The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-12
WHAT rs.
Extracts From . Discussion Of II,
Broader Aspects and Possibilities.

Broader Aspects and Possibilities.
From an address bv Darpin p. Risos'ev.
president Of the NeU FORK LIE fnsSv-
ancs Company. ia Me Worlds Insurance
Congress at the Panama. Pacific Exposition.
Insurance is ordinarily regarded as
a device by which life, property and
business are protected against the VI
c~issitudes Of time N circumstance.
1t is much more than that. 1t Is a
destroyer Of prejudice and the enemy
of a very dangerous kind Of ignorance.
It appeals to the mass feeling. to those
impulses which foreshadow ultimate
achievement Of human solidarity.
Against the methods which resulted
in the existing European horror insur-
ance has always been a warning and a
protest and has always suggested a
remedy. It has been a warning and a
protest because II has taught the in
sufficiency Of the unit Of anything,
whether that unit he a man or q busi-
ness or n nation.
II has suggested a remedy not only
because Of the billions which It has
distributed. and Is distributing now. In
alternating the tragedies Of life but
because It has taught and practised
the doctrine Of cooperation. In which
lies the greater portion Of any exist
ing and reasonable hope that Dur CIV
ilization may not after all be utterly
overwhelmed.
In the struggle for existence insur-
ance In a device by which present
strength unites to protect society
against the weakness that turks every-
where.
Insurance is a perpetual warning
that nationality as a basis for civiliza-
ton Is insufficient.
Civilization has broken down be-
cause its units. the nations. could sew
orally no more carry their individual
risk than a man can carry the risk Of
his own mortality. II each great ma
ton had a world completely TO itself,
the problem might be different. hut
our problem is yravely complex.
The nations have therefore lived in
ternationally in an order where the
hazard was greater than the normal
hazards OF life and business. 1t could
hardly he called a hazard at all; it was
a certainty. This world struggle was
inevitable, unless radical reo-Saniza-
tons of international relations were
aSiNth W, uiiltSS oiti pam VI liNVt
national insurance could be established.
Little, however. was done.
The god OF unconditional sover-
eighty was everywhere ~worshipped.
Nationality impinged on nationality.
The world grew smaller. The inter-
national impact grew heavier.
No nation took the lead IN a move
ment to insure the %perpetuity Of all
through assured peace for all. IL the
constructive forces OF the world. az
they existed on August l, 1914. could
have been brought into cooperation. II
the blgotry that skulks behind what
we call patriotism could have been ex-
orcised. If human rights and not ma
tional sovereignty could have been
made the supreme purpose OF civil so
ciety. the distance which then sepa-
rated us from a condition Of interna-
tional civilization and world peace. real
peace. lasting peace, would have been
shorter than that already measured in
the existing plunge toward chaos The
world vas 40 led that IL stupidity chose
to plunge toward chaos.
The only true business democracies
in the world to-day. democracies which
do not change their principles at any
geographic frontier and have them.
selves no frontiers, are the great in
surance corporations whose member
ship Is worldwide M so soundly and
20 d~emocratically related that no dy-
nastic ambition. no claim OF sover-
eighty. can at all change their benef-
cent purpose or materially modify
their humane achievements.
This II the doctrine that will be
preached and preached and preached
in the next several sessions OF this
congress. Never more than now has
the world needed to heed its truth,
Because its precepts have not been fol-
lowed, Governments are lettering, mill
ions Of men have already died, millions
OF women have been crucified. billions
of dollars have been ~squandered. CIV
iliZation based m he doctrine or SOW
ere!gnty has failed. 1t Is time to adopt
q new programme.