Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-20
INSURANCE MEN
TALK TOO MUCH?
Pittsburgh Underwriting Ex-
pert Raises Question at Life
Mems Banquet

To double the membership of the
Central Pennsylvania Association of
Life Underwriters by September over
the number in the organization last
year was the goal set last night by
President John T. Shirley, in speaking
of the membership campaign started
at the National association meeting
last Fall.
Only eleven more members are
needed to reach this total it was an
nounced last night at the last monthly
meeting of the association for the sea-
son, held in the Engineers Society
headquarters, Front and Chestnut
streets.
Following a banquet intermingled
with songs, piano and Xylophone solos.
A.A. Vert, president and eX-secretary
of the Central PENNSYLVANIA associa-
ton, gave short history of the first
organization in 1901, its failure; and
of the second organization complied in
1912, and its success, with a gain of
23 members in the last year.
Lewis A. Irons, assistant to the vice
president of the Penn Mutual Life In
surance Company of Philadelphia,
then spoke on Planning" and de-
clared that the hit or miss' system
was no longer the one in use, and
that success only resulted from care
FULLY planning the work in the life un-
derwrting business.
He also explained the system used
in number of cities by insurance COM
panies, and told of the cooperation of
tanks, newspapers and merchants in
many places.
Preparedness in Selling Insurance. 3"
was the subject discussed by w. E.
Graham, of the Edward a. Woods
agency, Pittsburgh, of the Equitable
Assurance Society of New York, Mr..
Graham said that too many agents
walk too much and talk too much"
He declared that everybody realizes
the merit of life insurance and all in
tend to buy it sooner or later.
Enthusiasm Behind Intelligent
Work was the method to obtain sue
cess that Mr.. Graham recommended
TO the men present after he had said
that service, efficiency and salesman
ship were three overworked words in
the life insurance business.
f. l.. McColgin, secretary of the Har-
llsburg Chamber Of Commerce. told of
the good of organization work, and
this followed by a short talk by
George r. Hull.
There are only two institutions in
this world that have stood against the
abuse, knocks, jibes and shortcomings
OF the, men representing them" was
the declaration made by f. l.. Wright,
Nice-president of the association, in
the closing address of the evening
Those two institutions are the church
and life insurance, and the only reason
that they stand is because both are
right Mr.. Wright also raped meth
DDS used by some solicitors and said
that they were 'iackalls" in the life
Insurance business and doing it harm
instead of good. He appealed to the
members to believe in the other fell
low and the company he represents. as
much as you believe in yourself
The Guests
Those from Harrisburg who were
present we're: Charles Adler, Charles
i. Andrews, William Bristol, s. C.
Backenstoss, r. T. Baker, w. Fl. Cord
~ c. E. Dasher, E. r. Eckenrode, w
5. Essick, c. c. Getter, w. S. Hoover,
G. o. Jones ]. Ralph Morrison. Isaac
Miller, Joseph B. Metzger, P. b. Rice
John r. Rote, John r. Shirley, w. C.
Wanbaugh, Albert A. Vert, II. l.
rode, L. E. Guarin NJ. T. Minor, Thos.
Williams, Harry Beck, William b.
Batchenbaugh, J. |. Batdorf, j. Q. A.
Rutherford, Jr.. Others present were
T. j. Harnish, Lancaster; ]. II. Kirk
patrick, of Steelton; Z. l.. Matterer,
Lancaster; Frederick X. Ployer, Me-
chanicsburg; Edward Fl. Berger,
York; Ray +. Zaner, York.
Guests of the association were: Geo.
r. Hull, this city; Lewis A. Irons. of
Philadelphia; w. Z. Graham. Of Pitts
burg; e. L. McColgin, secretary of the
Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce.
President Shirley introduced the
speakers and S. G. Backenstoss lead
the singing. 1t was the most enthus
iastic meeting in the history of the
organization Announcement was
made that ]. l.. Heathcote had been
appointed chairman of an outing com
mittee. The trip will probably be
held in August and the members are
planning to go 10 TnplenooL,