New Britain herald., 1922-05-06
Headed Red Cross.

eroy Dawson will best be remember ed, perhaps, as the man who at Pres ident Wilson's request, directed the work of the American Red Cross in Allied countries for the two years the United States was at war with the l Central powers. Taken out of the hurly burly of Wall street, one of the most active of the IS partners in the firm of J. P. Morgan and company, the man who oS years before had walked the streets of New York look ing for a job, directed the first drive" of the American Red Cross for funds, raised s114,oO0,0oo and within a few weeks had Red Cross workers at their tasks in Italy, Bel gium and Switzerland as well as war torn France.
 H. P. Davison was one of the most trusted lieutenants of the elder J. Pierpont Morgan, who commissioned him to represent the firm in numer- ous financial negotiations abroad. He made many trips to London, Paris and Berlin. He mace a study of the | financial system of Germany in 1908 and, three years later, in that city, | tional bankers regarding the Hankow- Sze Chuen railway loan in which the so-called six powers group was in- terested. In 1915, he was one of the negotiators of the $500, 100000 Am erican loan to the Allies. For his war work abroad he was honored by many governments and Columbia and other universities conferred upon him the honorary degree of doctor of laws.
 Worked For Children
 Mir. Davison was especially interest ed in the conservation of child life in Europe after the war and, with Her bert Hoover and others, planned a world wide campaign in behalf of the children abroad. He also directed Red Cross relief work in Russia, Po- land and other countries in eastern and central Europe. Shortly after his return from Paris in April, 1920, he emphasized the gravity of conditions abroad and suggested that Congress appropriate s5O0,o00,00O for European relief. Congress, however, was cold to his appeal.
 Was Wilson's Adviser
 In 1919, he was one of the ad- visers of President Wilson at the Paris peace conference. That same year when the war councils work had ended, he was elected chairman of the governing board of the World League of Red Cross Societies at it's meeting in Paris.
 The New York career of the man who was to figure so prominently in it's financial district began in 1888 when young Davison then 21 years old, | went to that city from Troy, Pa, wherehe was born on June 13, 1867. Unable to find position in New York he went to Bridgeport, Conn.,, where he started work as a bank messenger. | Three years later he was back in the city of his dreams and was made pay ing teller of the Astor Place Bank.
 Not Easily Frightened.
 One day a stranger came to Mir. Davisons window with note for $1 ,0O0 in one hand and a revolver l in the other. The note read:
 "Astor Place Bank They promise to pay to the order of Almighty God | the sum of s1 ,o00 when presented by Charles Freeman. Penalty if for feited, death."
 MT. Davison, smiling and imper- calmly remarked: You will | have to be identified"
 Bank detectives bounced upon the before he could fire a shot. Then the teller resumed his work as though nothing had happened.
 MT. Davison soon attracted the at- tention of George F. Baker, president of the First National bank who, in 1894, made him vice president of that bank. He was president of it when he became a member of the Morgan firm. At that time also he was a di- rector of the National Bank of Com merce and of about 40 other finan eial and industrial institutions. These included the Bankers Trust company, .he First Security company, the Am arican Foreign Securities company, he New Jersey and New York Rail- road company and the Southwestern Development company. He also was treasurer, as well as trustee of the American Museum of Natural His ory, and treasurer of the National Institute of Social Sciences.
 Very Active Man.
 Some persons in Wall Street con- sidered him to be the most active