davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Concerning Cost
OF Administration

The cost of Administrations will not
be high, as only few salaries over
$500 arc paid. And vet there will
come real costs and expenses, perhaps
eNtravagances and acknowledgements
certainly mortality losses beyond nor
NAL experiences. President Ide of the
Home Life Insurance Company, in a
recent article in "The Nation" summed
up these possibilities in this manner:
"The practical administration of the
law will involve mass of detail fa-
beyond the expectations Of its advo-
Gates. 1t will be necessary that the
new bureau receive accurate knowl-
edge of the dependents of each and
every fighting man month by month
Changes by births, marriages and
deaths among the dependents must be
immediately known to the bureau. All
this necessitates an organization per
feet in every detail. enormous in its
size and scope, and immensely expen-
sivc.
Much has been said about the dam
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Nearly Million Soldiers and Sailors Voluntarily Take Close
to Eight Billion Policies Under Ne,v Plan That Sunersedes
Old Pension ldea-One Days Exceeds Years Business
of Great Private Companies Which Were Skepcal of Success
sumo tho actual amount Of the insur-

sumo tho actual amount Of the insur-
ance at s,isk."
The life insurance executives point
to their patriotic response to the cal,
for war loans. Onc-half of the availa-
Bile investment surplus for last yeal
was invested in Liberty Loan bonds
The companies invested $21 100000 ia
the first Liberty Loan and $109,50O, 900
IN the second Liberty Loan, total Of
Sl3l 100000. Scarcely hundredth
part of the vast insurance reserves,
rel reply the Western critics. but; then,
the insurance executives bear largely
the responsibility of also financing
American industry.
1T is the fear of transferring this
grave responsibility from the shoulders
OF the private company executives to
the unframed government that moves
George E. lde, president Of the Home
Lilo Insurance Company. to express
misgivings over the possible abuse OF
this vast financial power when politi-
cally exercised.
The War Risk Administration has
lodged the premium loading issue fot
the American Experience Mortuary
Tables, estimating the government
earnings on the premium funds at 3l2
per cent. Thus q soldier aged twenty
one years has to pay only $3.50 Il year
for a $1,000 life insurance and to,al
disability policy.
This is the bare bones Of insurance
costs, peace insurance costs, without
the premium loading for the cost Of
soliciting or the cost of administra.
ton. without the premium loading
to provide protective reserves in case
of unexpected mortality, and without
extra premium loading for known war
hazard.
Mr.. 1de would say the premium is
nominal" Tho War Risk Bureau
knows that it is not adequate in case
there is any considerable war mortal
ity. The act itself provides that all
additional moneys needed for making
good this insurance over and above
the amount derived from the small
premiums shall be paid out Of the
United States Treasury. Funds to in
sure this end have already been APP
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Investigation Work
Will Be Staggering

The war risk insurance is term in
surance, with the premiums rising an
nual!y. Some call term insurance the
ideal form, though least profitable to
the companies and therefore not en-
couraged. SO the criticism runs. The
most popular form Of speculative it,
surance was the old Tontine, which the
law scotched. The next popular is the
accelerated endowment, so-called in
vcstment form which some Western
state superintendent Of insurance also
want prohibited. Under the war risk
act insurance is insurance, however,
and in the payment of the policy it is
doled out as insurance. Wife or de-
pendent is not given a lump sum. Es-
pecially must this be SO under total
investig CATION viii be staggering Think
of the proverbial sailors wife in the
Filipino port, and the newborn babes
which Nature brings on the instalment
plan.
AS for the concealment Of overhead
expenses, the War Risk Bureau may
be a novice at the art. However, mu-
nicipal and state undertakings are al
ways charged with concealing legiti-
mate overhead costs in taxes, grants
or other public revenues. Private COM
panies, on the other hand, are custom
arily charged with concealing legiti-
mate profits in overhead expenses. AS
suredly, every one expects the govern
ment to willingly foot d deficit in this
war insurance.
Already 499 cases Of death or total
disability have occurred in the army and
navy, and payments are now being
made monthly to the disabled, or to
the beneiciaries of the dead
Soldiers and sailors must take out
the insurance and begin paying pre-
miums within 1870 days after enlist
ment. Otherwise they could defer the
premium payments until they actually
enter the war zone and then cover
their hazard. The mortality rate among
enlisted men is in some camps smaller
than in civilian life, but the mortality
rate among those who are blown 20
bits on the firing line may conserva-
lively be placed at 700 per cent The
war risk increases and the expectation
OF life decreases in proportion as one
approaches the muzzle of a discharginc
42-centimetre gun.
This War Risk term insurance ends
automatically at the end Of five years.
unless the policyholder renews it
under one of several forms which the
government Nlll tnen specify. winch
ne can do without medical eXamina-
ton. The act mentions endowment as
one Of the possible forms of CONVEX
sion. thus recognizing investment"
insurance as we'll as protective insur-
ance.
Upon the conversion Of the 100000
soldiers back to industrial life, these
men will have learned something about
group and term insurance at low
premiums. The abnormal lowness Of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17

3h per cent investment earnings. Some
companies make as high as per cent
Thus the war risk insurance pre-
miums may prove to be not so rdicu.
lousy low, in case the war mortality
Is not in excess Of switchmen's mortal
ity, say these ingenious economists
Certainly the administration costs will
be lower. Armies of volunteer solici-
tors are preaching insurance in the
camps. Special days are set apart. At
Camp Meade bands and banners were
impressed in the service.
More insurance was written by the
department in Washington in one day
than one of the great private com
panics, like the Equitable or the New
York Life Insurance Company, writes
in year Here was insurance solicit
ing without cost. And the work was
helped materially by the patriotic
labors of "old line" companies and
their trained men.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
By Michael Williams

r Under tho shadow of the great war
now at last beginning to
stretch athwart America-t there
Is going forward a search for comfort
IN bereavement and support against
terror which Is without precedent IN
the worlds history. Hundreds Of thou
sands-nay, millions-arc cropping for
some power that can assure them Of
tho wcll-being of vanished loved ones,
heal their grief at this loss or protect
them from the pcris OF battle or the
unimagined horrors now crowdinr the
earth
Comparatively few of these sufferers
have turned to the consultations held
cut by orthodox religion. The crowds
that filled the churches IN the war
swept countries in the first month Of
the cataclysm have mostly departed;
the resort to prayer as a measure of
personal safety has been abandoned
under the tests Of the battlefield
But its place is being taken by a
score of beliefs, hopes and experiments
The world, past as well as present, has
been combed for forms OF faith and
worship. The crudest superstitionS
have been verified. In Paris, Berlin
and Rome to-day-and there are ndi-
cations that before long the weirdcst
rites will cross the ocean-men and
women are using the formulas and the
posturings of the ancient Persians and
Egyptians. of the Vikings, and of tho
modern African savage and Hindu seer
Spiritualism, fetishism, demonsm, vie
with New Thought and thcosophy No
creed seems too wild, no form OF wor-
ship too fantastic to win followers.
Nor are these sporadic outbreaks.
The dabbling in occutism has already
reached vast proportions in Europe
1t is invading the United States, and
seems bound to spread throughout our
every city and village, with cver-in-
crcasing force, as the war goes on.
In reaching the United States, the
occult wave has completed the circle
OF its most modern manifestat
Occidental occultism began in New
York State with the Fox Sisters, and
Thomas Lake Harris, and only the out
break of the war in Europe took away
from this country its primacy in latter
day forms Of occult, psychic, and mys-
teal movements. But the war brought
into millions Of homes in Europe the
great question upon the answer to
which all forms Of the supernatural,
from orthodox religion to the seances
of Nine. Fay Kerr, the renowned
trance medium OF Sixth Avenue, de-
pcnd-namely: Is there life after
death? More definitely still, is there
personal, objective immortality?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17

