The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-10
ROOSEVELT WRITES SHARPLY.
PUT IN THE WRONG BY A REPORT
QUOTED IN A SPEECH.
Calls the Attention OF the Speaker, Arch.
deacon Russell. TO he Matter, and
Apparently Does Not Deem the Arch.
deacon's Explanation Quite Satisf actory

apparently buVS WV DCVuu XIV VI
deacon's Explanation Quite Satisf factory
Archdeacon j. Townsend Russell OF
Brooklyn made a speech at the dinner
Of the Hamilton Club on February 10 last
on the subject of how best TO extend the
activities Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in Brooklyn. In speaking Of the
great number Of people in Brooklyn who
are not connected with any religious body,
the Archdeaoon had something TO say
about Jews. He was quoted to this effect:
"They should be converted by US for
our own protection. President Roosevelt,
before he took up the matter Of trying
to ameliorate the condition of the suffer-
ing Jews in Russia, looked up some sta
tistics and found that 50 per cent. Of the
prisoners in the penitentiaries for crimes
against morality were Jews, and that out
Of seventy-two pickpockets sixty-fve were
Hebrews"
The Archdeacon's remarks, as quoted,
came to President Roosevelts attention a
few days after, and he wrote to Archdeacon
Russell asking if the Archdea con had made
the statements attributed to him. TIL
Archdeacon wrote back promptly and said
that he had been m~isquoted, but that he
had said something to this effect:
1T is reported that certain facts are in
the possession of President Roosevelt, y and
then vent on to give the facts as he had
got them.
Then the President sent this letter to
the Arcbdeacon:
"MY DEAR Mr.. RUSSELL: I Ia your
letter of the 27th inst. am sorry to
say that it is not merely the case of your
| reference to me being misinterpreted,
for it was IN itself a misrepresentation.
You stated that it is reported that | have
found that 50 per cent. of criminals against
morality and property were Hebrews.
l do not know who made any such report,
but | never made any such investigation
and never made any such statement. l
should be obliged if you would tell me
who made, any such report Mean
while. | do not know that there is anything
you can do to correct the Misrepresentation
to which you gave currency save, II the
opportunity arises, by stating that l never
made such an investigation or made any
such statement as you alleged. Sincerely
yours, THEODORE Roc sEVELT'
Il have no desire to get into n contro-
versy with the President of the United
States, said Archdeacon Russell yesterday
afternoon. 1T occurs to me that the
matter is toe trivial to warrant further
discussion.
1.-THE meeting and dinner of the Hamilton
| Club, which took place the night of Feb
ruary 10, was a private function. No
newspaper men we're invited and it wasn't
supposed tina reporters were present.
Everything said was entirely eStempo-
raneous and nobody supposed that any
| thing said at the time would find its way
into print.
Il wrote the President telling him all
this, saying that I greatly regretted he was
caused emba rrassment and informing him
that I would he glad to do anything | could
to relieve the situation"
The Arohdea con said that he had not
found an opportunity to say that the Presi-
dent never made any such investigation
and never made such statements as were
attributed to him.
"The basis for my remarks was found in
an editorial in the Gaelic American" said
Mr.. Russell.
"Have you made any investigation your
self to determine if the President ever said
anything Of that nature?" he was asked.
Il don't care to answer that. :" said the
Archdeacon. Il don't want to get into a
controversy and the incident is closed as
far as I am concerned.
Il didn't talk solely about the Jews that
had drifted away from their own religious
beliefs. l had something to say about the
Italians as well and about other nationalities
My remarks about the Jews were purely
incidental to other important features Of
the talk l made. | certainly intended no
attack on the Jews, and didn't want to create
the impression that the President had
attacked them"