Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/143

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ROOSEVELT 109 ROOSEVELT United States into the World War he at once enlisted in the aviation service and, after training, was assigned to the Amer- ican Air Force in France. On July 14, 1918, he war flying with an American squadron, when it was suddenly attacked by German aeroplanes. A struggle en- sued which culminated in a duel between Lieutenant Roosevelt and a German non- commissioned officer. The latter suc- ceeded in so injuring Lieutenant Roose- velt's machine that it fell near the village of Chamery, about six miles north of the Marne. Lieutenant Roosevelt was found to have been shot through the head. He was buried with military honors by the German airmen and in 1920 the area in which his body lay was given to Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt by the French Gov- ernment. ROOSEVELT, ROBERT BARNWELL, an American lawyer; born in New York City, Aug. 7, 1829. He was an enthusi- astic sportsman, and published: "The Game Fish of North America" (1860); "The Game Birds of the North" (1866) ; "Superior Fishing" (1866) ; "Florida and the Game Water Birds" (1868) ; "Five Acres Too Much" (1869), a satire pro- voked by Edmund Morris's "Ten Acres Enough"; and "Progressive Petticoats," a satire on female physicians. He died June 14, 1906. ROOSEVELT, THEODORE, an Amer- ican statesman, historian, essayist, pub- licist, naturalist, explorer, civil and politi- cal reformer, soldier, 26th president of the United States. Born, New York City, Oct. 27, 1858; was graduated from Har- vard University 1880, and was subse- quently the recipient of many honorary degrees from American and European universities. During early life Roosevelt was frail, but succeeded in building up a strong physical constitution by exercise and open air life. After graduation he engaged in the study of law, but abandoned the pursuit to become a member of the New York State Legislature, 1882-84, representing the 21st Assembly District of New York. The key to his later attitude as a reformer will be found in his indignation over the decision of the Court of Appeals that a law he had fathered in favor of public health by prohibiting the manufacture and the preparation of tobacco in tene- ment-housec was declared unconstitu- tional. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, 1884, and during the campaign supported James G. Blaine. From 1884-86 he lived on a ranch in North Dakota, which gave the background for his subsequent writings on life in the far west. In 1886 he was defeated for the H— mayoralty of New York City by Abram F. Hewitt. Upon appointment by Presi- dent Benjamin Harrison, Roosevelt be- came a member of the United States Civil Service Commission serving 1889-95. Into this work he threw great enthusiasm, and forced the question of civil service reform upon Congress and the American people. He resigned in 1895 to become President of the Board of Police Commis- sioners for the City of New York, in which position he probably made himself THEODORE ROOSEVELT more felt than any other official in the history of the city. At the request of President McKinley in 1897 he resigned to become Assistant Secretary of the Navy under John D. Long of Massachusetts. Foreseeing that war with Spain was inevitable, he in- sisted on putting the United States fleet in preparation for instant action. When the war with Spain came he resigned his naval position, May 6, 1898, and en- tered the military service as Lieutenant Colonel, First United States Cavalry Volunteers, known subsequently as the "Rough Riders." He was in command of his regiment in the fight at San Juan Hill, was commended for gallantry and promoted to be Colonel. In November, 1898, Roosevelt was elected Governor of the State of New York. During his incumbency he fought strenuously against boss control and for Cyc Vol 8