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24 July 1899 | Brooklyn Daily Eagle

By Default

Jesse Halsey / Radio Address c1935

The World Court protocols have again failed to pass our Senate. If the prestige of a President, who can get a blank check for four billion, could not bring the Senators into line, what can? Apparently, a “barrage of telegrams” is more effective than the influence of the Chief Executive.

Anyone who listened to Father Couglin or Senator Reynolds or Huey Long, when they were on the air, realized, as never before, the awful power of the radio in the hands of propagandists, not to say demagogues.

(I realize it is very easy to call the other fellow bad names.) If we are to change the picture, we must, in the future, not take anything for granted; but begin to organize our forces and be prepared to make vocal, in Washington, such public opinion as we can create and direct. This presupposes a consistent policy of education in the cities and at the crossroads, to proclaim the ideals of brotherhood and the international implications of the Gospel, to make “Americanism” something more than a narrow nationalism, to take the best idealistic traditions of our history and to exalt them.

Whoever is responsible for the policies of mission study deserves credit for placing the emphasis on Japan for this year. With current increase in armaments and our naval gestures in the Pacific, it is of great value for the churches to be studying and trying to understand Japan. Certainly, it is but a drop in the bucket, but, as a wise woman said, “The place for the drop is in the bucket.”

The Senators from Ohio voted on opposite sides on the World Court. The day following the vote, from Washington comes a dispatch to our morning paper, intimating that the anti-Senator has been deluged with telegrams of congratulations whereas the pro-court Senator had received no congratulatory messages. However large the “barrage” of anti telegrams may have been, eight names are mentioned in our paper. None of them happens to be known to me (and I have lived in our town for over twenty years). However, an array of fifty or sixty names of our “leading citizens” appear on the letterhead of our World Court Organization. None of us apparently have wired and, likely, few have written, either congratulating our pro-Court Senator or criticizing our anti. I imagine that is symptomatic the country over.

It is our business to sow the seed and plant the leaven, but on occasion it seems necessary that we count our sheaves or bake our loaves of bread. In other words, put pressure where it will make votes in Washington, or, quite frankly, engage in straight-forward, above-board “lobbying.” For our encouragement in this dark time when we desperately need it, let me rehearse in brief a bit of history that ought to give us hope and teach us some lessons.

President Nicholas Murray Butler [of Columbia University], after spending some time with Premier Briand, came home and, in a Sunday evening address to less than four hundred citizens at an eastern summer resort, outlined in substance what we now know as the “Pact of Paris.” A small committee of citizens selected that night went to Washington. President Coolidge and Secretary Kellogg thought the plan impossible and “unconstitutional.” Senator Borah said that he “would not oppose it”; and there it seemed to stall.

A Roman Catholic member of this citizen’s committee said to the others that the only method of approach was through the Federal Council. They saw Dr. Cadman and started the Council’s machinery and as it became evident that individuals and groups the country over were interested, the plan began to take form. Its unilateral feature became multilateral, and other minor changes were introduced, but under the pressure of public interest in high places, it became possible and constitutional and, curiously enough, in most quarters it now bears the name of the “Kellogg Pact.”

Apparently, we do have the machinery to make vocal our idealism. None of us say that the League of Nations is a synonym for the Kingdom of God nor that the World Court will bring universal peace, but we do feel ashamed and humiliated that our great country, whose statesmen designed and set up the machinery of peace, seems afraid to use it herself. The world must judge that we have things or fear things in the future, that we are afraid to adjudicate of public opinion. Nationalism is in the ascendant; preparedness races are eminent. America, at least officially, begins to line up with the unidealistic and anti-Christian forces. The next decade will be a “testing time”—a period of judgment. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We need to teach and live, but it is perfectly legitimate and entirely necessary that we make vocal in places where it will count our determined opposition to increased armaments, to isolationist policies—to Chauvinism in all its forms.

Jesse Halsey | Root Commission

When the Root Commission left Russia, they cabled the State Department that hut work must be immediately developed with the Russian army. Now, the Root Commission was not an overall contingent. They attended state functions and dinners. Kerensky and his ministers put the best foot forward and the Commission, like most of the rest of the world, was fooled. One member, Charles Edward Russell, a socialist, got away from the dinners, listened to the soap-box orators and put in a minority report, which was disregarded.

The War Council hustled ten of us over the continent and across the Pacific toward the “Eastern Front.” A list of required equipment included a Prince Albert and a dress suit! I told the management that I was going to war and not to a pink tea; so into my duffel bag went three pairs of overalls and some flannel shirts.

Things blew up in Russia soon after we arrived. I was glad that my preacher clothes were at home. We crossed Siberia and were in Moscow when the Bolsheviks gained control in November (1917). The soldiers were swarming home from the front, determined to be there when the land was divided. Everyone was a “tavarish,” a comrade. Officers lost their gold braid and shoulder straps, and often their necks, as well. A committee ran the government—no longer a Czar. Why not a committee for the army also? If the regiment needs no colonel, the individual needs no boss. “Doszedenia” “Nichevo.”

I have gone in my flannel shirt where the British Admiral could not come, except as my guest. For nearly six months I ran the American headquarters on the Mourman coast, where there was an ice free port three hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle. I acted as chaplain for the British fleet (because I went to school in Edinburgh, the Admiral, in spite of the overalls, which I never wore on Sundays—gave me a commission as if the established church of Scotland.) For six months, I read the English service, to meet the regulations, and then preached.

Elihu Root

In 1912, as a result of his work to bring nations together through arbitration and cooperation, Root received the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the outbreak of World War I, Root opposed President Woodrow Wilson's policy of neutrality. Root actively promoted the Preparedness Movement to get the United States ready for actual participation in the war. He was a leading advocate of American entry into the war on the side of the British and French, because he feared the militarism of Germany would be bad for the world and bad for the United States.

He did support Wilson once the United States entered the war.

In June 1916, Root was proposed for the Republican presidential nomination but declined, stating that he was too old to bear the burden of the Presidency.^[3] At the Republican National Convention, Root reached his peak strength of 103 votes on the first ballot. The Republican presidential nomination went to Charles Evans Hughes, who lost the election to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.
In June 1917, at age 72, he was sent to Russia by President Wilson as leader of the so-called Root Commission to arrange American co-operation with the new revolutionary government. The AFL's James Duncan, socialist Charles Edward Russell, general Hugh L. Scott, admiral James H. Glennon, New York banker Samuel R. Bertron, John Mott and Charles Richard Crane were members of Root's mission. They traveled from Vladivostok across Siberia in the Czar's former train. Root remained in Petrograd for close to a month, and was not much impressed by what he saw. The Russians, he said, "are sincerely, kindly, good people but confused and dazed." He summed up his attitude to the Provisional Government very trenchantly: "No fight, no loans."

Gayety at Southampton | 1895

June 23, 1895 | The New York Times

Summer Life at Long Island’s Great Resort

SOUTHAMPTON, L.I. June 22—As the season advances, this popular east end cottage resort resumes its old-time gayety. All the houses are now occupied. Many plans are being perfected for driving parties, teas, dances, and other social pastimes, and the present season promised to be a lively and jolly one among the cottage contingent. There is probably not another Summer place on Long Island that has such a large number of costly and fashionable drags, tally-hos, and other equipages as are to be seen upon the shady thoroughfares of this village. The many pretty drive in the north woods are much sought by merry driving parties, as are also the breezy and picturesque roads on Shinnecock Hills, leading to the golf links.

The bathing pavilions at the ocean shore opened for the season today. The facilities are better than ever this season, and especial attention has been paid to the safety and convenience of the bathers. Two bathing masters will be in constant attendance during the day to help anyone who may be in danger. The bathing at this pint is admitted to be the finest along the coast, owing to the peculiar form of the shore and the absence of the gravel bottom.

***

The Meadow Club courts present a gala appearance each morning. It is customary to play tennis until noon, when, after the season opens a grand rush is made to the beach and to Agawam Lake, a short distance away, where bathing suits are donned and bathing is indulged in. Among the most enthusiastic bathers are the Misses Barney (nieces of William C. Whitney), the Misses Moeran, The Misses Walton of Brooklyn, the Misses Russell, Mrs. T. G. Thomas, Mrs. Metcalfe Thomas, Messrs. Edward Bell, Roderick Terry, Dr. Thomas, Dr. George A. Dixon, the Rev. William S. Rainsford, and William Walton.

William Walton and family of Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, have arrived at their handsome Summer village at Hampton Park.

Walter E. Parfitt and family of Brooklyn are at their Summer place at Bridgehampton.

