Theodore Roosevelt and His Propitious Moment

Theodore Roosevelt is one of our five best presidents.   He burned hot, bright and fast, and died in his bed at just 60 years old.  Roosevelt was a brilliant man, a voracious reader and a working human dynamo.   Teddy Roosevelt was also the first United States President to win the Nobel Prize for Peace. 

            Here is the back story:  Early in the 20^th century Russia and Japan were imperial powers fighting over the cold bones of Manchuria and Korea.  Neither country had a legitimate claim to the territory, but those who are in the wrong are always the most belligerent.   Russia wanted the warm water port of Port Arthur, and the Japanese were feeling their oats after the Sino-Japanese War (it’s pretty easy to defeat people who are binding the feet of their women).  War broke out in February of 1904 when Japan attacked and decimated the Russian fleet (a lesson not lost on them some 37 years later).

            The Russians, who saw their last effective leader in Catherine the Great, got their asses handed to them in a series of decisive battles and decided to petition for an end of hostilities.  In August of 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt brought the diplomatic representatives of both countries to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and personally negotiated a peace treaty.  Ordinarily the Secretary of State would have handled these delicate negotiations.  Unfortunately, John Hay died in 1905.  Roosevelt didn’t like delay, didn’t mind putting his own reputation on the line, and believed he knew what was right, so he took over the task, himself.   Working both in New Hampshire and at his home in Sagamore Hill, Long Island, Roosevelt played on the predictability of self interest.  He knew Russia was beaten and he knew the Japanese were in financial trouble.  Viola, peace!

            Of course, the consequences played out badly for both principles.  The disastrous peace treaty was an immediate cause for the Russian Revolution (also 1905).  As for the Japanese, they decided to continue down the path of imperial expansion, which led to Pearl Harbor, which led to Hiroshima.  [God pays slowly, but God pays in full.]  

            As a result of his aggressive work in ending the first major war of the 20^th century, Theodore Roosevelt was given the Nobel Peace Prize.  He refused to accept the medal or the prize money until 1910 because he didn’t feel it was appropriate for a President to accept such while still in office.  He was, after all, simply doing his job.

            Later, Woodrow Wilson would win the prize for establishing the League of Nations; Jimmy Carter would win for being a post-Presidential ambassador for peace; and Barack Obama would win for having a Kenyan father.  

            What, you might ask, put me in mind of Teddy Roosevelt, and his Nobel Peace Prize?  Simply this: In 1904 the most powerful nation in the world, economically and politically, was not the United States of America, it was Great Britain.  It was the height of that storied era when, “The sun never set on the British flag.”  Yet, it was the young upstart, Teddy Roosevelt, who stepped up.  In many ways, this moment, was the beginning of the end for Britain as the world’s premier nation. 

            Now we have Putin (certainly no Theodore Roosevelt) stepping in to negotiate an end to Syria’s troubles.  Why would he presume to have talents we lack?  Motivation we can’t muster?  Ideas we can’t fathom?  We should be better than that.  It should be obvious to the whole world.  How did we fall this far?

            Look for better leaders and keep the faith.