Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-19
FORGED AHEAD BY
SHEER INTELLECT
John w. Davis, New .Ambas-
sador to Great Britain, a
Strong Man.
CAUTIOUS, PROGRESSIVE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Davis, who has just been selected by
President Wilson to be ambassador to
Great Britain, is of the latter type
And the stdfy of his advancement is
the story of a modest and retiring in
dividual who owes his appointment
not bit to his friends at court, but to
his own mental achievements.
Few appointments have been as
well received as that Of Mr.. Davis
and the paradox Of it is that he Is
perhaps unknown personally to the
majority of the people in the Official
circle. His appointment was a sur
prise simply because he has not been
in the limelight. If any one who
knew of his work had been asked
week or a month ago what kind OF an
ambassador to Great Britain or any
other country John w. Davis would
make, there would. however, have
been instant reply that he would
make very good one.
Praise From Supreme Court.
It is said of Mr.. Davis that Chief
Justice White and other members OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States have spoken of him as one OF
the ablest men who ever argued be-
fore them. He has been referred to,
moreover. as the best solicitor gen.
eraf the Department Of Justice has
ever had. He rarely argues at length.
His most effective arguments have
consumed less than a half hour. His
genius is his brevity of expression
and his abundance Of common sense.
Many people have tried to analyze
Mr. Davis success in legal argument
and have invariably attributed 1t to
common sense-his ability to get at
the salient POINTS of a case with d.
rectness and dispatch.
The interesting part of Mr.. Davis
appointment is that he has always
been a big man in the estimation OF
those who knew him-which includes
the President of the United States
but he has been little known because
he has kept out of print and out OF
activities other than the concentrated
labors of his task in the Department
of Justice. AS q member of Congress
and chairman of the House judiciary
he was respected by both
and democrats. When
Davis spoke. members
came in from the cloakrooms to hear
him He never made fiamboyant or
extravagantly phrased speeches-but
he is nevertheless an orator of power
and effectiveness. His style is some
what like that of. President Wilson
he depends more on the thought be.
hind his words than the devices OF
rhetoric and oratory.
Argued Big Government Cases.
1t was in arguing for the govern
ment such big cases as that Of the
Steel trust that he attracted the tenn
porary attention Of the business
world. though in his profession he
has always ranked high. There was
a time when President Wilson is said
to have been considering him for a
place on the Supreme Court itself, and
it has been expected that he would
land there eventually. But it is quite
likely that. preferring more active
work, he would have declined. The
to the court of st. James
always be mindful, even in Euro
pean atmosphere, of the traditions of
the United States and true Ameri-
canism.
Sometimes Americans of long resi-
dence abroad are carried away by Eu-
with which the folks back
home do not always assent. In SO
a business as war, espe-
cialiy a war in which America stands
against selfish war aims and for the
unselfish application of idealistic prin-
cipIes, a man like John w. Davis will
be able to match his wits successfully
with the best of European diplomats
London will be the center of Euro
pean diplomacy and at London Mr.
Davis will be.
A Cautious Progressive.
1t is true of the new ambassador
that he cannot be called conserva-
tive or a radical, but progressive
with a wealth of caution. born of his
years of experience in law with the
practical problems of the business
world. His mind is of the appercep-
tive kind.
He may not know the intricacies OF
diplomatic history. but he does know
the fundamentals of Americas policy
with a thoroughness that will give
him immediate consideration in what
familiar with the legal side of our
policies, because he came
in contact with them at the Depart
ment Of Justice. He hasa grounding
in international law and practice and
will not need long time to get into
harness.
But it is not on the technical side
of the American embassy. with its
large stan Of trained men, that Mr..
Davis will have to concentrate. He
will soon be found talking with Pre-
mier Lloyd George and Foreign Sec
retary Balfour on the same terms OF
intimacy as Lord Reading does with
President Wilson and Secretary
Mr.. Davis is a convincing talker
and a vigorous personality. Many
people in Washington who wanted to
see an impetus given in this appoint
ment to the perennial but hitherto
futile effort to get trained diplomats
into high posts in our foreign service
feel that the selection of Mr.. Davis is
in q sense q recognition OF the en-
phasis which their campaign put on
the need Cor merit appointments. Mr.
Davis has had no experiences in the
service itself. but he is a
better type than might have been Sc
lected If the outcry of public opinion
for a competent ambassador had not
been SO pronounced.
Concerning Early Appointments.
Certainly some Of the diplomatic ap-
pointments made early in the pres
ent administration would not have
been made could the responsibilities
of our embassies and Legations
abroad have been foreseen in 1918. In
drafting q man as able as John w
Davis from the important post OF
solicitor general. where he argues the
big cases for the government before
the Supreme Court. and sending him
to Great Britain to be an ambassador
tho campaign for more merit and less
p6rtisan politics in our diplomatic
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