P. G. Bartlett, the lawyer, of New York has rented a cottage at Bridgehampton for the season.

***

The Art School at Shinnecock Hills has opened, and whole umbrellas can be seen in all directions about the hills. William M. Chase, who has charge of the school, has arrived at his cottage on the hills. The large dormitory, which has been built since last season, near the studio, is proving a great convenience to the students, who, in past Summers, have been obliged to put up at neighboring farmhouses, and who did not receive in a great many instances good entertainment.

***

The Southampton Village Trustees have decided to change the name of Windmill Lane to Agawam Avenue, and to apply this designation also to the continuation of the same street past Salem H. Wales’s house to Elihu Root’s corner. As this street is of generous width, the Trustees have violated all precedents in our village. Hitherto the name “avenue” has been applied only to narrow alleys and by-roads, while streets of this width have been designated largely as “lanes” as, for example, First Neck Lane, Gin Lane, Halsey’s Neck Lane, &c, all wide roadways.

***

The Shinnecock Indians, who have not been very friendly in past seasons with the art students, have buried the hatchet and signed a treaty of peace with Art Village, as the little settlement of studios on the eastern slope of the hills is called. Last Summer some of the Indians demanded tribute from the artists for the privilege of sketching on their reservation, which is situated on a neck of land about a mile away from the Art Village. The artists refused to reimburse the redmen, and on several occasions the students were attached by the Indians, and were obliged to withdraw from the field minus their sketching paraphernalia.

***

It is proposed to erect a six-thousand dollar addition to the Union School Building in this village. A meeting will soon be held to vote on the matter.

***

The car containing material for the new chapel and addition to the Presbyterian Church was burned at Middleport, this State, one day the past week.

***

A number of students from the art department of Pratt Institute of Brooklyn will spend their vacation at Art Village, Shinnecock Hills. The art students of the Brooklyn Institute will also attend the art school this season.

Salem H. Wales of New York, who has a handsome Summer place adjoining his son-in-law’s, Elihu Root, on the west shore of Lake Agawam, has been receiving the first congratulations of his numerous cottage friends for his appointment by Mayor Strong as a member of the new East River Bridge Commission. Mr. Wales is one of Southampton’s pioneer cottage residents, and takes a deep interest in the welfare of the village. He is a Director of the Southampton Bank, an officer of the Rogers Memorial Library Association, and a member of the Village Improvement Association.

Secretary Root and Family to be Guests of Mrs. S.H. Wales | 1907

August 16, 1907

Elihu Root to pass Summer at Southampton | 1885

Notes on Old Southampton

"Please make nor request any business calls on Sunday." –Daniel Wells, architect and builder

Wm R Post whale baron moved to North End and transformed [an] old salt box house into a castle with spiral stairway, full front porch, three-and-a-half stories, hipped tin roof, cupola with bell and much grandeur. Formerly the property of Capt Parker, the master of one of Mr Post’s ships. He was [an] elder in the church and as supt. for forty years (likely), notary public and local surveyor. His chains for that purpose were lying around our shop when I was a boy. My father had helped him survey Bib Fresh Pond–eighty acres as I remember. When LE Terry bought the big house (long unoccupied) there was a vendue or auction and a shop full of gadgets and everything else on the place was sold. I had asked my father to buy the bell in the cupola (the mornings of July 4^th I had shinned up the lightning rod and rung it). It was struck off to John Fournier for eighty cents, who sold it to Bill Enoch, who sold it to Mr Salem H Wales, and for years it hung under the wide eaves of his house on the NW corner. It was a ships bell, bronze off one of Mr Post’s whalers and likely weighed twelve pounds or twenty.

SH Wales was one of the first ‘yorkers’ to adopt SHampton; he had a large house on the hill at the NE end of the town pond, looking toward the beach. His son-in-law was Elihu Root whose house stood next door to the south, each place had a considerable acreage surrounding.

Next to the north of Mr Wales lived Pyrhus Concer, [sic] a coal black African who had engaged in whaling and now owned a sail boat which plyed the length of the lake (a mile) taking passengers to the beach at five cents a trip. Everyone respected Pyhrus; he had been the shipmate of many in the village and had sailed with the crew to California in ’49 with the ‘old Sabina.’ He had a pew in the church (rented in those days) about a third of the way up on the north side. A Scotch nurse name[d] Jean Taylor and her neice kept house for him after his wife Rachel died. On his gravestone Mr Root had carved the following text (from Tacitus, I think): “Though born a slave he had those virtues without which all men are but slaves.”

-- Reverend Jesse Halsey c1920