Henry Cabot Lodge, American historian and politician (d. 1924)
Henry Cabot Lodge (May 12, 1850 – November 9, 1924) was an American Republican politician, historian, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign policy. His successful crusade against Woodrow Wilson's Treaty of Versailles ensured that the United States never joined the League of Nations and his reservations against that treaty influenced the structure of the modern United Nations.Lodge received four degrees from Harvard University and was a widely published historian. His close friendship with Theodore Roosevelt began as early as 1884 and lasted their entire lifetimes, even surviving Roosevelt's bolt from the Republican Party in 1912.
As a Representative, Lodge sponsored the unsuccessful Lodge Bill of 1890, which sought to protect the voting rights of African Americans and introduce a national secret ballot. As Senator, Lodge took a more active role in foreign policy, supporting the Spanish–American War, expansion of American territory overseas, and American entry into World War I. He also supported immigration restrictions, becoming a member of the Immigration Restriction League and influencing the Immigration Act of 1917.
After World War I, Lodge became Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the leader of the Senate Republicans. From that position, he led the opposition to Wilson's Treaty of Versailles, proposing fourteen reservations to the treaty. His strongest objection was to the requirement that all nations repel aggression, fearing that this would erode Congressional powers and erode American sovereignty; those objections had a major role in producing the veto power of the United Nations Security Council. Lodge remained in the Senate until his death in 1924.
1850May, 12
Henry Cabot Lodge
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Events on 1850
- 29Jan
Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay introduces the Compromise of 1850 to the U.S. Congress. - 7Mar
Compromise of 1850
Senator Daniel Webster gives his "Seventh of March" speech endorsing the Compromise of 1850 in order to prevent a possible civil war. - 29Jun
Church of Greece
Autocephaly officially granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Church of Greece. - 18Sep
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The U.S. Congress passes the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. - 29Sep
Universalis Ecclesiae
The papal bull Universalis Ecclesiae restores the Roman Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales.