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American Defense Society records

Call Number

MS 14

Date

1915-1942 (bulk, 1918-1920, 1935-1939), inclusive

Creator

Extent

9.25 Linear feet (22 boxes)

Language of Materials

The documents in this collection are in English.

Abstract

This collection documents the views, aims, and internal workings of the American Defense Society, an early twentieth-century nationalist organization, based in New York City. The material dates from 1915 to 1942, and concerns many of the political, ideological, religious, and social debates and events of the time period. Nearly half of the American Defense Society Records consists of correspondence, including incoming and copies of outgoing letters, as well as internal communications among board members, officers, and members. In addition, the collection contains much printed material, some of which were published by the society. Also included is material that documents the society's internal organization, and newspaper clippings collected by ADS.

Chronology

1915 The American Defense Society, Inc. (ADS) is founded in New York City, in response to the sinking of the Lusitania, as a national "aggressive, non-partisan society having for its sole object the 'adequate national defense of the United States of America.'" ["The American Defense Society: History, Purpose and Accomplishments," 1918] Its board members and officers include prominent local businessmen and professionals. Theodore Roosevelt serves on the Advisory Board, and is later named Honorary President.
1916-1918 ADS advocates, among other policies, universal military service for American males, the suppression of "treasonable orators" and newspapers, the abolition of the teaching of German and the publication of German newspapers in the U.S., the unconditional surrender of Germany, and a boycott of German goods.
1917 Nov. 2 Anti-Disloyalty mass meeting is held at Carnegie Hall, where ADS calls for the expulsion of Robert LaFollette from the Senate and condemns William Randolph Hearst as a traitor.
1918 June New York attorney Charles Stewart Davison becomes Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
1918 ADS opposes "Pro-Germans, Socialists, Pacifists, Anti-Militarists, Conscientious Objectors, Anarchists, I.W.W.'s, so-called Friends of Irish Freedom and other organizations." [ADS "Hand Book," 1918]
1918 ADS forms Vigilance Corps around the U.S., whose purpose is to register "Alien Enemies, Pro-Germans, and Disloyal Americans."
[1918] ADS committees include Anti-Disloyalty Committee, Teachers Loyalty Committee.
1919 Honorary ADS President Theodore Roosevelt issues what would be his last public statement, "Keep up the Fight for Americanism," for an ADS mass meeting. The society inaugurates a campaign to distribute portraits of Roosevelt to organizations and schools throughout the U.S.
1920 ADS endorses Warren G. Harding for president, ending its claim to non-partisanship.
1920 Aug. Davison resigns as Chairman of Board, remains in ADS as an Honorary Chairman; Elon Huntington Hooker, head of Hooker Chemical Company, is nominated chairman.
[1920] ADS distributes pamphlets entitled "Protocols and World Revolution," that reference the anti-Semitic publication "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion."
1922 ADS campaigns include bringing Herrin Massacre participants to justice (for the murders of strikebreakers), and increasing congressional appropriation for defense.
1923 ADS holds two immigration restriction conferences; other campaigns include aviation awareness, and distribution of copies of the Constitution.
1924 ADS publishes Reds in America.
1926 A dispute with the ACLU involves pacifist organizations holding meetings in NYC public schools.
1924-1929 ADS continues its Constitution distribution campaign, advocating preparedness, discussing immigration, opposing pacifism and radicalism, and distributing Theodore Roosevelt portraits.
1929-1935 Activities are curtailed, the society suffers from financial troubles. ADS focuses on "an aggressive opposition to revolutionary activities," and anti-communism.
1930 Charles Stewart Davison and ADS trustee Madison Grant publish The Alien in Our Midst, or "Selling Our Birthright for a Mess of Pottage": The Written Views of a Number of Americans (Present and Former) on Immigration and Its Results (not an ADS publication).
1935 Efforts are made to reinvigorate ADS.
1937 ADS campaigns include opposition to FDR's Supreme Court expansion proposal.
1938 Death of board chairman Elon Huntington Hooker.
1942 Nov. Death of Charles Stewart Davison.
1942-1956 ADS presumably continues, is last listed in New York City directories in 1956.

Addresses in New York:

19[15]- Nov. 1, 1917: 303 Fifth Ave.
Nov. 1, 1917- [1918]: 44 E. 23rd St.
[1919-1920]: 1133 Broadway
[1920-1923]: 116 E. 24th St.
[1925-1937]: 154 Nassau St.
[1937-19??]: 225 Fifth Ave.

Arrangement

This collection is organized in four series:

Series I. Correspondence, 1916-1942
Series II. Organizational Material, 1917-1941
Series III. Printed Material, 1915-1942
Series IV. Newspaper Clippings, 1917-1938, undated

Within each series, material is arranged, for the most part, in chronological order.

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the views, aims, and internal workings of the American Defense Society, an early twentieth-century nationalist organization, based in New York City. The material dates from 1915 to 1942, and concerns many of the political, ideological, religious, and social debates and events of the time period. Popular topics of discussion include the first world war, preparedness, sedition and disloyalty, labor, immigration restriction, the Soviet Union and Bolshevism, socialism, civil liberties, the New Deal, FDR, and Judaism.

Nearly half of the American Defense Society Records consists of correspondenceĆ¢??incoming and copies of outgoing letters, as well as internal communications among board members, officers, and members. In addition, the collection contains much printed material, especially pamphlets, periodicals, circulars, and newsletters, some of which were published by the society. Also included is material that documents the society's internal organization, such as meeting minutes, resolutions, committee lists, and financial records. Newspaper clippings collected by ADS concern topics of interest to the society and detail some of its activities.

Please take care when using this collection. Much of the material, such as outgoing copies of correspondence, is on brittle newsprint paper.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.

Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as the American Defense Society Records, MS 14, The New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donation, Charles Stewart Davison, 1942.

Related Materials

The Library has pamphlets published by ADS, and not found in this collection. See: "The American Defense Society: Its Aims, Its History, Its Officers," 1941William Guggenheim, "Peace Reflections: The Waning Day - The New Dawn" [1919]

The Library also has: William T. Hornaday, Awake! America: Object Lessons and Warnings (NY, 1918); published under the auspices of ADSMadison Grant and Charles Stewart Davison, eds., The Founders of the Republic on Immigration Naturalization and Aliens (NY, 1928)Charles Stewart Davison, "The Lusitania Murders and The Responsibilities of Presidents" (NY?, 1915)

Collection processed by

Processed by Melissa Haley

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:47:38 -0400.
Language: Description is in English.

Edition of this Guide

This version was derived from americandefsoc.xml

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024