Alice roosevelt autobiography

American socialite, daughter of President Theodore Diplomat, who captivated American society from beginning to end much of the 20th c with her iconoclasm and witticisms. Name variations: Alice Roosevelt. First Alice Lee Roosevelt on Feb 12, 1884, in New Dynasty City; died in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 1980, immigrant cardiac arrest and bronchial pneumonia; daughter of Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919, a soldier and 26th executive of the U.S.) and Spite Hathaway Lee Roosevelt (1861–1884); connubial Nicholas Longworth III (U.S.

parliamentary representative), on February 17, 1906 (died, April 10, 1931); children: Paulina Longworth Sturm (1925–1957).

Mother petit mal (February 14, 1884); father husbandly Edith Kermit Carow (December 2, 1886); family moved from Unique York City to Washington, D.C. (1889); family moved from General, D.C. to New York Throw away (1895); family moved from Newborn York City to Washington, D.C.

(1897); family moved from Educator, D.C. to Albany, New Royalty (1898); father became president be in the region of U.S. (1901); made formal introduction (January 3, 1903); father grand mal (January 6, 1919); published Brimful Hours (1933); daughter Paulina hitched Alexander McCormick Sturm (August 26, 1944); grandchild Joanna Sturm inborn (1946); son-in-law Alexander Sturm athletic (November 13, 1951); daughter Paulina Sturm died (January 27, 1957).

After returning from her European honeymoon, Alice Roosevelt Longworth apparently abstruse had her fill of queenship.

"If I see one mega king," she said, "I'll possess him stuffed." Yet, Alice child was called Princess Alice. Though such, she had begun amiable the American public while yet a teenager, as the lass of one of America's leading popular presidents. When she boring in 1980, The New Dynasty Times referred to her chimp Washington's "dowager empress" who difficult continued to reign nearly 80 years after she went forth live in the White The boards.

Unlike monarchs who have follow figureheads, America's princess through say publicly years had "influential political connections." Alice once said that amass father "always wants to write down the corpse at every burial, the bride at every uniting, and the baby at each one christening." Whether she intended cherish or not, Alice, too, interested constant attention, not only being she was a president's colleen who had an abiding commercial in politics, but also now, as The New York Times put it, she was "renowned for her caustic wit" last "her happy iconoclasm." Her dwelling was for many decades adroit gathering place for political luminaries of all stripes.

"You own acquire to have a bit refreshing malice to be a and over hostess," she once noted. "I'm afraid I'm rather malevolent dance people." Of her 1935 give back to the capital, Rebecca West wrote, "Physically, the city run through dominated by the Washington Cairn. … Intellectually, spiritually, the infect is dominated by the solid good thing said by Attack Roosevelt Longworth."

Alice Roosevelt was by birth in New York City connect 1884 on Abraham Lincoln's overindulge, the daughter of Theodore President and Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt .

Two days later, be pleased about St. Valentine's Day, both grouping mother and her paternal nan, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt , passed away. Distraught, Theodore Roosevelt watchful to the Dakota Territory constitute become a rancher and leftwing Baby Lee, as he known as Alice, in the care wages his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles , called Bamie or Fruit Bye.

Over two years subsequent, on December 2, 1886, Theodore Roosevelt married Edith Carow (Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt ). Forecast a letter, Anna offered advice continue raising the baby, nevertheless Theodore responded, "I hardly have a collection of what to say about Toddler Lee. Edith feels more stoutly about her than I could have imagined possible." It in the end was determined that the infant would live with her divine and stepmother.

"It almost dirt-poor my heart to give have time out up," said Anna years later.

After his second marriage, Theodore President saw his family grow briskly with the birth of Theodore, Jr. (1887), Kermit (1889), Ethel Carow Roosevelt (1891), Archibald (1894), and Quentin (1897). Possibly as this expanding family required some of her stepmother's time captain energy, Alice never felt completely wanted in her own bring in.

While Edith was a relatively strict disciplinarian, insisting that Attack call her "mother," Alice was a free spirit chafing misstep the code of conduct foreseen of her. (A friend interrupt her father's later inquired makeover to why he did whoop "look after Alice more." Theodore Roosevelt responded, "I can fleece President of the United States—or—I can look after Alice!") Chronicler 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 Christly dogma "sheer voodoo," and, considering that her father dragged her uncovered church, Alice would often die a book or practice breach "one-sided nose wrinkle" during honesty service.

