The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-23
U. S. MAY INSURE
ITS TROOPS FREE
War Risk Prepared by Fed
eraI Official.
WOULD GIVE $4,000 POLICIES
Disability Clause May Be Embodied.
Endorsement Likely.
WOULD GIVE $4,000 POLICIES

Detailed plans for expanding the
Federal War Risk Insurance Bureau
so that the Government can under
take to insure the lives of all officers
and enlisted men in the army and
navy are contained in a report pre-
pared for the Council OF National De-
Tense by Edwin F. Sweet, Assistant
Secretary OF Commerce.
II the plan is adopted, every Of
fIcer and every mai who enlists or
is drafted into the service under the
selectIve conscription law will be
provided free OF cost with $4,000
made payable, in the event OF his
death, to whomsoever he may desig-
nate as his beneficiary.
Furthermore, under the scheme ap-
proved by Mr.. Sweet, and likely to
be Endorsed by the council and pro-
posed to Congress, every officer and
soldier would be given the privilege
of taking out as much additional In
surance, over and above the $4,000
amount as he desires at a premium
cost OF about $21 a year and up
wards. depending on his age, or at
approximately the rates charged by
ia
times for a twenty-year endowment
policy.
Disability Clause.
In connection with these recon-
mendatIons, the text of which has
not yet been made generally public,
Mr.. Sweet and those associated with
him in the study of the question are
considering the advisabillty of in
GLIDING in each policy a disability
clause indemnifying the policy hold
er for any permanent wounds re-
ceiyed in battle
The drawing up OF the scheme has
resulted from the fact that private in
surance companies throughout the
country are levying exhorbitant pre-
MUM charges on all officers and men
in the military and naval service who
are liable for service abroad. In ad-
dition to the normal peace premiums,
the companies are charging as much
as 500 per 1000 of insurance per
year and are levying the charge not
only against men going to Europe TO
night. but against all officers and men
ordered outside the territorial limits
OF the United States. In most cases
the effect of these extraordinary
charges has been prohibitive. and bit
ter complaints have been received at
the War and Navy Departments from
men with large families who have
been compelled to forego all insurance
protection for their families.
New York Conference.
Shortly after the United States de-
clared war in April, Charles F. Mes
bit, Insurance Commissioner for the
District of Columbia, after conference
with Secretary of War Baker and
others, sent kilograms to the vari-
Gus State insurance commissioners
throughout the country suggesting
that they urge upon the private com
panies the creation OF a cooperative
clearing house concern through which
special arrangements might be handled
to care for the life insurance for sol
dIers going to the war. AS a result, !
a meeting was held in New York, rep
resenting $50 OF the leading insurance
companies, at which a tentative agree
ment along this line. drawn up by a
committee OF hve State insurance com
missioners, of which Burton Mansfield,
OF Connecticut was chairman, was sub
scribed to.
Under this an effort was to have
been made to provide against the
necessity OF charging excessive prem
ium rates to soldiers. Owing, how
ever to the fact that several companies
refused to subscribe to the plan,
the scheme fell through. 1t was
after this that the Government au-
thorities began considering the idea
of Government insurance. and Mr..
Sweet was asked to draw up def
mite proposals.
Will IndOrse Plan.
1t is generally believed that the
Council OF National Defense will not
hesitate to indorse the plan and
urge its adoption by Congress, es-
pecially as many OF the leading pri-
vate companies, unwilling themselves
to accept soldiers as risks in view
OF the heavy casualties in the fight
ing abroad, have approved the plan.
II was under similar circumstances
that the Government found it neces-