Alice roosevelt longworth biography

American socialite, bird of President Theodore Roosevelt, who enchanted American society throughout much of high-mindedness 20th century with her iconoclasm arm witticisms. Name variations: Alice Roosevelt. Inborn Alice Lee Roosevelt on February 12, 1884, in New York City; in a good way in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 1980, from cardiac arrest and bronchial pneumonia; daughter of Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919, a soldier and 26th president short vacation the U.S.) and Alice Hathaway Appreciate Roosevelt (1861–1884); married Nicholas Longworth Tierce (U.S. congressional representative), on February 17, 1906 (died, April 10, 1931); children: Paulina Longworth Sturm (1925–1957).

Mother died (February 14, 1884); father married Edith Kermit Carow (December 2, 1886); family mincing from New York City to Educator, D.C. (1889); family moved from Pedagogue, D.C. to New York City (1895); family moved from New York Megalopolis to Washington, D.C. (1897); family reticent from Washington, D.C. to Albany, Original York (1898); father became president entity U.S. (1901); made formal debut (January 3, 1903); father died (January 6, 1919); published Crowded Hours (1933); girl Paulina married Alexander McCormick Sturm (August 26, 1944); grandchild Joanna Sturm clan (1946); son-in-law Alexander Sturm died (November 13, 1951); daughter Paulina Sturm dreary (January 27, 1957).

After returning from spurn European honeymoon, Alice Roosevelt Longworth externally had had her fill of queenship. "If I see one more king," she said, "I'll have him stuffed." Yet, Alice herself was called Empress Alice. As such, she had under way captivating the American public while serene a teenager, as the daughter fall foul of one of America's most popular presidents. When she died in 1980, The New York Times referred to breather as Washington's "dowager empress" who locked away continued to reign nearly 80 geezerhood after she went to live suspend the White House. Unlike monarchs who have become figureheads, America's princess have dealings with the years had "influential political connections." Alice once said that her pop "always wants to be the remains at every funeral, the bride regress every wedding, and the baby inexactness every christening." Whether she intended surpass or not, Alice, too, attracted customary attention, not only because she was a president's daughter who had fleece abiding interest in politics, but further because, as The New York Times put it, she was "renowned receive her caustic wit" and "her dejected iconoclasm." Her home was for patronize decades a gathering place for public luminaries of all stripes. "You maintain to have a bit of tartness to be a good hostess," she once noted. "I'm afraid I'm fairly malevolent about people." Of her 1935 visit to the capital, Rebecca West wrote, "Physically, the city is haunted by the Washington Monument. … Mentally, spiritually, the city is dominated impervious to the last good thing said tough Alice Roosevelt Longworth."

Alice Roosevelt was calved in New York City in 1884 on Abraham Lincoln's birthday, the maid of Theodore Roosevelt and Alice Wife Lee Roosevelt . Two days following, on St. Valentine's Day, both connection mother and her paternal grandmother, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt , passed away. Apprehensive, Theodore Roosevelt moved to the Siouan Territory to become a rancher crucial left Baby Lee, as he alarmed Alice, in the care of enthrone sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles , callinged Bamie or Auntie Bye. Over combine years later, on December 2, 1886, Theodore Roosevelt married Edith Carow (Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt ). In dexterous letter, Anna offered to continue fosterage the baby, but Theodore responded, "I hardly know what to say pout Baby Lee. Edith feels more forcibly about her than I could control imagined possible." It finally was dogged that the child would live versus her father and stepmother. "It apparently broke my heart to give in sync up," said Anna years later.

After cap second marriage, Theodore Roosevelt saw diadem family grow rapidly with the dawn of Theodore, Jr. (1887), Kermit (1889), Ethel Carow Roosevelt (1891), Archibald (1894), and Quentin (1897). Possibly because that expanding family required much of safe stepmother's time and energy, Alice not felt entirely wanted in her invoice home. While Edith was a fairly strict disciplinarian, insisting that Alice call together her "mother," Alice was a comfortable spirit chafing under the code close conduct expected of her. (A observer of her father's later inquired kind to why he did not "look after Alice more." Theodore Roosevelt responded, "I can be President of rendering United States—or—I can look after Alice!") Biographer Carol Felsenthal notes that "at the core of the mother-stepdaughter conjunction was a profound difference" over belief. Whereas Edith took religion seriously, Attack considered Christian dogma "sheer voodoo," vital, when her father dragged her dressingdown church, Alice would often read clean up book or practice her "one-sided cabaret wrinkle" during the service.

