Ewin L. Davis
Encyclopedia
Ewin Lamar Davis was an American
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
for the 5th congressional district
of Tennessee
.
and Woolwine School in Tullahoma, Tennessee
. From 1895 to 1897 he was a student at Vanderbilt University
in Nashville, Tennessee
. He graduated from Columbian (now The George Washington University Law School
) in Washington, D.C.
in 1899. He was admitted to the bar
the same year and commenced practice in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
Davis was a delegate to all state Democratic
conventions from 1900 to 1910. From 1910 through 1918, he was a judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Tennessee. He also acted as Chairman of the district exemption board for the middle district of Tennessee in 1917 and 1918.
From 1903 to 1940, Davis was the director of the Traders National Bank of Tullahoma. He was a trustee of the Tennessee College for Women from 1906 to 1939. Davis was also a member of the Federal Trade Commission
from May 23, 1923 until his death, serving as Chairman in 1935, 1940, and 1945. In 1936, he was a member of the American National Committee of the Third World Power Conference.
He was elected as a Democrat
to the Sixty-sixth Congress and to the six succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1919 until March 3, 1933. During the Seventy-second Congress he was the chairman of the United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1932.
Among his legislative acts was the so-called "Davis Amendment" to the 1927 Radio Act. The 1928 reauthorization of the Radio Act included a provision, sponsored by Davis, that required each region of the country to have equal allocations of radio licenses, station power, etc. This greatly complicated things for the Federal Radio Commission
, who was in charge of licensing radio stations; they were required to deny station applications to otherwise qualified candidates simply because the new station would put a particular state or region over its quota. For example, the northeast had a greater population than the southwest, but was limited to the same number of stations as more sparsely populated areas. Likewise, many small communities in the southwest could have added a local station without increasing interference (because of their remoteness), but were prevented from doing so by the Davis Amendment. The Davis Amendment was ultimately repealed in the mid-1930s.
Davis died in Washington, D.C. and was interred
in Oakwood Cemetery in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 5th congressional district
Tennessee's 5th congressional district
The 5th Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district in Middle Tennessee. The most regularly drawn of the state's nine districts, it currently includes almost all of Davidson County, half of Wilson County, and half of Cheatham County...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Biography
Born in Bedford County, Tennessee, Davis attended public schools, including The Webb School in Bell Buckle, TennesseeBell Buckle, Tennessee
Bell Buckle is a town in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 500 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bell Buckle is located at ....
and Woolwine School in Tullahoma, Tennessee
Tullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
. From 1895 to 1897 he was a student at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. He graduated from Columbian (now The George Washington University Law School
The George Washington University Law School
The George Washington University Law School, commonly referred to as GW Law, is the law school of The George Washington University. It was founded in 1825 and is the oldest law school in Washington, D.C. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the...
) in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1899. He was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
the same year and commenced practice in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
Davis was a delegate to all state Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
conventions from 1900 to 1910. From 1910 through 1918, he was a judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Tennessee. He also acted as Chairman of the district exemption board for the middle district of Tennessee in 1917 and 1918.
From 1903 to 1940, Davis was the director of the Traders National Bank of Tullahoma. He was a trustee of the Tennessee College for Women from 1906 to 1939. Davis was also a member of the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
from May 23, 1923 until his death, serving as Chairman in 1935, 1940, and 1945. In 1936, he was a member of the American National Committee of the Third World Power Conference.
He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Sixty-sixth Congress and to the six succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1919 until March 3, 1933. During the Seventy-second Congress he was the chairman of the United States House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1932.
Among his legislative acts was the so-called "Davis Amendment" to the 1927 Radio Act. The 1928 reauthorization of the Radio Act included a provision, sponsored by Davis, that required each region of the country to have equal allocations of radio licenses, station power, etc. This greatly complicated things for the Federal Radio Commission
Federal Radio Commission
The Federal Radio Commission was a government body that regulated radio use in the United States from its creation in 1926 until its replacement by the Federal Communications Commission in 1934...
, who was in charge of licensing radio stations; they were required to deny station applications to otherwise qualified candidates simply because the new station would put a particular state or region over its quota. For example, the northeast had a greater population than the southwest, but was limited to the same number of stations as more sparsely populated areas. Likewise, many small communities in the southwest could have added a local station without increasing interference (because of their remoteness), but were prevented from doing so by the Davis Amendment. The Davis Amendment was ultimately repealed in the mid-1930s.
Davis died in Washington, D.C. and was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in Oakwood Cemetery in Tullahoma, Tennessee.