Warren Austin | |
|---|---|
 Austin in 1931 | |
| 2ndUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office January 14, 1947 – January 22, 1953 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Edward Stettinius Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. |
| ActingSenate Minority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 1940 – January 3, 1941 | |
| Preceded by | Charles L. McNary |
| Succeeded by | Charles L. McNary |
| United States Senator fromVermont | |
| In office April 1, 1931 – August 2, 1946 | |
| Preceded by | Frank C. Partridge |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Flanders |
| Mayor ofSt. Albans, Vermont | |
| In office March 3, 1909 – March 2, 1910 | |
| Preceded by | Norman N. Atwood |
| Succeeded by | Selden C. Greene |
| State's Attorney ofFranklin County, Vermont | |
| In office December 1, 1904 – November 30, 1906 | |
| Preceded by | Wallace B. Locklin |
| Succeeded by | Frederick S. Tupper |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Warren Robinson Austin (1877-11-12)November 12, 1877 Highgate, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | December 25, 1962(1962-12-25) (aged 85) Burlington, Vermont, U.S. |
| Resting place | Lakeview Cemetery, Burlington, Vermont |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Roswell M. Austin (brother) |
| Education | University of Vermont (Ph.B.) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Warren Robinson Austin (November 12, 1877 – December 25, 1962) was an American politician and diplomat who served asUnited States Senator fromVermont andU.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
A native ofHighgate Center, Vermont, Austin was educated in Highgate and Bakersfield, and also studied in Quebec to learn French. He graduated from theUniversity of Vermont in 1899, studied law with his father, was admitted to the bar in 1902, and practiced in partnership with his father.
Austin settled inSt. Albans, became active in politics as aRepublican, and served in several local offices, including Grand Juror, Chairman of the city Republican committee, andState's Attorney ofFranklin County (1904–1906). In 1908, he was chairman of the state Republican convention, and he served as Mayor of St. Albans from 1909 to 1910. From 1907 to 1915, Austin was a Commissioner for theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In 1917, he moved to Burlington, where he continued to practice law. Austin's prominence continued to grow, and he served as a University of Vermont trustee from 1914 to 1941, and an attorney practicing before theUnited States Court for China from 1916 to 1917. Austin served as a special counsel for the state of Vermont from 1925 to 1927[1] during the process of setting the official boundary between Vermont andNew Hampshire.
In 1931, Austin was elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election, defeatingFrank C. Partridge, who had been appointed to fill the vacancy after the death ofFrank L. Greene. From 1939 to 1942, Austin was the Senate's Assistant Minority Leader (Minority Whip). In 1946 he resigned to accept presidentHarry S. Truman's appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He took office in January, 1947, and was the first official holder of this post. Austin served until January 1953, when the Eisenhower administration took office. He resided in Burlington during his retirement, and died there in 1962. Austin was buried atLakeview Cemetery in Burlington.
Austin was born inHighgate, Vermont on November 12, 1877,[2] one of six children born to Chauncey Goodrich Austin and Ann Mathilda Robinson.[3] He attended local schools andBakersfield's Brigham Academy and also studied inQuebec to obtain fluency inFrench.[4] He graduated from theUniversity of Vermont in 1899.[5] He thenstudied law with his father, attainedadmission to the bar, and entered practice in 1902 in partnership with his father.[6][7]
ARepublican, he held local offices inSt. Albans, including Grand Juror and Chairman of the Republican committee. (In Vermont, Grand Jurors used to serve as city and town prosecutors. After revisions of the court system, it is now a vestige or legacy office.) In 1904 he was electedState's Attorney ofFranklin County, a position he held for two years.[8][9]
Austin was chairman of the VermontRepublican State Convention in 1908, and Mayor of St. Albans from 1909 to 1910.[10]
He served as a Commissioner for theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1907 to 1915.[11] In 1912, he served on the Assay Commission for theUnited States Mint, which reviewed Mint operations by examining and testing coins for weight and fineness.[12]
In 1914 he was appointed atrustee of the University of Vermont in 1914, a position that he retained until 1941.[13]
From 1916 to 1917, he practiced before theUnited States Court for China as the representative of the American International Corporation and the Siems-Carey Railway & Canal Company.[14][15]
In 1917 Austin moved toBurlington, where he continued to practice law.[16]
From 1925 to 1937, Austin served as a special counsel for Vermont during the process of setting the official boundary between Vermont andNew Hampshire, working withJohn G. Sargent.[17]
