I Met a Man

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I met a man who told me about a call from a mutual friend who suggested he visit W. Averell Harriman, in his early ’90s at the time, who could use some company.

After graduating from Yale, Harriman inherited the largest fortune in America and in the 1920s, founded a banking business that became Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Notable employees included George Herbert Walker and Prescott Bush. When FDR became president, Harriman’s sister urged him to leave banking and work to promote Roosevelt’s political and social agenda. He joined the National Recovery Administration, a New Deal program.

As WWII raged in Europe, Harriman became FDR’s European Envoy, coordinating Lend-Lease. In 1942, Harriman accompanied Churchill to meet with Stalin to explain why allied efforts were focused on North Africa instead of the promised western front. In 1943, he became US ambassador to Russia. He was present at the major conferences: Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam.

After the war, he was instrumental in forging the US Cold War strategy of containment. After serving as ambassador to Britain, he became Truman’s secretary of commerce. In 1948, he took charge of the Marshall Plan. He was defeated twice by Adlai Stevenson in is bid for the presidency. In 1954, he became governor of New York. He took positions in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

The man I met made the call to visit Harriman, unsure of what to expect, meeting a man who had been present and involved in major national and international political events in the 20^th century. Quite surprised, Harriman wanted to talk about his Yale years and his passion for rowing or crew.

His senior year, Harriman’s coach pulled him aside and told him he would not make the varsity, but offered him an opportunity to visit England and learn the finer points of coaching crew and take over his job the following year. Harriman met with the school’s president who agreed to excuse him from classes if he promised to remain in England for no more than two weeks. Harriman agreed.

When Harriman got to England, he learned to his dismay a regatta was scheduled at Henley, the world’s most prestigious rowing venue. The regatta was three-weeks out. He went back and forth in his mind. He had given his word as a Yale man, but the temptation to stay an extra week was great. He researched transportation home, still dithering over his decision.

Keeping his word as a Yale man made all the difference in his life, he said. When asked why, he stated the alternative ship was the RMS Titanic.