Letter from R. J. Caldwell to President Wilson
10/21/1913
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In this letter to President Woodrow Wilson, R. J. Caldwell asserts his belief that the President will admit Emmeline Pankhurst into America. The writer expresses his distrust of the Department of Immigration due to their treatment of the Pankhurst affair and his belief that this department needs a "house cleaning." It comes from an appeal of English suffragette Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst for admittance.
Transcript
ALL PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICEALL CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO INTERRUPTION BY FIRE STRIKES OR OTHER CAUSES BEYOND OUR CONTROL.
R.J. CALDWELL CO.
(INCORPORATED]
COMMISSION MERCHANTS
COTTON DUCK AND SPECIAL FABRICS
15 PARK ROW.
COR. BROADWAY
LOCAL & LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE, COURTLAND (6351 - 6008)
[hand stamp] THE WHITE HOUSE OCT 22 191 RECEIVED
New York, October 21, 1913
[hand stamp] RESPECTFULLY REFERRED FOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONSIDERATION]
[illegible signature]
Secy to the President
The President,
Washington, D.C.
Sir: -
It would be presumptuous to compliment you on your decision in favor of Mrs. Pankhurst, as it is inconceivable that you would do differently. One ought to be able to say the same thing for our Immigration authorities, but I have come to feel in regard to them, after the number of decisions of theirs that I have had occasion to criticize, that it is too much to expect from them that they will show any sense of good judgement in anything. I am obliged to confess that your secretary Wilson does not seem to stack up very high himself when he makes a remark, if correctly quoted, that "it was decided that we had sufficient safeguards and, therefore, she should be admitted."
I made a resolution some years ago to always fine myself a quarter and give it to the first Salvation Army girl I might meet whenever I got impatient at the stupidity of waiter, for it is obviously unreasonable to expect a waiter to have any sense or he wouldn't be a waiter, and that is just the way I feel about the whole Immigration department.
The ideal of the might of this Country being arrayed against a little gentleman, who represents the highest type of patriotism, is too repulsive. This Country has been brought into disruptive by the whole disreputable proceeding, and I strongly recommend a house cleaning of the entire department of Immigration.
Yours very truly,
R.J. Caldwell.
RJC/P.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
National Archives Identifier: 18503933
Full Citation: Letter from R. J. Caldwell to President Woodrow Wilson; 10/21/1913; 51728/017; Appeal of Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst for admittance for visit, English Suffragette; Subject and Policy Files, 1893 - 1957; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/caldwell-to-president-wilson, March 18, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