to the living soldiers and their rcla-
tives. This aspect of the movement
IS also busly at work here in Amer
lea. where the occult press is CARRYING
advertisements Of which the following
abridged reproduction is typical OK
ample:
"a TREATMENT
For Protecting Our Loved Ones in
WAR.
This booklet contains an account
OF spiritual Treatments being given
by London doctor, with abundant
examples of how they are protecting
the lives not only of individuals. hut
or whole regiments. Do not sorrow.
DO not fear! The name of the book
let is The Protecting Presence.'
Price, % cents"
In London, only recently, a regiment
bound for the front in France was
Drawn up in square for the enact :
ment OF curious scene, arranged by
one OF the newspapers. A favorte
French actress descended from limou-
sine. accompanied by a representative
on the newspaper and an officer Of the
General Staff, wish attendants carry
ing two huge baskets. The actress pro-
ceeded through the lines, and from the
basket handed to each man, officer aud
private alike, a little wooden doll. cut
out OF oak, called the Touchwood Man >
This mascot is widely advertised as
possessed of occult protective power
which will bring its owner safely
through the war One dealer recently
informed A. billiard Atteridge, the war
correspondent, that his shop had sold
more than one and one quarter
millions of the charms. Scores of &C
cult practitioners advertise various
mental methods" for protecting the
men at the front from bullets or gas
or disease. Thought insulations" or
Esprit waves" or "mental forces" arc
created, according TO these experts by
their own wills, or through mystical
secrets acquired from 'lndian yogis,"
or "Rosicrucian adepts,' or Thibe.an
sages. or, in a more up-to date fash
ION, are produced by "Amcrican New
Thought" SO numerous are the frauds
and tho charlatahs who ghoulishly prey
upon sorrow-stricken widows and moth
ers that the police of London, and Of
other cities as we'll, Paris and Berlin,
have been obliged to wage vigorous re-
Stflctlvc measures. Only a few weeks
ago the Spiritualst Education Council
appealed to the British government to
allow them to form their own commit.
NNNo
dlums. because, according to the "hon-
est mediums. the advertising frauds
were hurting the whole movement, and
therefore the real medium should be
legally registered and properly author
lzed. Support for the "honest' me-
diums-thosc who give scientific inves-
tlgators every opportunity to check up
their operations and who apparently
are the most convinced of all believ-
crs in the reality Of the manifesta-
lions occurring through them is being
given by such well known people as
General Sir Alfred Turner. Sir Conan
Doyle, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William
Barrett, Mrs. Desmond Humphreys,
otherwise known as "Rita,' the novel;
list, and many others.
James Af1rms
Spread of Spiritisln
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Craze Taints
Many Minds

Or. J. Bcattie Crozier. in "The Fort
nightiy Review in an article pointing
cut the havoc created by such prac-
tees. particularly among sensitive and
unbalanced people, solemnly warns the
public against having anything 10 do
even with such apparently innocent
forms OF supernatural pursuits as the
ouija board or planchette, and he men
toms three eminent men whose fa.ni-
lies have been tainted by the morbid
craze and who have turned from it in
order to fight it. The moral deterio-
ration of so many mediums and the
terrific amount of sheer trickerv and
humbug which surrounds the movement
IRE yehemently insisted upon by these
critics, and the attitude OF certain
leaders Of modern science who haya
given the movement their public sup
port comes in for powerful condemna-
ton.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Question Presses
On World 8 Heart

Did Private Tommy Atkins or Hans
Boche or Johnny Crapaud or, now
Sammy American, when he was killed
in the trenches, pass forever away
from the reach and communication of
father, mother, wife, children or sweet
heart?
This is the almost universal question
pressing itself upon the mind, and still
more upon the heart, Of the devastated
world.
And because out Of the world there
hss departed whether finally or not
remains to be seen--any really pre-
dominant form of religious faith. any
general acceptance of orthodox relig-
ious answers to the greatest of all
great questions; and since millions
upon millions OF people had ceased to
consider the problem, its reemergence
H. the stress OF this vast invasion of
death IN all his grisly shapes during
these apocalyptic war times has
brought about vcritable maelstrom of
occult revivals.
Even before the outbreak of the war
there was very noticeable increase of
interest IN many countries in the sub
Jcct of what may be termed legitimate,
or orthodox, mysticism and of religious
supernaturalism, as distinguished from
tne HoIp'u ana ambiguous types, Books
of mysticism poured from the press.
the product of serious and we'll
equipped scholars such as Dean Inge,
Baron Won Hugel Can English writer)
Evelyn Underhill, Monsignor Benson
and many others. as we'll as new edi-
tons of many medieval masterpiece
in this school of thought. There was
also what one authority termed "Aight
OF souls from the world" meaning that
there was marked increase, both in
the United States and Europe. of the
number Of men and women who either
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Unlimited

ger to life insurance companies from
the government going into the life in
surance business. see no such menace
1T is not probable that an accurate
accounting will be made of the actual
cost Of the measure. All charges for
office accommodations. for clerical SER
vice for general overhead charges, for
investigating the status of dependents
and like costs will be probably buried
in the general expenses of the gov
eminent: This will create the posi-
bility of misrepresentation on the part
of the people"
President Tdc, in fact, refers to the
war risk insurance as "so-callcd ~
sarance.' The investigation of the
status OF dependents to which he re
fers, a system of espionage, irritating
perhaps TO those who take on and cast
off dependents cavalierly, is made nee
essary by the monthly instalment form
of payment to the beneficiary.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Child tanning at Home
By Mothers Who Have Been kindergarten Teachers

ls the sixteenth Of series articles the
ton Of the United States Bureau Eduatn
garten Assoclatn Each Is wen
on'n9 INTO practice Nth her cd1ea ebodies the
she has learned If helpful you
them ont and them other others
reaching all the mothers of the country.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17

