New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-29
German Insurance Com
panies Write Policies on
Munitions Factories
Gain Right to Enter
And to Draw Plans
New Phase of the Situation
Created Under Immunity
Proclamation

The Tribune has recently been call
ing attention to the amazing fact that
German owned companies. managed by
enemy aliens, are allowed TO insure
American vessels against German
U-boats, thereby gaining access to
vital shipping information.
Quite as important, though almost
unknown, is the fact that other Ger
man insurance companies not only
write insurance on property ashore,
but, acting under President wilson's
special immunity proclamation, they
actually write insurance upon mu-
nitions plants. and as insurers
have the right of access 10 the in
sured premises and the right TO make
plans Of the premises where plans
are not made part of the policies.
This is as true Of the great Schwab
plant at Bethlehem as il is Of the
Carnegie plant at Homestead, the
plants in Connecticut turning out the
cartridges on which Pershing's men
will have 10 depend. the factories in
Massachusetts, supplying parts for
rifles. or the plants at many points
manufacturing chemicals for the use
Of powder makers.
Teutonic Forehandedness
This insurance. and the consequent
right of access 10 munitions plants,
the German companies and their
agents get in two ways through the
initial writing of the policy and
through reinsurance.
Before war was declared, but possibly
long after Berlin had decided that CON
fict with the United States was inevi-
table, the Germans began working to
secure immunity for their insurance
companies. One move was TO employ
John Bassett Moore, sometime coun-
sellor to the State Department. to give
them an opinion on their status. He
did so, and in long brief dated March
70. he assured his clients that there
was no reason why they could not
legally continue to do business.
influence
This. however. was not enough. The
Germans began to pull strings. When
the situation became cloudy a man
we'll known in insurance circles in
New York. and for that matter in The
country. began making pllgrlmages TO
the capital to urge upon the notice OF
the Administration :he damage that
would come 70 innocent holders Of Ger
man policies if German companies were
forbidden to do business or their assets
seized. as had been done in England
Nobody believes that he acted from
any improper motive. but the fact is
that he was of material assistance TO
the German cause. and the procama-
ton Of immunity was ready to be IS
sued Immediately upon the declaration
Of war
The situation now is that the Ger
man agents Of German insurance com
panies have access to every large
plant that carries insurance, includ-
ing munitions plants that maintain
private police forces TO keep enemy
aliens out
How the Tlan works
The owners Of many OF these plants
doubtless think when they place large
policy with an American or English
company IN New York, or Boston,
Hartford or Philadelphia, that the com
parv is taking the risk for itself. II
takes only Tart Of IL. The rest IT re-
in,ures-a block Of some thousands
here. another block there. until the
risk is widely scattered. II is IN this
scattering of risks that the German
companies secure the bulk OF their
munitions plant business.
One officer Of a German company
now doing business here ranks high
in the German secret service so high
that he was one OF thirty-two spies
Scotland Yard made every effort 10
reach when war was declared. They
missed him by few minutes. He was
on a ship bound for America. having
taken passage as the valet OF ar
American millionaire Of Teutonic
origin and sympathies.
In London this man was an officer
Of the Munich Reinsurance Company.
one of the largest and most powerful
companies in the world. That work he
resumed here. and though he was
watched night and day by men OF the
Allies secret service he managed to re-
tain means of communication with the
Fatherland. 1t is suspected that he
still has excellent connections. At
least he has been heard to boast that
he has, and by way of making his boasts
GOOD has communicated news to his
acauaintances that had not been in pos
session Of the American government
or even OF the representatives. of the
.1t:1. ,,r.i1 Javc oftoruard