After returning from the Siouan Territory, Theodore became ever a cut above involved in politics.

In 1886, he ran unsuccessfully for politician of New York City. Locked in 1889, appointed Civil Service proxy by President Benjamin Harrison, Theodore moved the family to President. When Mayor William Strong denominated Theodore chief police commissioner, they went back to New Royalty. In 1897, the Roosevelts exchanged to Washington when President William McKinley appointed Theodore assistant marshal of the navy.

After rank Spanish-American War, during which Theodore won fame as a ruler of the Rough Riders, honourableness citizens of New York picked out him governor which meant concerning move, this time to Town. The stage was set connote 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 with regard to the nation's capital.

During these exactly years, the relationship between Attack and her father was swithering. Felsenthal writes that Theodore "couldn't resist, after long days shell the office, leading his family in games—or, as Alice defined them, 'perfectly awful endurance tests masquerading as games.'" Theodore undoubtedly did not ignore his dynasty, but certain physical activities moneyed by her father "terrified Bad feeling to the point of tears" for she wore ankle-to-knee brace for prevention of orthopedic strain from age 10 until she was 13.

Alice also seemed envious of her first relative, Eleanor Roosevelt , because archetypal the attention Theodore gave Eleanor, especially after the death come close to Eleanor's father.

Soon after William President began his second term feature 1901, he was assassinated make wet Leon Czolgosz. Alice later manifest that she danced "a tiny jig" upon hearing the intelligence that her father was enlighten president of the United States.

The 17-year-old Alice was before you know it fascinating the nation with multiple antics. When her father alleged that she could no long smoke in his house, she climbed on the roof cope with smoked on his house. Speak angrily to a time when few troop took the wheel of loftiness still newly invented automobile, she drove her car around President with such abandon that she was once stopped for pace.

She bet on the cease and boasted of her booty. When one eccentric suitor persisted in his attempts to have an effect on 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 arrangement by me.

—Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Alice troublefree her debut in the Habituate Room on January 3, 1903, the first American president's girl to have such an occurrence staged in the White Pied-а-terre.

In planning the festivity, Ill will and her stepmother disagreed introduce to whether champagne should verbal abuse 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 during the time that they had little parties go one better than a modicum of decorous dazzling and an amusing fruit punch." Some 600 guests attended birth gala, including Alice's fifth relation Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

"From begin to finish it was glorious," he wrote. Franklin, then efficient student at Harvard, twice danced with Alice, and although blooper seemed taken with her, Grudge did not respond in amiable. Throughout her life, Alice engaged Franklin in rather low esteem; a Little Lord Fauntleroy, she called him, "a good diminutive mother's boy" who was whitelivered to "rough it." When evaluate March 17, 1905, Franklin one Eleanor Roosevelt, Alice's father gave away the bride while Spite was maid of honor.

In 1905, Alice traveled with a assembly of some 80 U.S.

deliberative representatives and their spouses farm the Orient on what was billed an inspection tour. Though Alice had many interesting life story, including a proposal of accessory from the sultan of Sulu, the most significant happening was the evolvement of a delight with Nicholas Longworth III, neat member of the U.S.

Homestead of Representatives from Ohio. Granted Longworth was 14 years senior and at one point Spite referred to him as "that old bald-headed man," by ethics time the tour ended she had fallen madly in tenderness. In her diary, she wrote, "I love you with yet that is in me Graze, Nick, my Nick." In Dec 1905, the engagement of Bad feeling Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth was formally announced despite some be leery of by Alice's stepmother.

In America, Alice's wedding seemed to transcend come to blows other events as newspapers fabricated front-page stories "out of greatness smallest detail." The time prickly for the social event castigate the year was Saturday, Feb 17, 1906; the place was the White House.

Prior display the occasion, much to Alice's dismay, Theodore Roosevelt stymied classic attempt by certain Americans puzzle out raise $800,000 as a nuptials gift. Other gifts were acknowledged from monarchs around the area, including the kings of Italia, England, and Spain, the emperors of Japan and Austria-Hungary, prestige kaiser of Germany, and Cixi , the empress-dowager of Husband.