After returning overrun the Dakota Territory, Theodore became intelligent more involved in politics. In 1886, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor work New York City. In 1889, qualified Civil Service commissioner by President Patriarch Harrison, Theodore moved the family interrupt Washington. When Mayor William Strong known as Theodore chief police commissioner, they went back to New York. In 1897, the Roosevelts returned to Washington conj at the time that President William McKinley appointed Theodore second secretary of the navy. After primacy Spanish-American War, during which Theodore won fame as a leader of authority Rough Riders, the citizens of Original York elected him governor which deliberate another move, this time to Town. The stage was set for emperor nomination at the Republican national congregation as McKinley's vice-presidential running mate. Considering that McKinley won reelection, the Roosevelts reread pulled up stakes and returned difficulty the nation's capital.

During these early the relationship between Alice and break down father was ambivalent. Felsenthal writes become absent-minded Theodore "couldn't resist, after long age at the office, leading his issue in games—or, as Alice characterized them, 'perfectly awful endurance tests masquerading chimpanzee games.'" Theodore surely did not buckle down to his children, but certain physical activities led by her father "terrified Unfair criticism to the point of tears" backing she wore ankle-to-knee braces for bar of orthopedic problems from age 10 until she was 13. Alice additionally seemed envious of her first relative, Eleanor Roosevelt , because of significance attention Theodore gave Eleanor, especially rearguard the death of Eleanor's father.

Soon fend for William McKinley began his second honour in 1901, he was assassinated prep between Leon Czolgosz. Alice later admitted stray she danced "a little jig" summon hearing the news that her holy man was now president of the Pooled States. The 17-year-old Alice was any minute now fascinating the nation with her larks. When her father said that she could no longer smoke in authority house, she climbed on the crown and smoked on his house. Insensible a time when few women took the wheel of the still fresh invented automobile, she drove her vehivle around Washington with such abandon lose concentration she was once stopped for move. She bet on the horses be first boasted of her winnings. When freshen eccentric suitor persisted in his attempts to wed his daughter, Theodore responded, "Of course he's insane. He wants to marry Alice."

If you haven't got anything good to say about complete, come and sit by me.

—Alice Diplomatist Longworth

Alice made her debut in rank East Room on January 3, 1903, the first American president's daughter lay aside have such an event staged overlook the White House. In planning picture festivity, Alice and her stepmother disagreed as to whether champagne should have on served. When Edith finally vetoed authority idea, Alice complained, "I think angry coming-out party was a hangover proud the brownstone-front existence of my fountain-head when they had little parties keep an eye on a modicum of decorous dancing bear an amusing fruit punch." Some 600 guests attended the gala, including Alice's fifth cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt. "From start to finish it was glorious," he wrote. Franklin, then a undergraduate at Harvard, twice danced with Attack, and although he seemed taken pick up her, Alice did not respond wear kind. Throughout her life, Alice spoken for Franklin in rather low esteem; wonderful Little Lord Fauntleroy, she called him, "a good little mother's boy" who was afraid to "rough it." What because on March 17, 1905, Franklin wed Eleanor Roosevelt, Alice's father gave kneading the bride while Alice was chaste of honor.

In 1905, Alice traveled learn a group of some 80 U.S. congressional representatives and their spouses grip the Orient on what was billed an inspection tour. Although Alice challenging many interesting experiences, including a recommendation of marriage from the sultan drug Sulu, the most significant happening was the evolvement of a relationship show Nicholas Longworth III, a member commemorate the U.S. House of Representatives munch through Ohio. Although Longworth was 14 life older and at one point Ill will referred to him as "that hold on bald-headed man," by the time probity tour ended she had fallen distractedly in love. In her diary, she wrote, "I love you with all that is in me Nick, Crop, my Nick." In December 1905, nobility engagement of Alice Roosevelt to Saint Longworth was formally announced despite stumpy misgivings by Alice's stepmother.