In the early 1930s, Austin employedHarold J. Arthur as a stenographer. Arthur studied law with Austin, attained admission to the bar, and later served asGovernor of Vermont.[18]
He was elected to the Senate on March 31, 1931, defeating appointed SenatorFrank C. Partridge in the special election to complete the term of the deceasedFrank L. Greene.[19] Austin took his seat the next day, and won re-election in 1934 and 1940.[20]
In the Senate, Austin opposed theNew Deal but championedinternationalist causes, standing with PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt on issues such asLend-Lease.[21] He became Assistant Minority Leader (Minority Whip) in 1939, served until 1942, and acted as Minority Leader during incumbentCharles L. McNary's run forVice President in 1940.[22] In 1943 he became a member of theForeign Relations Committee.[23]
Austin resigned his Senate seat on August 2, 1946, to become theUS Ambassador to the United Nations. In November, he was succeeded byRalph E. Flanders.[24][25]
In June 1946, PresidentHarry S. Truman nominated Austin to be Ambassador to the United Nations. Because of the provision in theUS Constitution prohibiting members of Congress from accepting an office created during their terms, he could not assume the post until January, 1947. As a result, Truman appointed Austin Special Representative to the President and advisor to UN AmbassadorHerschel Johnson.[26][27]
When he did take office in January, 1947 Austin was the first official U.S. Ambassador to the UN. (Edward Stettinius, Jr. and Johnson had been representatives to theUnited Nations Conference on International Organization, the body that established the full United Nations.)[28]
He was a key figure at the start of theCold War. During his term, the UN was involved in thecreation of Israel and was also involved whenIndia andPakistan fought theIndo-Pakistani War of 1947 and were partitioned. In 1948, there was aCommunist coup in Czechoslovakia, theSovietsblockaded Berlin and precipitated theBerlin Airlift, and Congress passed theMarshall Plan to rebuildEurope. In 1949, theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization was created, andMao Tse-tung established thePeople's Republic of China. In 1950, Chinaannexed Tibet andNorth Korea invadedSouth Korea. The UN debated, considered responses and took action on all of these issues, and Austin became known internationally for his advocacy ofWestern Bloc positions.[29]
Austin's term at the UN is also remembered for a supposed quote that is likely not completely accurate. In discussing the conflict between theMuslimPalestinian people and theJewish people of Israel at Israel's founding, Austin supposedly said, "I hope Arabs and Jews will settle their differences in a truly Christian spirit."[30] According to his deputy, the language of that supposed quote was inexact when it was reported by the media, and Austin was attempting to communicate that as a Christian, he would not show partiality to either Muslims or Jews in the dispute over the creation of Israel.[31]
He retired after being succeeded byHenry Cabot Lodge Jr., in January 1953, at the start of theEisenhower administration.[32]
He was a member of theAmerican Bar Association,[33]Vermont Bar Association (president, 1923–24),[34]American Judicature Society,Loyal Legion,[35]Sons of the American Revolution,[36]Society of the Cincinnati (honorary),[37]Freemasons,[38]Shriners,[39]Elks,[40]Owls,[41]Odd Fellows,[42]Rotary Club,[43] and theKappa Sigma fraternity.[44]
An amateur orchardist, Austin tended to his trees and pursued other hobbies while living in retirement in Burlington.[45] In October 1956 he suffered a stroke that caused him to curtail many of his activities.[46] Austin died in Burlington on December 25, 1962. He is buried atLakeview Cemetery in Burlington.[47]
Austin receivedhonorary degrees fromColumbia University,Norwich University,Bates College,Princeton University,Lafayette College, the University of Vermont,Dartmouth College,Boston University,American University, theUniversity of the State of New York, and theUniversity of Santo Domingo.[48][49]
He is memorialized in theVermont State House Hall of Inscriptions.[50]
In 1901 Austin married Mildred Marie Lucas.[51][52] Their children included attorney Warren R. Austin Jr. (1902–1979),[53][54] and careerUnited States Army officer Edward Lucas Austin (1910–1980).[55][56]
Warren Austin's brotherRoswell M. Austin served asSpeaker of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1925 to 1927.[57][58]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromVermont (Class 1) 1931,1934,1940 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Senate Republican Leader Acting 1940–1941 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | United States Senator (Class 1) from Vermont 1931–1946 Served alongside:Porter H. Dale,Ernest Gibson (I), Ernest Gibson (II),George Aiken | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Senate Minority Leader Acting 1940–1941 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Herschel Johnson Acting | United States Ambassador to the United Nations 1947–1953 | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
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Italics indicates acting | |||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