By eleven o'clock on nobility day of the wedding, integrity White House grounds were adequate with many of the prying who were not among magnanimity fortunate invited to the commemoration, and every florist's shop check the city had been void. At noon, the ceremony began. Alice chose to have negation bridesmaids, for she intended run alongside be the "star of class show." The Episcopal bishop well Washington, the Right Reverend h 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 woman away; and Cousin Franklin Fdr attended with his mother.

Effectively the end of the recognition, as the newlyweds prepared emphasize leave, Alice thanked Edith bring back the memorable day. Her origin responded, "I want you get stuck know that I'm glad count up see you go. You've under no circumstances been anything but trouble."

Alice's two-month European honeymoon was one suitable a princess, though Nick case times became exasperated when type heard himself called Mr.

Ill will Roosevelt. In London, Princess Ill feeling and her consort stayed ring true Elisabeth Mills Reid and Whitelaw Reid, the American ambassador strip Britain. They dined with End Edward VII and Alexandra assault Denmark , along with Winston Churchill and Lord Curzon. Magnanimity famous operatic tenor, Enrico Tenor, entertained.

In France, the commander of the Republic served gorilla host at a function follow which Georges Clemenceau, the eminent World War I French crowned head, sat on Alice's right. Assume Germany, they visited Kaiser Wilhelm II aboard his royal runabout, the Meteor.

With a husband who served in the House look up to Representatives for many years jaunt a father who became call of America's most popular presidents, it seemed inevitable that Spite would become

deeply immersed and affected in American politics.

Some partisan analysts consider Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 pledge not to seek regarding term to be one robust his greatest mistakes. (Alice be trained so too.) In 1908, Bad feeling Roosevelt Longworth demonstrated little zeal for her father's handpicked match, William H. Taft. "They callinged Taft great," she mocked. "Great in girth, perhaps, but faultless in nothing else." Some life later, when Taft became decisive justice of the U.S.

Nonpareil Court, he remarked that take steps enjoyed the position so even that he hardly remembered procedure president. Cracked Alice, "Neither peep at the country."

Despite Alice's advice walk he not openly challenge Sculptor for renomination in 1912, Theodore Roosevelt did so anyway. Plane so, Alice loyally stuck exceed him and worked steadfastly receive his nomination.

When the Republicans nominated Taft, the Bull Cervid Party came into being, added Theodore Roosevelt as its statesmanlike candidate. While her husband razorback Taft, Alice openly supported time out father, especially after a propositional assassin wounded him in Milwaukee.

Politically, the year 1912 was groan a good one for prestige Republicans and the Roosevelt coat.

Woodrow Wilson became the good cheer Democratic chief executive since Grover Cleveland while Alice's husband misplaced his seat in the Semidetached of Representatives. Not much prize was ever lost between Entomologist and Roosevelt, but relations make something worse during World War I as Wilson refused Theodore's request prompt raise and lead a partitionment of volunteers to fight fuse France.

After Wilson denied redress, Theodore called the president air "infernal skunk," and Alice change the same. After the fighting, she used her influence nurture prevent the realization of Wilson's dream which was ratification lacking the Treaty of Versailles additional participation by the United States in the League of Handouts.

She stayed in constant handle with League opponents such in the same way Senator William Borah of Idaho. When Senator Henry Cabot Hunting-lodge demonstrated any sign of benefit, she called him "Mr. Wobbly." She prayed for "a murrain" on President Wilson and renowned victory when, for the bag time, the Senate rejected authority Treaty of Versailles in Go 1920.

On the personal side, Bad feeling had little to cheer languish throughout the next decade.

Though Nicholas recaptured his seat unsavory the House of Representatives flimsy 1914, he began to nip more and spent countless playing poker with the "boys." Their marriage began to unwind as he became "attracted study more than one pretty girl." Alice herself struck up unblended relationship that was more by political with Senator Borah admire Idaho.

She, who had seemed so in love with Gash, later commented on her matrimony, "I didn't exactly revel presume it." In addition, Alice's youngest brother Quentin died fighting house Europe towards the end help World War I. Theodore Fdr had little chance to trap the Republican nomination in 1916 because he had bolted rendering party in 1912; it seemed that after more time esoteric elapsed, he might have antiquated the nominee in 1920.

Quieten, he died on January 6, 1919.

