Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-11
RISK COMPANY HEADS DEPLoRE
TENDENCY TO MORTGAGE
POLICIES.
HALF BILLION NOW ON
LOAN TO POLICY HOLDERS
ducsd to Equal Amount-Association
Of Life Insurance Presidents in ses.
sion-surgeon General Blue Dis
cusses Sanitation and Health.

New York. Dec. 11.-Fifteen billion
dollars Of life insurance protection was
reported today at the seventh annual
meeting Of the association OF life In
from as far west as Los Angeles and
many parts OF Canada attended. Ex-
President Taft was the chief speaker
today.
problem at today's session was the
increasing practice Of policy holders Of
mortgaging their life insurance. The
investigation has revealed that half
a billion held by the companies as a
reserve fund has been loaned to policy
holders. Arthur e. Childs. of Boston.
president Of the Columbian National
Life Insurance Company, urged the
members to warn the public Of the
danger Of thus reducing the protection
Of benehciaries. Such loans, he said
increased from 81 per cent or the re-
serve in 1888 to 16 per cent in 1912,
and probably would approach 1S per
cent this year
The meeting will last two days.
Blue Discusses Sanitation.
Public health Is a public utility.
A dollar laid out in sanitation Is not
an expenditure, but loan. which will
be returned an hundred fold" declared
Surgeon General Rupert Blue OF the
United States public health service,
here today in an address before the
insurance presidents.
"Any municipality, state or nation can
have public health II 1t will but pay
the price," continued the surgeon gen.
eral. 1.-THE most needed reforms in
public health administration are great
er cooperation between public officials.
the employment Of full time workers.
establishment of laboratories. accurate
collection of vital statistics and the
setting aside Of sufficient funds to
accomplish those things.
"The future Of sanitary administra-
ton In this country depends upon the
interest which the citizens take In its
development There 10 no better index
Of the state Of civilization OF COM
munity than the manner In which 1t
approaches its public health problems.
There is still much room for reform
In the sanitary administration Of many
states and municipalities In our coun-
try, and not the least important duty
devolving upon the health officials OF
this nation is the education of the gem
eral public to the end that sanitary
reforms will not only be accepted but
will also be earnestly sought for.
"Our slow progress In the direction
Of perfect national health is due to
the fact that the people have not as
yet fully realized its Importance and
have not demanded that protection
against preventable disease which they
have Q right to expect from their adj
ministrative officials. Neither have
they demanded legislation and appro-
priations which are essential to the
successful prosecution of public health
work. There are two main causes for
the paucity of sanitary legislation.
public Indifference and economic op-
position.
Our Brothers' Keeper.
1T is the great glory Of the period
in which we live that we have recog-
nized our responsibility as our broth
ers' keeper. That public official who
brings physical salvation to his fellow
man has gone long way toward the
promotion OF the moral welfare and
general happiness Of the community.
The worker in the field of sanitation
does more for the moral uplift of the
nation than any other official agency.
Most Of the states and many Of the
municipalities grant adequate public
health authority to their officials.
Practically all are willing to do so II
the matter is placed before them In It's
true light. The great difficulty, how
ever. Hes in the securing Of appropria-
tions. 1t must be said that the educa-
ton OF the general public with re-
gard to matters sanitary has not yet
brought about a full realization Of the
interchangeability Of public health and
public wealth."
Group Insurance Favored.
w. A. Day, president Of the Equlta-
bic Life Assurance Society Of New
York, said widespread adoption OF
group insurance would materially re-
duce the number of women and chill
dren annually forced to poverty. Mr..
Day described the latest form Of
indemnity as phase Of the economic
and social tendencies Of the day.
ut has the double function Of pro-