The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-22
LOW WRITES WARD
 REGARDING RAISE To Place Insurance Matter
 Before Committee ITO AROUSE CITIZENS Says That Was Object of Under writers in Increasing Rates in Bir- mingham-Ward Says City
 Has Had Bad Luck
 

The insurance committee of the Board of Trade will meet today for the pur- pose of formulating report to the gen eral meeting of the board, which, 1t is believed, will be held tomorrow or Fri day at the latest. This committee met Monday and discussed the matter, and the meeting today will be for the pur- pose of deciding what plan of action should be pursued in order to fight the increase.
 President Robert W. Ewing of the board yesterday received a telegram from Clarence J. Low president of the South eastern Underwriters association, simi- lar to that sent MT. Ward
 MT. Lows letter to MT. Ward was as follows:
 Our association will be glad to render every assistance in their power to CO., operate in producing results that will not only prevent a further increase in rates, but warrant a reduction" writes Clarence F. Low, president of the South eastern Underwriters association, to George Ward, president of the city com mission in regard to the recent increase of 15 per cent made in fire insurance rates in Birmingham.
 President Low states in his communi- cation that he will place before the ex- ecutfve committee of the association promptly the request of President Ward to hold up the increase in rates until a conference can be held on the matter. He states that he has no power. how ever, to hold up the rates without some authority given by thss executive com mittee.
 The city officials state that they be- ljeve there is good reason to hope for a resembling of the increase by the under writers. Until such time as the execu- tive committee considers the city re- quest nothing further will be done in the matter locally. The civic bodies of the city as well as the city commission CTS are working to secure an annull ntent of the increased rates.
 City Had Bad Luck
 President Ward states that he believes the raise is the result of simple and simon Iure bad luck more than any thing else. He says that the fire de- partment is one of the pest in the world and is still to be improved that the shin gle ordinance is being enforced with much good effect and that the fire laws in regard to proper buildings and clean liless about the premises are being en- forced to the letter. There has been an epidemic or fires which MT. Ward says he can attribute to nothing else than bad luck and he believes that when the underwriters are made fully aware of conditions here and how hard the city and the citizens are trying to remedy five h.rx nr-1 ff.,s.e hat IfflI rescind the rate increase.
 Lows Letter
 "On returning to the office today re- ceived your telegram, reading City of Birmingham will appreciate your holding up proposed raise in rates until confer- ence with your board and the commercial bodies of this city Answer. To this l promptly replied as follows Your tele- gram of Saturday just received. Will place same before executive committee. l have no authority to suspend ruling of committee. Will write.
 '.I shall place your message before the executive committee as promptly as pos sible, and I know that they will give the most careful consideration to your re- quest
 ..The Southeastern Underwriters asso- citation has long delayed the urgent ne- cessity that has existed for increasing rates in Birmingham, in order to meet the losses which have been excessive for a very long period Many conferences have been held with your authorities and other citizens, but losses that were excessive in number and amount have continued.
 "The increase of rates just decided upon was not made with any expectation of recouping the heavy losses that the com panies have sustained in Birmingham for an extended period, for in order to do that, 1t would have been necessary to make the amount of increase far greater. The hope of the fire underwriters is that the amount of increase, though far in adequate to the needs, will be sufficient to stimulate the authorities, and the cit 1zens generally. to do what is necessary to bring about the changes in conditions requisite to reduce the loss ratio to moder- ate proportions. Much must be done. as has been pointed out, and our association will be glad to render every assistance in their power to cooperate in producing results that will not only prevent fur ther increase of rates. but warrant re- duction. Therefore, l am sure the ex- ecutive committee will confer with you on the subject as soon as practicable. Yours truly, CLARENCE F. LOW,
 President"