Out to shady Englewood, N. J. one mid-day last week drove nine jovial members of the U. S. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce to have lunch with air-minded Senator Dwight Whitney Morrow. The night before, after a radio speech in behalf of a Jewish charity drive, he complained of being tired, but said he would be in shape for the luncheon. When the guests rolled up before the comfortable Morrow home, not many miles from where another great New Jersey citizen was dying, they were met with shocking news; when the Senator had not awakened by 11:30 that morning, his secretary Arthur W. Springer went in to call him. Senator Morrow was asleep but breathing with great difficulty. Thoroughly alarmed Secretary Springer summoned three doctors. A short time later the country was shocked to hear that Death had come—kindlier in this case than usual— at 1:52 p. m. to kindly Dwight Whitney Morrow, in his sleep, of cerebral hemorrhage. He was 58.
Mrs. Morrow was called in from a nearby golf course. The Senator's sisters, Miss Alice Morrow and Mrs. Agnes Morrow Scandrett, were about to sail for Istanbul that afternoon on the American Export liner Exilona. They rushed to Englewood hastily. Other members of the extensive Morrow family were summoned. Mrs. Morrow herself sent a radiogram to Col. & Mrs. Lindbergh in China.
In his early years, when a poor boy sets out to make a fortune he has little time for altruism. In his middle years he is not expected to be helpful; he is too busy. In his old age he may frequently become fabulously charitable. It was significant that a group of men were on their way to ask assistance from Senator Morrow, as his brain was quietly bleeding to death. His mature years, were a history of helpfulness.
No one demanded more of Dwight Morrow than himself. He was born in Huntington, W. Va., son of the poorly paid president of Marshall College. At 17 he tried to get into West Point but missed the appointment because his older brother Jay was already a cadet. Jealous neighbors objected. He failed his entrance examinations for Jefferson College, he failed at Amherst too, but a friendly professor interceded. He was allowed to work off his conditions as a classmate of quiet Calvin Coolidge in the Class of 1895. He worked his way through Columbia Law School. Six years later he had worked his way into a partnership with the Manhattan law firm of Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett. His future was assured. Then people began to get him to do things for them.
In 1914, J. P. Morgan & Co. were embroiled in the tangled finances of War-racked Europe. Tempers were as quick as the tremendous international negotiations of the firm had to be. Someone who thought fast and spoke softly was needed. Morgan the Son had just officially taken over the House. To him came Partners Henry P. Davison and Thomas W. Lamont with the suggestion that Lawyer Morrow, Partner Lament's Englewood neighbor, be taken into the business. Morrow was approached, took his wife to Bermuda to decide, decided yes.