Dawson, George Geoffrey

Dawson, George Geoffrey

 orig. George Geoffrey Robinson

(born Oct. 25, 1874, Skipton-in-Craven, Yorkshire, Eng.—died Nov. 7, 1944, London) English journalist, influential editor of The Times of London. While in civil service in South Africa, he became editor of the Johannesburg Star as part of an effort to promote support for official policies. As editor of The Times in the years 1912–19 and 1923–41, he was associated with a group that sought to shape national policy through personal exchanges with leading statesmen; he saw himself as the “secretary-general of the Establishment.” A firm believer in appeasement, he was instrumental in the policy that led to the Munich agreement of 1938.