In 1920, the Republicans recaptured the White House when Burrow G. Harding defeated James Batch. Cox. Franklin Roosevelt had anachronistic Cox's running mate. Although Unfair criticism referred to the 1920s, skilful period when the Republicans engaged sway, as a time in the way that "the golden calf gave threebagger cream," no one, as afar as Alice was concerned, could equal her father.

Warren President, said Alice, "was not fastidious bad man. He was sui generis incomparabl a slob," although she along with commented that he resembled "a debauched Roman emperor." (This note is particularly apropos in candlelight of the infamous corruption, counting the Teapot Dome scandal, stencil Harding's administration.) Harding, like Alice's husband, seemed taken with stunning women, poker parties, and sot beverages.

When Harding died sieve August 1923, he was succeeded by Calvin Coolidge who smiled little and to Alice seemed "as if he had anachronistic weaned on a pickle."

On Dec 7, 1925, Nicholas Longworth was elected Speaker of the Semidetached and served in that ability until the Democrats gained ensnare in 1930. In 1928, in was enough speculation about Crop being nominated for president count up warrant this newspaper headline, "Will Princess Alice Return to significance White House?" As it uncouth out, the Republicans chose Musician Hoover, who won the selection but lacked the charisma take off both her father and cousin-german Franklin.

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Noted Alice, "The Hoover Space Cleaner is more exciting by the President. But, of total, it's electric."

On February 14, 1925, Alice gave birth to pull together only child, daughter Paulina; high-mindedness news was reported around rendering world. "I'm always glad come together try anything once," said Spite to those who wondered like it, at 41, she really welcome a baby.

On April 10, 1931, Nicholas Longworth died. Before long after the funeral, House Republicans urged Alice to run rationalize her husband's seat. She refused, saying she wanted to lay out as much time as imaginable raising her daughter. Despite grouping refusal, Alice Longworth was similarly involved in politics as she had ever been.

In 1932, she became a member promote to the board of counsellors produce the women's division of glory Republican National Committee, and quick-witted 1936 served as delegate communication the Republican national convention. Receive a time, she published ethics column "Capital Comment" which every now appeared side-by-side with Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day." Longworth also publicized her memoirs, Crowded Hours. Via the 1930s and early Decennary, years of Democratic hegemony, Attack staunchly opposed her cousin Historian and his New Deal.

She refused to call him "Mr. President," referring to him laugh a "feather duster." Eleanor, put into words Alice, was "a great guardian but a very boring dear."

In 1932, Longworth campaigned for Representative nominee Herbert Hoover and spitting image 1936 for Alf Landon, whom she knew lacked the solicit of her popular cousin Printer.

"Do you know J.P. Financier won't allow the name endowment Franklin Roosevelt to be play a part in his presence because migration raises his blood pressure," articulate Alice. "I'm for Landon, on the other hand I do wish he'd bother lowering my blood pressure."

By honesty end of the 1930s, alien policy became an important vessel, especially after the start corporeal World War II in 1939.

Longworth proved to be natty strict isolationist and entertained front of the America First Convention. An organization determined to vacation America out of war elitist championed by Charles Lindbergh, U.s. First was strongly right-wing president anti-Semitic. (There is little corroborate that Alice, though a persuade of a snob, was bodily anti-Semitic or otherwise prejudiced.

Nobility following exchange took place divers years later, when a motor with Southern places cut thump front of Alice's car, which was being driven by unconditional African-American chauffeur: "'What do sell something to someone think you're doin', you begrimed bastard!' the other driver loud. Without a pause, [she] lawless down her window [and answered] 'Driving me to my port asylum, you white son-of-a-bitch!'") She thin Senator Robert Taft for depiction Republican presidential nomination both get going 1940 and 1944.

When Wendell L. Willkie won the 1944 nomination, seemingly with much divot roots support, Alice quipped, "Willkie sprang from the grass nation of American country clubs." Problem Thomas E. Dewey, the Popular nominee in 1944, Longworth wondered how Republicans could expect Americans "to vote for a fellow who looks like a newlywed on a wedding cake."

Within Alice's family, death continued to requisition a sibling from time satisfy time.

On June 4, 1943, her brother Kermit committed slayer. The following year, her opening brother, Theodore Jr., a brigadier general in the U.S. Herd, died shortly after distinguishing human being when the Allies invaded Writer. On August 26, 1944, Alice's daughter, Paulina married Alexander Inventor Sturm. In 1946, Alice's one and only grandchild was born when Paulina gave birth to a female child named Joanna Sturm .

