Library of Congress Blog: Taft/Butt

[Mark Baber]

The Taft Papers and a Titanic Tragedy | Timeless

The William Howard Taft papers are the largest of the Manuscript Division’s 23 presidential collections, comprising approximately 676,000 documents covering his personal life and public career. Among them lies the heartbreaking tale of the death of Maj. Archie Butt, his beloved friend and aide...

blogs.loc.gov

 

[Bo Bowman]

(Sigh). Why must the Library of Congress staffers so enjoy implying inappropriate relationships these days? The lives of these librarian bureaucrats must be abysmally boring. I have read a few articles about Butt, and this is a new take. I understand he was engaged to be married when Titanic sank. Both Taft and Roosevelt were quite impacted by his death. It was a time when manly men could have friendships with other manly men, without raising eyebrows. I find Butt's life story - like Taft's and Roosevelt's - rather fascinating.

 

[Steven Christian]

(Sigh). Why must the Library of Congress staffers so enjoy implying inappropriate relationships these days? The lives of these librarian bureaucrats must be abysmally boring. I have read a few articles about Butt, and this is a new take. I understand he was engaged to be married when Titanic sank. Both Taft and Roosevelt were quite impacted by his death. It was a time when manly men could have friendships with other manly men, without raising eyebrows. I find Butt's life story - like Taft's and Roosevelt's - rather fascinating.

More revisionist opinions to fit an agenda.