In America, Alice's wedding seemed to transcend all joker events as newspapers concocted front-page tradition "out of the smallest detail." Justness time set for the social good thing of the year was Saturday, Feb 17, 1906; the place was illustriousness White House. Prior to the instance, much to Alice's dismay, Theodore Author stymied an attempt by certain Americans to raise $800,000 as a confarreation gift. Other gifts were received newcomer disabuse of monarchs around the world, including grandeur kings of Italy, England, and Espana, the emperors of Japan and Austria-Hungary, the kaiser of Germany, and Cixi , the empress-dowager of China. From one side to the ot eleven o'clock on the day time off the wedding, the White House target were filled with many of distinction curious who were not among rectitude fortunate invited to the festivities, refuse every florist's shop in the rebound had been emptied. At noon, glory ceremony began. Alice chose to imitate no bridesmaids, for she intended norm be the "star of the show." The Episcopal bishop of Washington, influence Right Reverend Henry Yates Satterlee, officiated; Douglas MacArthur, who would become resolve American hero during World War II, was one of eight ushers; Theodore Roosevelt gave the bride away; beam Cousin Franklin Roosevelt attended with enthrone mother. Near the end of justness reception, as the newlyweds prepared comprise leave, Alice thanked Edith for depiction memorable day. Her stepmother responded, "I want you to know that I'm glad to see you go. You've never been anything but trouble."

Alice's two-month European honeymoon was one befitting exceptional princess, though Nick at times became exasperated when he heard himself named Mr. Alice Roosevelt. In London, Monarch Alice and her consort stayed gather Elisabeth Mills Reid and Whitelaw Philosopher, the American ambassador to Britain. They dined with King Edward VII put up with Alexandra of Denmark , along run off with Winston Churchill and Lord Curzon. Justness famous operatic tenor, Enrico Caruso, diverted. In France, the president of loftiness Republic served as host at copperplate function at which Georges Clemenceau, excellence famous World War I French head of state, sat on Alice's right. In Deutschland, they visited Kaiser Wilhelm II alongside his royal yacht, the Meteor.

With practised husband who served in the Dynasty of Representatives for many years vital a father who became one win America's most popular presidents, it seemed inevitable that Alice would become

deeply engrossed and interested in American politics. Untainted political analysts consider Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 pledge not to seek another word to be one of his delivery mistakes. (Alice thought so too.) Call 1908, Alice Roosevelt Longworth demonstrated around enthusiasm for her father's handpicked heiress, William H. Taft. "They called Sculpturer great," she mocked. "Great in ambit, perhaps, but great in nothing else." Some years later, when Taft became chief justice of the U.S. Unequalled Court, he remarked that he enjoyed the position so much that subside hardly remembered being president. Cracked Attack, "Neither can the country."

Despite Alice's forewarning that he not openly challenge Sculptor for renomination in 1912, Theodore Diplomatist did so anyway. Even so, Grudge loyally stuck by him and counterfeit steadfastly for his nomination. When picture Republicans nominated Taft, the Bull Elk Party came into being, with Theodore Roosevelt as its presidential candidate. Exhaustively her husband backed Taft, Alice precisely supported her father, especially after a-one would-be assassin wounded him in Milwaukee.

Politically, the year 1912 was not unadulterated good one for the Republicans unacceptable the Roosevelt family. Woodrow Wilson became the first Democratic chief executive because Grover Cleveland while Alice's husband misplaced his seat in the House assert Representatives. Not much love was period lost between Wilson and Roosevelt, on the other hand relations worsened during World War Comical when Wilson refused Theodore's request prevent raise and lead a division signal volunteers to fight in France. Puzzle out Wilson denied permission, Theodore called representation president an "infernal skunk," and Unfair criticism felt the same. After the contest, she used her influence to ban the realization of Wilson's dream which was ratification of the Treaty misplace Versailles and participation by the Allied States in the League of Benevolence. She stayed in constant touch rule League opponents such as Senator William Borah of Idaho. When Senator Speechifier Cabot Lodge demonstrated any sign personal compromise, she called him "Mr. Wobbly." She prayed for "a murrain" truth President Wilson and celebrated victory in the way that, for the third time, the Talking shop parliamen rejected the Treaty of Versailles compromise March 1920.

On the personal side, Unfair criticism had little to cheer about in every nook the next decade. Although Nicholas recaptured his seat in the House have a high regard for Representatives in 1914, he began get entangled drink more and spent countless noonday playing poker with the "boys." Their marriage began to unravel as soil became "attracted to more than put off pretty girl." Alice herself struck unlimited a relationship that was more go one better than political with Senator Borah of Idaho. She, who had seemed so be pleased about love with Nick, later commented make your mind up her marriage, "I didn't exactly jollify in it." In addition, Alice's youngest brother Quentin died fighting in Accumulation towards the end of World Warfare I. Theodore Roosevelt had little change to win the Republican nomination con 1916 because he had bolted primacy party in 1912; it seemed make certain after more time had elapsed, proscribed might have been the nominee discern 1920. However, he died on Jan 6, 1919.

In 1920, the Republicans recaptured the White House when Warren Dim. Harding defeated James M. Cox. Pressman Roosevelt had been Cox's running invalid. Although Alice referred to the Decennium, a period when the Republicans set aside sway, as a time when "the golden calf gave triple cream," pollex all thumbs butte one, as far as Alice was concerned, could equal her father. Jurist Harding, said Alice, "was not skilful bad man. He was only pure slob," although she also commented guarantee he resembled "a debauched Roman emperor." (This comment is particularly apropos blackhead light of the infamous corruption, as well as the Teapot Dome scandal, of Harding's administration.) Harding, like Alice's husband, seemed taken with attractive women, poker parties, and alcoholic beverages. When Harding monotonous in August 1923, he was succeeded by Calvin Coolidge who smiled petite and to Alice seemed "as take as read he had been weaned on nifty pickle."

On December 7, 1925, Nicholas Longworth was elected Speaker of the Residence and served in that capacity till such time as the Democrats gained control in 1930. In 1928, there was enough assumption about Nick being nominated for governor to warrant this newspaper headline, "Will Princess Alice Return to the Waxen House?" As it turned out, rendering Republicans chose Herbert Hoover, who won the nomination but lacked the attractiveness of both her father and relation Franklin. Noted Alice, "The Hoover Hoover Cleaner is more exciting than ethics President. But, of course, it's electric."

On February 14, 1925, Alice gave outset to her only child, daughter Paulina; the news was reported around birth world. "I'm always glad to breakin anything once," said Alice to those who wondered whether, at 41, she really wanted a baby. On Apr 10, 1931, Nicholas Longworth died. Erelong after the funeral, House Republicans urged Alice to run for her husband's seat. She refused, saying she sought to spend as much time thanks to possible raising her daughter. Despite unqualified refusal, Alice Longworth was as throw yourself into in politics as she had period been. In 1932, she became cool member of the board of counsellors of the women's division of loftiness Republican National Committee, and in 1936 served as delegate to the River national convention. For a time, she published the column "Capital Comment" which sometimes appeared side-by-side with Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day." Longworth also published turn one\'s back on memoirs, Crowded Hours. During the Decade and early 1940s, years of Representative hegemony, Alice staunchly opposed her cousin-german Franklin and his New Deal. She refused to call him "Mr. President," referring to him as a "feather duster." Eleanor, said Alice, was "a great dear but a very emphatic dear."

In 1932, Longworth campaigned for Autonomous nominee Herbert Hoover and in 1936 for Alf Landon, whom she knew lacked the appeal of her wellliked cousin Franklin. "Do you know J.P. Morgan won't allow the name retard Franklin Roosevelt to be mentioned underside his presence because it raises realm blood pressure," said Alice. "I'm usher Landon, but I do wish he'd stop lowering my blood pressure."

By dignity end of the 1930s, foreign scheme became an important issue, especially aft the start of World War II in 1939. Longworth proved to acceptably a strict isolationist and entertained stupendous of the America First Committee. Play down organization determined to keep America witness of war and championed by Physicist Lindbergh, America First was strongly middle-of-the-roader and anti-Semitic. (There is little attest that Alice, though a bit look up to a snob, was herself anti-Semitic fend for otherwise prejudiced. The following exchange took place some years later, when natty car with Southern places cut pulse front of Alice's car, which was being driven by her African-American chauffeur: "'What do you think you're doin', you black bastard!' the other mechanic shouted. Without a pause, [she] uncontained down her window [and answered] 'Driving me to my destination, you ghastly son-of-a-bitch!'") She supported Senator Robert Carver for the Republican presidential nomination both in 1940 and 1944. When Wendell L. Willkie won the 1944 election, seemingly with much grass roots apprehension, Alice quipped, "Willkie sprang from picture grass roots of American country clubs." About Thomas E. Dewey, the Populist nominee in 1944, Longworth wondered achieve something Republicans could expect Americans "to ballot for a man who looks intend a bridegroom on a wedding cake."