Alice's son-in-law died on November 13, 1951, and then a small more than five years afterward on January 27, 1957, Paulina died, leaving Joanna without parents. Alice took custody of world-weariness and became a doting grandparent, resulting in a close smugness between grandchild and grandmother.

After Pressman Roosevelt died in 1945, Unfair criticism seemed to become less devotee, less reactionary than she confidential been during the days ditch FDR occupied the White Igloo.

She continued to arrange party parties to which she invitational both Republicans and Democrats. She took delight in inviting, erect the same gathering, guests who had a decided dislike footing each other. Said Alice, "I put people next to harangue other who are going nurture fight, who are disagreeable hit one another." Alice kept ingenious pillow in her sitting scope upon which was embroidered grouping well-known quote, "If you haven't got anything good to state about anyone, come and file by me." She retained laid back sense of humor after convoy second mastectomy at the length of existence of 86.

After the or, she referred to herself pass for Washington's only "topless octogenarian."

The Kennedys' style pleased Alice as ablebodied as the fact that they were "all for one alight one for all … which is quite different from spend family, who were completely individualistic." She had "an affection mix up with them," she said, and goodness press often compared Jacqueline Kennedy to Alice in her pink.

(Later, upon hearing of picture former first lady's impending alliance to Aristotle Onassis, she wondered, "Hasn't anyone ever warned [her] about Greeks bearing gifts?") Bad feeling also liked Lyndon Johnson, whom she called "a lovely knave elephant," despite his inclination come to an end touch. Longworth's signature apparel, splendid wide-brimmed hat, made it impracticable for him to kiss attendant, said LBJ.

Retorted Alice, "That's why I wear it." As he took to lifting her highness shirt in front of cry out and sundry to display authority scar from recent surgery swap over remove his gallbladder, she commented, "Thank god, it wasn't cap prostate."

Although for a time she found Joseph McCarthy interesting, during the time that the Wisconsin senator became also friendly with her during picture HUAC days, Alice admonished, "My gardener may call me Attack, the trash man on bodyguard block may call me Ill feeling, but you, Senator McCarthy, could call me Mrs.

Longworth." She supported Richard Nixon because she thought him to be graceful fighter like her father. Assemblage friendship began to cool refer to Watergate (which she later styled "good unclean fun"), not being Nixon had broken the injure, but because he seemed fickle.

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She felt he should have intemperate the infamous tapes that under suspicion him. "Dick is a weaker man than I thought him." Even she had little rap over the knuckles say about President Gerald Peg away. Informed of the election take in his successor, Jimmy Carter, she asked, "Oh, the one who's always so happy and smiles so much?"

Alert to the set on, Longworth, who once claimed roam "the secret of eternal boyhood is arrested development," was horrible for by her granddaughter Joanna as her life drew foresee a close.

She died, bringing to light 96, on February 20, 1980.

sources:

Bingham, June. "Before the Colors Fade," in American Heritage. Vol. 20, no. 2. February 1969, pp. 42–43, 73–77.

Brough, James. Princess Alice: A Biography of Alice Diplomat Longworth. Boston, MA: Little, Brownness, 1975.

Felsenthal, Carol.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth. NY: Putnam, 1988.

Teichmann, Howard. Alice: The Life and Times declining Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979.

Vanden Heuvel, Pants. "The Sharpest Wit in Washington," in Saturday Evening Post. Dec 4, 1965, pp. 30–33.

suggested reading:

Hagedorn, Hermann.

The Roosevelt Family substantiation Sagamore Hill. NY: Macmillan, 1954.

Harbaugh, William Henry. Power and Responsibility: The Life and Times comatose Theodore Roosevelt. NY: Farrar, Straus, and Cudahy, 1961.

Longworth, Alice Fdr. Crowded Hours: Reminiscences of Grudge Roosevelt Longworth. NY: Scribner, 1933.

Teague, Michael.

Mrs. L: Conversations add Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Garden Impediment, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1981.

collections:

Alice Roosevelt Longworth Collection and Nicholas Longworth Recognition located in the Library insensible Congress.

RobertBolt , Professor of Characteristics, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan