Evening star., 1944-07-03

NORMAN II. DAVIS.
Harris & EDtnq.
memory of his far-reaching contri-
button toward easing humanity's
burden Of pain and suffering will
forever be reminder Of his name"
Mr.. Davis, who was born in Bed
ford County, Tenn, on August 8,
1873 prepared for his later role in
public service by amassing, at an
early age, . private fortune which
relieved him OF any necessity to
consider his own personal finances
in needing calls for patriotic duties.
When 4 young man he entered the
banking profession in Cuba, organ
lied the Trust Co. OF Havana and
when he was IS had amassed ST.
000. 900.
Came Into Prominence IN 1917.
He first came into national and
international prominence in the Will
son administration when, in 1917, he
was named a special delegate to
Spain and later q Treasury repre-
sentative in London and Paris. These
services were followed by his ap-
pointment in 1919 as Assistant Sec
retary of the Treasury and later as
Undersecretary Of State.
Mr.. Davis career was identified
with the long series of political. A.
nancial and humanitarian problems
which were Americas legacies from
the World War.
An adviser to President Wilson at
the Versailles peace conference, Mr..
Davis was q member Of the Repara-
tions and Financial Commissions
and in 1924 was appointed by the
League Of Nations to head o COM
mission to investigate the contro-
versy over Memel.
Although holding no active Gov
ernment post during the Harding
and Coolidge administrations, Mr..
Davis continued to take an active
interest in international affairs. He
was very active In the work Of the
Council on Foreign Relations in
New York and often was called in
by the State Department as an ad-
wiser.
With the election of President
Hoover and the development OF the
long controversy over disarmament
and war debts, Mr.. Davis again be-
came 4 familiar figure around the
State Department and at confer
ences in Geneva, London and Paris.
Headed Disarmament Delegation.
In 1881 he headed the American
delegation to the World Disarma-
ment Conference whose long pre-
pared-for sessions were Immediately
overloaded by Japan's invasion of
Manchuria and the rise of Hitler in
Germany. For many months he
struggled in Geneva to head OF the
impending world catastrophe, pre-
senting plan after plan for q reduc-
ton in armaments and the political
stabilization Of Europe. But with
the tremendous currents Of ma
tionalism then sweeping through
Europe and the Far East doomed his
work to, failure. ..
In 1886 Mr.. Davis was chairman
Of the American delegation to the
second London Naval Conference,
which attempted to stem the rapid
Ily-growing naval rivalry between ia
pan on the one hand and Britain
and America on the other. But ia
pans demand for parity spelled the
doom of that last effort to head OF
Pacific war. Still later, in 1897. he
represented this country at the Nine
Power Farley which tried futilely to
end Japan's invasion of China.
Soon afterward Mr.. Davis turned
from the thankless tasks of diplom-
acy to his humanitarian work with
the Red Cross, where he had been
active since.
Mr.. Davis married Miss Mackie
Paschall Of Atlanta in 1898. She
died about two years ago.
In addition to Maclin p. Davis, he
Is survived by three other sons. Nor
man P. Davis Of Phappaqua, N. H.;
1t. J. Paschall Davis, U. S. N. R.,
Virginia Beach, Va. and Capt.
Goode p. Davis, U. s. A., now in
London. and four daughters, Mrs.
J. c. Potter, Mount Kisco, N. Y:
Mrs. Robert Stuart. New York City;
Mrs. John P. Fennelly, Chevy Chase,
Nd, and Mrs. Malcom Smith of this
city.
Four brothers, Ewin L. Davis of
Washington, Paul NJ Davis, Nash
vile, Tenn; Thurman j. Davis and
Lamont Davis. both Of Tullahoma,
Tenn, also survive.
An Episcopalian. Mr.. Davis was a
communicate of Christ Church.
He was a member of the Metro
politan and Chevy Chase Clubs here
and of the Links, Century, Coffee
House and Piping Rock Clubs of
New York.
Pallbearers will be the following
Red Cross officials: G. Stewart
Brown, vice chairman in charge of
public relations; James L. Fieser,
vice chairman at large: James K.
cClintock, vice chairman in charge
of finance: James T. Nicholson, vice
chairman in charge of Junior Red
Cross and personnel relations; De
Witt Smith, vice chairman in charge
Of domestic services, and Fred A..
Winfrey. vice chairman Of area
onces and chapter services.
The funeral will be conducted by
the Rev. Alexander G. Zabriskie.
Burial will be private.
ds in Desert