Joseph E. Davies
| Joseph E. Davies | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 2nd United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union | |
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In office November 16, 1936 – June 11, 1938 |
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| Preceded by | William C. Bullitt |
| Succeeded by | Laurence A. Steinhardt |
| 7th United States Ambassador to Belgium | |
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In office May 14, 1938 – November 30, 1939 |
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| Preceded by | Hugh S. Gibson |
| Succeeded by | John Cudahy |
| 14th United States Envoy to Luxembourg | |
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In office May 14, 1938 – November 30, 1939 |
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| Preceded by | Hugh S. Gibson |
| Succeeded by | John Cudahy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Edward Davies November 29, 1876 Watertown, Wisconsin |
| Died | May 9, 1958 (aged 81) Washington, D.C. |
| Resting place | Washington National Cathedral |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Emlen Knight, Marjorie Merriweather Post |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Christian |
Joseph Edward Davies (November 29, 1876 – May 9, 1958) was an American lawyer and diplomat. He was appointed by President Wilson to be Commissioner of Corporations in 1912, and First Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission in 1915. He was the second Ambassador to represent the United States in the Soviet Union and U.S. Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg. From 1939 to 1941 Davies was Special assistant to Secretary of State Hull, in charge of War Emergency Problems and Policies. From 1942 through 1946 he was Chairman of President Roosevelt's War Relief Control Board. Ambassador Davies was Special Advisor of President Harry Truman and Secretary of State James F. Byrnes with rank of Ambassador at the Potsdam Conference in 1945.
Davies was born 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 vote at the 1912 Democratic National Convention. Wilson made Davies head of his entire western campaign. As a reward for being critical in winning Wilson the election, Wilson named Davies head of the Bureau of Corporations. Davies was instrumental in the formation of the Bureau's successor organization, the Federal Trade Commission, and served as its first chairman from 1915 to 1916. At President's Wilson's request when Senator Paul O. Husting of Wisconsin suddenly died in 1917, Davies retired from the FTC in order to run for the open seat in a special election. He lost to Republican Irvine Lenroot in a pivotal election which denied Democrats control of the U.S. Senate. President Wilson appointed Davies to serve as an economic advisor to the United States during the Paris Peace Conference following World War I.
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