New-York tribune., 1901-12-10
ENGLAND URGED TO ACT
GERMANY THREATENS TO EXPEL
EIGHTEEN BRITISH INSUR-
ANCE COMPANIES.

w A. NJ Goode. in The London Daily Express
The American invasion of England and the in
niaI and naval competition have of late been much
exploited Yet to great extent t9is expl0ita,on
alone the constituent OF criticism; also
Here IS a definite case Of German aggression
not only clear, but lies almost entirely in Lord
Eighteen of the largest life insurance companies
of England to-day threatened with expulsion
law will come into force in that country which.
though professedly an ameoraton OF prior reg, Tegua ID
self-respectng concern could afford to submit 10
In other words Germany. in response to diplo-
matte pressure. has deferred her actual expulsion
of several large companies but her reply simply
amounts to this: I've allowed all you foreign
You have become despite strenuous governmentai ni
efforts to the contrary serious rivals 10 "eriiaii
You can retain the business you have secured
cSu5 do onV be reganed by period Of uninterrupted
business but you must agree to be summary @ II eH
give you and from whose ruling there
Moreover, the unfairness of Germanys present
attitude is accentuated by the fact that on the
friendly nation willing to reciprocate in amica Die
trade agreements and giving to honest British
accorded to German markets by England Were
the h3e sn of the attitude Of the
Berlin authorities wouli be a trihe more explain
instead of this. however the greater part of the
money secured by the Engsn a Go b aTbtrary
invested in German government securities when I
sh companes viii have to contribute small
degree to the financial support of the German
Tfey are compelled to keep their reserve funds
aoD up G bnt sbond GERMAN consos fall in price
through rumors of war or other conSepGE @ nc efT
cheney; in other words to go on buying GerInan i
bring their reserve fund its normal point
The ludicrous side of the affair Is that Ihe IoIeiS
with their combined capital, buy up the "noie vi
Among the other prohbftive measures that will
go into force next year are the regulations tnat
| out extra premium for time. and that only
companies with annual divisions OF bonuses WI & Se
allowed to do business. In addition to these az d1sao @
vantages the most extraordinarily complicated ac-
troll at Berlin. new body which is to do away
with previous restrictons taxes unto 9 III USE, I,s oi
companies doing business in Germany, W wlether ~ IT,
capital the proper method Of investing funds which
never had and never will have farthng ; cohiIeC
There are many other questionable features tIt but
scarcely be understood or appreciated outSIde VI
| more deeply concerned than those OF any e otner
nation in the endeav2r to prcTe4t NJ oermy I tn ncIv
followed by other Eur9nean nations ; za9 ana 'hat
Some Of the most prominent Representa- tiyes of
insurance companies have recently been in Berlin
Tbev have so far succeeded in that they, have
STAYED off the operation OF the new law ultlI jan
J 1arv-ft was TO have into force in Octoher
Informal consultations have been held in Londoil
and the question of petition to LORD I1anscoWlle
has been rnooted- But the eighteen tnglis4 lnsur
J ance compantes sent petition through the Forelgn
/ 0f5Ca on November % 1900 And what was the
/ result Nothins-unt1 the American Government
I took the matter up 49,.
! With this example fresh in their memory me
( F7DgIfsb Insurance. companies are staying thelr
E1nds in the hone md expectation that the Anerf-
/ can Government will again move, and VIII re1uSe
/ 70 accent from Germany unfair prohibition IN
/ the guse of concession. -. - =,
J The English and American companies are as II
+,s baen nointed ont in the box. but II Is
somewhat pitfU to discover that such lntuentid,
interests as the eighteen English companies WIN IN
I combined assets of about $50 0H0. rely not on
! Downing Street but Washington To save Ior
r-rgIish brains business and capital field fairly
! vc,l ard worth the holding. -, ILL.,.
/ ITsra is the definite criticism and the direct
/ case not of British business apathy. but OF Ger
Tho remedy Is obvious. A diplomatic protest bv
. the British Ambassador at Berlin. with polite
I7in+ Of rossfhIe reprisals would soon put a dfer
/ ent complexion upon the matter; With sense ana
enfr+ enough as JuniuS wrote IN 1tI2 the govern
r1en+ can still protect the liberty and property OF
PritIsh business interests in Germany or any other