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Joseph E. Davies
Joseph Edward Davies (November 29, 1876 – May 9, 1958) was an American lawyer and diplomat. He was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915 to be the first chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. From 1936 to 1938, Davies was the second-ever United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union. His book about the experience, Mission to Moscow, and its subsequent film adaptation, made him widely known.
After his posting in the USSR, Davies became U.S. Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. From 1939 to 1941, he was special assistant to Secretary of State Cordell Hull, in charge of War Emergency Problems and Policies. From 1942 through 1946, Davies was chairman of the President's War Relief Control Board. He was also special advisor to President Harry Truman and Secretary of State James F. Byrnes with rank of Ambassador at the Potsdam Conference in 1945.
Davies was born in 1876 in Watertown, Wisconsin to Welsh-born parents Edward and Rachel (Paynter) Davies. He attended the University of Wisconsin Law School from 1898 to 1901, where he graduated with honors. Upon graduation, he returned to Watertown and began a private practice. He served as a delegate to the Wisconsin Democratic Convention in 1902. He moved to Madison in 1907, and became chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Davies played an important role in ensuring that the western states and Wisconsin gave Woodrow Wilson their delegate votes at the 1912 Democratic National Convention. Wilson made Davies head of his entire western campaign. Later, as a reward for his vital aid in winning Wilson the presidency, Davies was appointed head of the Bureau of Corporations agency. He was instrumental in merging it into the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and became the FTC's first chairman from 1915 to 1916. During his time in the Wilson administration, Davies developed a warm friendship with the young Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
When Senator Paul O. Husting of Wisconsin died unexpectedly in 1917, President Wilson asked Davies to run for the open Wisconsin seat. Davies resigned from the FTC and launched his campaign for the special election that was held on 2 April 1918, but he lost to Republican Irvine Lenroot. It turned out to be a pivotal election which denied Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. Wilson then appointed Davies to serve as an economic advisor for the United States during the Paris Peace Conference following World War I.
After his years in the Wilson administration, Davies went into private legal practice in Washington D.C. He represented a wide variety of clients. In 1925, when the USS Shenandoah airship crashed, he was counsel for the widow of the ship's commander. In 1933, Rafael Trujillo hired Davies to try to settle the Dominican Republic's national debt.
Davies’ most famous case was when he defended former Ford Motor Company stockholders against a $30,000,000 lawsuit that the U.S. Treasury Department brought against them for back taxes. Davies proved his clients did not owe the government anything. In fact, they were due a $3,600,000 refund. The case—which took three years to litigate (from 1924 to 1927)—brought Davies the largest fee in the history of the D.C. bar, $2,000,000.
But his specialty was as an antitrust attorney. His corporate clients included Seagram's, National Dairy, Copley Press, Anglo-Swiss, Nestlé, and Fox Film. By 1937 his law firm was named: Davies, Richberg, Beebe, Busick and Richardson.
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Joseph E. Davies
Joseph Edward Davies (November 29, 1876 – May 9, 1958) was an American lawyer and diplomat. He was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915 to be the first chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. From 1936 to 1938, Davies was the second-ever United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union. His book about the experience, Mission to Moscow, and its subsequent film adaptation, made him widely known.
After his posting in the USSR, Davies became U.S. Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. From 1939 to 1941, he was special assistant to Secretary of State Cordell Hull, in charge of War Emergency Problems and Policies. From 1942 through 1946, Davies was chairman of the President's War Relief Control Board. He was also special advisor to President Harry Truman and Secretary of State James F. Byrnes with rank of Ambassador at the Potsdam Conference in 1945.
Davies was born in 1876 in Watertown, Wisconsin to Welsh-born parents Edward and Rachel (Paynter) Davies. He attended the University of Wisconsin Law School from 1898 to 1901, where he graduated with honors. Upon graduation, he returned to Watertown and began a private practice. He served as a delegate to the Wisconsin Democratic Convention in 1902. He moved to Madison in 1907, and became chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Davies played an important role in ensuring that the western states and Wisconsin gave Woodrow Wilson their delegate votes at the 1912 Democratic National Convention. Wilson made Davies head of his entire western campaign. Later, as a reward for his vital aid in winning Wilson the presidency, Davies was appointed head of the Bureau of Corporations agency. He was instrumental in merging it into the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and became the FTC's first chairman from 1915 to 1916. During his time in the Wilson administration, Davies developed a warm friendship with the young Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
When Senator Paul O. Husting of Wisconsin died unexpectedly in 1917, President Wilson asked Davies to run for the open Wisconsin seat. Davies resigned from the FTC and launched his campaign for the special election that was held on 2 April 1918, but he lost to Republican Irvine Lenroot. It turned out to be a pivotal election which denied Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. Wilson then appointed Davies to serve as an economic advisor for the United States during the Paris Peace Conference following World War I.
After his years in the Wilson administration, Davies went into private legal practice in Washington D.C. He represented a wide variety of clients. In 1925, when the USS Shenandoah airship crashed, he was counsel for the widow of the ship's commander. In 1933, Rafael Trujillo hired Davies to try to settle the Dominican Republic's national debt.
Davies’ most famous case was when he defended former Ford Motor Company stockholders against a $30,000,000 lawsuit that the U.S. Treasury Department brought against them for back taxes. Davies proved his clients did not owe the government anything. In fact, they were due a $3,600,000 refund. The case—which took three years to litigate (from 1924 to 1927)—brought Davies the largest fee in the history of the D.C. bar, $2,000,000.
But his specialty was as an antitrust attorney. His corporate clients included Seagram's, National Dairy, Copley Press, Anglo-Swiss, Nestlé, and Fox Film. By 1937 his law firm was named: Davies, Richberg, Beebe, Busick and Richardson.