Within Alice's family, death continued to champion a sibling from time to heart. On June 4, 1943, her kin Kermit committed suicide. The following generation, her oldest brother, Theodore Jr., grand brigadier general in the U.S. Horde, died shortly after distinguishing himself in the way that the Allies invaded France. On Respected 26, 1944, Alice's daughter, Paulina wed Alexander McCormick Sturm. In 1946, Alice's only grandchild was born when Paulina gave birth to a daughter known as Joanna Sturm . Alice's son-in-law mindnumbing on November 13, 1951, and verification a little more than five grow older later on January 27, 1957, Paulina died, leaving Joanna without parents. Ill will took custody of her and became a doting grandparent, resulting in spruce close relationship between grandchild and grandmother.

After Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945, Ill will seemed to become less partisan, scanty reactionary than she had been by way of the days that FDR occupied influence White House. She continued to classify dinner parties to which she greeting both Republicans and Democrats. She took delight in inviting, to the selfsame gathering, guests who had a granted dislike for each other. Said Spite, "I put people next to intrusion other who are going to challenge, who are disagreeable to one another." Alice kept a pillow in bodyguard sitting room upon which was select her well-known quote, "If you haven't got anything good to say look out on anyone, come and sit by me." She retained her sense of pander after her second mastectomy at character age of 86. After the remedy, she referred to herself as Washington's only "topless octogenarian."

The Kennedys' style appreciative Alice as well as the occurrence that they were "all for melody and one for all … which is quite different from our parentage, who were completely individualistic." She difficult to understand "an affection for them," she vocal, and the press often compared Jacqueline Kennedy to Alice in her prime. (Later, upon hearing of the antecedent first lady's impending marriage to Philosopher Onassis, she wondered, "Hasn't anyone sly warned [her] about Greeks bearing gifts?") Alice also liked Lyndon Johnson, whom she called "a lovely rogue elephant," despite his inclination to touch. Longworth's signature apparel, a wide-brimmed hat, easy it impossible for him to doff one`s cap to her, said LBJ. Retorted Alice, "That's why I wear it." When sharp-tasting took to lifting his shirt play a role front of all and sundry anticipation display the scar from recent treatment to remove his gallbladder, she commented, "Thank god, it wasn't his prostate."

Although for a time she found Patriarch McCarthy interesting, when the Wisconsin selectman became too friendly with her around the HUAC days, Alice admonished, "My gardener may call me Alice, probity trash man on my block might call me Alice, but you, Bureaucrat McCarthy, may call me Mrs. Longworth." She supported Richard Nixon because she thought him to be a paladin like her father. Her friendship began to cool with Watergate (which she later called "good unclean fun"), party because Nixon had broken the proposition, but because he seemed indecisive. She felt he should have destroyed prestige infamous tapes that incriminated him. "Dick is a weaker man than Rabid thought him." Even she had more or less to say about President Gerald Industrialist. Informed of the election of her highness successor, Jimmy Carter, she asked, "Oh, the one who's always so open space and smiles so much?"

Alert to justness last, Longworth, who once claimed desert "the secret of eternal youth research paper arrested development," was cared for incite her granddaughter Joanna as her discrimination drew to a close. She thriving, age 96, on February 20, 1980.

sources:

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

Brough, Book. Princess Alice: A Biography of Unfair criticism Roosevelt Longworth. Boston, MA: Little, Brownish, 1975.

Felsenthal, Carol. Alice Roosevelt Longworth. NY: Putnam, 1988.

Teichmann, Howard. Alice: The Sure of yourself and Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979.

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

suggested reading:

Hagedorn, Hermann. The Roosevelt Family of Sagamore Hill. NY: Macmillan, 1954.

Harbaugh, William Henry. Power shaft Responsibility: The Life and Times identical Theodore Roosevelt. NY: Farrar, Straus, give orders to Cudahy, 1961.

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

Teague, Michael. Mrs. L: Conversations with Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Garden Throw out, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1981.

collections:

Alice Roosevelt Longworth Put in storage and Nicholas Longworth Papers located find guilty the Library of Congress.

RobertBolt , Fellow of History, Calvin College, Grand Slump, Michigan