Evening star., 1944-07-03
Norman H. Davis Rite!
Set ior Wednesday;
Leaders Pay Tribute

Seminary ut Alexandria. The place
Of burial has not been announced.
President Roosevelt, Secretary Of
State Hull and other national lead
ers united In praise Of Mr.. Davis,
who died after a brief illness 1T
Hot Springs. Va, where he had gone
for rest. The President, in a mes
sage to Maclin p. Davis of Nashville,
son Of the Red Cross chairman
counted Mr.. Davis as indeed a casu-
atty Of war;" saying "he had worked
far beyond his strength"
Jay Assumes Duties Temporarily.
Mr.. Davis duties with the Red
Cross will be assumed temporarily
by Nelson Dean Jay Of Elmwood.
Ill.,, a partner In the firm of Morgan
ct Gle. of Paris, who has been a
special volunteer assistant to the
chairman. Mr.. Jay aided in refugee
work in France early in the war.
The chairman had been in Ill
health for some time, it Is under
stood. but had continued active in
the strenuous Job Of directing the
wartime work of the Red Cross until
about fortnight ago when he was
forced to take what he thought
would be only a brief vacation.
Only recently when Red Cross
workers followed the invasion force
to the battlefields of France, Mr.
Davis gave The Star q statement in
which he said he was deeply graft
ned" that Red Cross men and women
now were entering the major phase
Of their wartime work.
Mr. Davis had been chairman of
the Red Cross since April II, 1898,
when the President appointed him
to succeed the late Rear Admiral
Cary T. Grayson. He also was
chairman Of the board Of governors
Of the League Of Red Cross Societies.
Rowing Ambassador.
Few persons, as Secretary Hull
pointed out in his statement, have
been privileged to serve their coun-
try as long and usefully as did the
wiry, white-haired man who for
years shuttled between America and
Europe on a wide variety of diplo-
matte missions which included serv-
ice under three Presidents-Wood-
row Wilson, Herbert Hoover and
Franklin D. Roosevelt. Nor have
many men of this age had SO wide
an acquaintance with statesmen
bankers, social workers and news
papermen as did the man who was
generally known in the early years
Of the present administration as
Washington's rowing ambassador. -
President Roosevelt declared Mr.
Davis death ended q career OF
great and varied usefulness" and
added:
las business executive and man
Of affairs he had gained experience
when, as special ambassador to
three Presidents. he carried out sue
cessfully many important diplo-
matte missions. He worked inde-
fatigably at Geneva and in the va
rious European capitals to maintain
peace. The reports, In which he re-
corded the results Of his observa-
tions, show how clearly he foresaw
the inevitable trend toward the un-
happy conflict which now rends the
world.
I'm a critical time he assumed the
burdensome duty Of the chairman
ship Of the American Red Cross. He
guided the destinies of that organ
ization through the troubled years
which saw the beginning of the war
and as the conflict spread he was
called upon to extend aid on an
ever-increasing scale. He will be
long remembered for his services In
aid of suffering mankind and will
be deeply mourned by q multitude
of friends Of whom I was one"
Casualty sf War"
The Presidents telegram to Mr.
Davis son said:
Il am shocked and saddened by
the news Of your fathers untimely
death and hasten to record my own
sorrow in the sorrow which has been
laid so heavily on you. He had
worked far beyond his strength and
is indeed a casualty Of war Mrs
Roosevelt joins me In this assurance
of heartfelt sympathy to you and
to all who mourn with you"
Secretary Of State Hull, who was
a lifelong friend of Mr.. Davis, issued
statement extolling him as AN
outstanding world statesman and
80 an intense patriot"
Few persons" Mr.. Hull added
have had the privilege of render
ing to their country and to other
countries such . full measure OF
useful service"
B'nai Birth Statement.
Henry Monsky. president of B'nai
Birth, Jewish service organization
issued the following statement:
Passing of Norman H. Davis is
great loss to all who believed in the
humanitarianism Of which the Red
Cross was a notable symbol. Allied
in peace and in war with the Red
Cross for 60 years, B'nai Birth
found In Mr.. Davis the epitome of
service without creed and the help
ing hand without regard to race
or color in every corner of the
world.
I'm 1910 B'nai Birth was honored
to confer upon him its covenant
award in recognition of his out
standing humapitarian services and
of his successful insistence that Red
Cross relief supplies in Axis-con-
trolled Europe be distributed on q
completely nonsectarian basis. The
Navy BIimpLon