El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-12-07
MOTOR CAR IS
KILLING MORE
Death Rate Increases So
That 1t Alarms the Life
Insurance People.

: New York. Dec The increasing
I importance OF the automobile as an
instrument OF injury and death is
daily being viewed with greater
alarm by life insurance companies.
I police officials, civil authorities and
! public health administrators" said
. Lee h Frankel, Phi. d. third vice
/ president, Metropolitan Life Insurance
company. at the 18th annual meeting
Of the Association Of Life Insurance
presidents. here today. Vital statis-
ticlans are observing that while the
mortality from communicable diseases
has responded more and more each
year 10 the measures instituted by
health authorities for their control.
injuries and fatalities resulting from
the growing use Of automobiles are
steadily climbing Where formerly
diseases like typhoid fever, scarlet fe-
yer and others played an important
role in mortality fluctuations, fatali-
ties dre 10 the automobile are today
as numerous as some OF the srious in
fectiOns.
What this increasing incidence Of
automobile fatalities means TO life in
surance companies is indicated by the
industrial experience Of the Metro
puritan Lie insurance company in
an exposure OF more than 10000, 900
lives annually the death rate from au-
tOmobile accidents has more than
trebled since 1911. in that year the
death rate from this cause was 2.5 per
hundred thousand; in 1915 il had in
creased TO "A per hundred thousand"
Life Insurance and the Nations I
PrOblems-NOw and After the War" I
is the general theme Of the conven- I
ton Representatives Of the federal 4
government and Of state and munici- I
pal governments. as well as trans /
portation. agricultural and medical !
experts, are joining with the life in
surance men in the conferences on the /
various problems involved.
To Aid the War.
Consideration is being given to the
ways in which the trust funds Of
American policyholders have con-
contributed TO national preparedness
in the past through investments in
securities, farm mortgages.
city real estate mortgages, public
utilities, municipal ana government
bonds, etc: how those funds
present supporting the nation in the
conduct OF the war. with forward
look into the manner OF their use in
after war conditions
Herbert Quick, member Of the fed
aral farm loan board. Washington,
>
1anies to add to their investment Of
100000, 900 in farm mortgage loans
NO greater problem ever confront
ed the American people said Mr..
Quick. than the necessity which is
now upon US OF gradually changing
from q wastefuI and destructive agri-
cultural policy TO one which must be
based upon the two somewhat antagO-
listic requirements Of increasing pro-
jucti0n and the maintenance OF per-
nanent soil fertility. For the eco
lomic pinch is now upon US It has
come upon Us almost with the sud
ienness OF a thunderbolt"
Needs OF Cities.
Mayor John AfacVicar, OF Des /
hoines, asked the life insurance com
5anies TO give special consideration 10
he financial needs OF the cities OF the ,
United States after the war
The entry Of the United States into ,
he war has had q marked effect upon
,ur cities" said mayor MacNicar. Our
-ationaI government. through its re- !
-ponsible heads, Is constantly sound
ng warnings to stop unnecessary i'm
.rovements. Municipal propects under ,
contract and under way will be COM ,
lleted at least TO point where they /
an economically be discontinued. and 7
.nly such public works as are OF i'm (
Mediate and pressing necessity will be 2
without doubt there will newt 4
bly, be an increase in the demand for Z
unds by American municipalities. TO
nable them TO resume the cOnstruc-
ion Of interrupted and postponed / 6
.ublIc works Borrowing by the fed {
raj government will by that time '
ave ceased, but the necessities Of q
griculture, commerce, and transpor- (
alton will compete. and all OF these [
re Of fundamental Importance to US Y
communally, and nation c
IIy" q