The New York herald., 1922-05-07
Honored by Many Nations
for Achievements in Get
ting Things Done.
WITH MORGAN SINCE 1908
Born in Troy 81 Years Ago and
Spent 35 Years in His
Profession.

More than two years ago Henry p
Davison's activities as a banker ended
but the force of his personality re-
manned a real influence among his
colleagues in Wall Street. during his
service with the American Red Cross
and his later period of illness.
In action Mr.. Dawson could we'll be
described as dynamic. His mind raced
ahead Of the minds of many of his as
sociates when problem Of banking
was under consideration. He as
sembled rapidly all the facts pertinent
to the matter in hand and was quick
fixed.
In directors meetings when he rep
resented the Morgan interests Mr.
DAWSON dominated proceedings, not
tinguished the late j. p. Morgan but
through. TIE exercise Of his faculty of
stripping proposition bare of un-
essentials and presenting salient facts
over to his point of view.
Held Leading Place I'm Firm.
1t was Mr.. Davison's ability to assem-
BILE and interpret facts which first drew
to him the attention of j. p. Morgan.
the elder. in the panic of 1907. After he
had been invited into the Morgan firm
Mr.. Morgan turned more and more work
over to him, relegating much of the
labor to his young partner which for
merly had been done I lely by the head
of the house.
Wall Street has ne specuiated very
much about the reli Importance of
individual partners J. p. Morgan &
Co., for il is we'll u.-aerstood that each
man has his own department, but at
the time Mr.. Dawson went to the Red
Cross he probably represented his firm
in public estimation more than any
other member
Mr.. DAWSON had the, rare quality of
never seeming to be in haste or under
pressure in his work. Always asfable,
he was one of the most app oachable
men of large affairs that out of town
bankers could meet on visits to Wall
Street. Newspaper men who used to see
him every afternoon were sure that
their questions would be answered
frankly for evasion and subte rfuge had
no part in his make up. Those who
interviewed him daily discovered that
he wanted direct questions, stripped of
ell unnecessary verbiage, and his an
swers were couched in the same way.
Never n Spectacular Banker.
Mr. Dawson never lost the OPP ortunity
to learn from other men with whom he
came in contact. On the day that Sen
or Nelson w. Aldrich Of Rhode Island
died he stopped in the midst of heavy
schedule to dictate to a newspaper man
his appreciation of the Senator'S work
in banking legislation which led up to
the Federal Reserve act, end IN Il he
stressed the benefit he had obtained
from his associations with Senator AID
rich in that task.
AS a banker, Mr.. Dawson never was
distinguished by spectacular under
taKings. His realm was In the .eld Of
straight banking. He always was study
ing the possibility of extending the
BARKING facilities of Yorl: and took
a fatherly interest in - Bankers Trust
Company, the Liberty National Bank
and the Guaranty Trust Company, all
of which he helped to build.
When he joined the Morgan firm the
period of great trust building was
over. The new era which followed the
troubles of 1907 was one N which the
United States Steel Corporation, the
International Harvester Company. the
Intefnational Mercantile Marin Com
pany ana others bearing the Morgan
stamp had to widen their efforts There
was need of much money Cor working
capital for American bupiness as a
whole. and Mr.. Dawson toiled % build
up the deposits of New York baiifs.
Sought Work, Not LimeIight.
Mr.. Dawson never cared much for the
lmelight. When he was selected to
head the American Red Cross his
friends considered IL as a signal honor
for the New York banking community
and for himself in particular. But he
considered 1t as chance for patriotic
service and n big job. When he WIS
interviewed on the day the appointment
was announced he stressed these fac
tors.
Great events then were shaping In the
banking field in which he would have
stood forth as a leader. but there was
no regret In his comment on leaving his
work In the Morgan house. His trips
abroad In the war on Red Cross duties