(1900-73) Advertising Pioneer, Government Official, Diplomat, Publisher and Senator. Founder of the famous ad agency of Benton & Bowles. Joining with Chester Bowles in 1929, by 1935 the two had built the 6th largest advertising firm in the world. In 1936 he sold the agency to his partners and became Vice President of the Univ. of Chicago (1936-41). In 1941 he purchased Encyclopedia Britannica. Assistant Secretary of State under FDR and Truman, instrumental in the founding of the United Nations and over his life headed many international missions, commissions etc. Chairman of the Board and Publisher of the Encyclopedia Britannica (1943-73), Democratic Senator from Connecticut (1949-53) where he is best remembered as one of the most important foes of Joe McCarthy. On August 6, 1951 Benton introduced a Senate resolution to expel McCarthy who then called him the "hero of every Communist and crook in and out of government." In the 1951 Senate race McCarthy smeared him with the charge that he hired "communists, fellow traveler, or dupes of the Kremlin" and sent "lewd materials" abroad (in the form of famous artworks). Benton was defeated in 1952. He published the 54 Volume Great Books of the Western World and in 1964 acquired the Merriam Company, famed publisher of dictionaries. Always concerned with international issues, he served as Ambassador to UNESCO (1963-68). V. 1940s Album Page Sig. in fine dark pencil

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