do that you were not only the first to greet the liberated Russian people but that the great weight of your influence has since the beginning of the war been exerted in behalf of a new regime to the end that Russia might be fitted to march side by side with her democratic Allies, it seems to me that it would be altogether unfitting to send to Russia a man who may find his voice now in greeting to the Russian people after their freedom has been achieved but who in his personality and practice throughout a lifetime has, above all, represented those very influences and powers from which the Russian people have at last liberated themselves.
Stephen S. Wise
I know you will understand and pardon me if I say to you with perfect frankness that I trust there is no ground for the rumor in the press that you are thinking of naming Mr. Elihu Root as the chief of our special Embassy to Russia. It is beyond dispute that Mr. Root is a man of trained mind and of distinguished accomplishments as a lawyer. At the same time, whatever be Mr. Root's repute as a lawyer, he stands out before the American people as the motst eminent and powerful representative of those theories of government and political life to which you as the leader of the American democracy are opposed. It would seem to me that much of the great service which you have rendered the Russian people by your heartening reference in the Message of April 2nd would be lost if Mr. Root should be singled out as the chief representative of the American government and American opinion in the matter of co-operating with the Russian people as one of our Allies in the battle for the security of democratic peoples. Mr. Root has sometimes given of his pre-eminent gifts to the service of the country, but his talents have always been at the command of those reactionary influences in our political and industrial life to free the American people from which you have been twice elected President of the United States.Mr. Root might, I dare say, be trusted to carry out your injunctions if you should commission him to be your representative. But I venture to ask why should a man be singled out for this great opportunity of service to a fellow-democracy in the making who is not of your mind, who is not a sharer of your own spirit touching the fundamental issues of democracy?I must say to you in utmost frankness that I do not believe you have seriously considered naming Mr. Root for that post. Believing as I do that you were not only the first to greet the liberated Russian people but that the great weight of your influence has since the beginning of the war been exerted in behalf of a new regime to the end that Russia might be fitted to march side by side with her democratic Allies, it seems to me that it would be altogether unfitting to send to Russia a man who may find his voice now in greeting to the Russian people after their freedom has been achieved but who in his personality and practice throughout a lifetime has, above all, represented those very influences and powers from which the Russian people have at last liberated themselves.
Surely there must be men, not a few, who could be named as your representatives in connection with the Embassy to Russia, men who would speak out of the heart of the American people, men who by reason of innate convictions, not improvised views, would be fitted to voice your own will to further the hopes of democracy throughout the world.
I am, my dear Mr. President,
Stephen S. Wise
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Collection
Citation
Stephen Samuel Wise, “Stephen Samuel Wise to Woodrow Wilson,” 1917 April 24, WWP21264, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.