the premium may give an unfair i'm
preston of the "old line" companies.
That impression will be carried into
the factory where industrial insurance
rates arc loaded because Of the cost of
collecting monthly premiums and are
loaded again because the workman is
mot a good risk" in view of the haz-
ards OF the modern factory and of the
rapid hiring and firing" policy in the
modern industrial plant.
The exact status of life insurance
reserves before the Federal war taxes
is vague. "Let McAdoo do it," is again
the cry. He is to determine that
status, a momentous decision. In the
face Of taxes and government competi-
ton. the companies are not having q
comfortable time. Yet there is com
fort, too, in the fact that their own
business has increasec enormously
since 1914 War has its actions and
its reactions.
The "old line" companies are willing
to stay in class by themselves, as
lar as war risks go. For they have
no such "deus ex machina" as this to
help them out of any war loss difficult
ties, quoting from the act:
provided, That the United States
shall bear the expenses Of admins
tration and the excess mortality ana
disability cost resulting from the
hazards of war"
When called upon to make estimates
Tor war premium, the most liberal
companies suggested $3.50 year.
while some ran as high IS 500 year
per thousand. The Government War
RISK annual premium averaging, let US
say, rs scar, assumes that only
eight soldiers in a thousand will be
Killed or totally disabled. Or, rather.
as the act indicates, the assumption is
that the Uranium is inadeauate
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Queries and Answers

back to the Kaiser's farewell words,
since the soldiers must have thought
they acted in obedience to their su-
preme COMMANDER in chief
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
The Soldiers Are
All for 1t Now

SO much the better for the soldier
man and the sailor man. Tbev find
Insurance is call to the good" Aud
they leaped to it in every camp. Sec
rotary McAdoo set a standard of 100
per cent insured. The number in
sured on February I was 6C9,000. on
February G, $4,000. The final fig
ures for Insurance Week." ended Feb
ruary II, are expected to show near
~ the desired million. The average
amount taken out by the men is be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000.
In one day the bureau received APP
pilcatlons for $500. 100000 insurance
This sets a live standard for insurance.
solicitors. In the Washington Offices.
housed in the National Museum Build
ing. in the E!ks Temple and other
buildings, 1854 employees handled the
rush business. Tie greater detail Of
locating and investigating dependents
will follow, calling for 200 additional
clerks.
And this is but a commencement.
That the men of the next draft viii
increase the average takings and that
they VIII bring up the grand total to
several billions more may be antici-
pated. With moving picture. public
registering clock, rostrum lecture,
bulletin and organized solicitation. the
work Of educating the American young
man IN the virtues of life insurance
goes on.
The American Army of Democracy
will go forth on it's great crusade not
only the cleanest army that ever
marched. and the army with the clean
est motives, but the best insured army.
a group mutually sharing each others
fortunes out of their own pay.
Insurance IS, next to actual canton
ment and field life, the finest possible
democratizing agent. Enlisted man and
officer alike pay their shot and take
their benefits, with no distinctions in
premiums or awards. Here is no pa
ternalism in principle, but fraternal-
ism. Here the great god Chance is
being baffied and worstcd by cqualiza-
ton. The other name for insurance
is the specialization Of hazard
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
Old Companies
Were Skeptical

But at first they opposed this war
insurance. They demanded that the
government increase the compensation
feature; that is, the pension plan.
Why? Because, while the government
could easily pay out money in the form
of pensions. it does not possess the
requisite wits to administer so COM
plicated thing as life insurance. But
Mr.. McAdoo. who finances continents,
wars and Industries with one hand and
manages railroads with another. has
undertaken this complicated insurance
with his free elbow. He delegates this
function TO William c. De Lanoy, di-
rector, with William c. RAIDER, Gilbert
j. Murray, John j. Crowley. c. f. Mes
bitt and j. NJ. Gaines as commissioners
and deputies.
Was there some fear that govern
ment life insurance might prove sue
cessful, especially in exhibiting the
American Experience Tables of life ex
conservative and as limiting at undue
loading in cold line" insurance pre-
miums?
For accompanying the marked
growth IN insurance comes the awak
ened consciousness OF the 100000
poljcyholders, portion of whom, under
the membership of William 7. Stretch
and other Western insurance analysts.
arc in the act OF forming a polcyhold
crs protective association to challenge
the "premium loadings" and the great
life insurance reserves. amounting to
over $G,000.000 1000, which investment
treasure is in the keeping of the exec
utives.
With the taste of government rail
road control in their mouths. these
Westerners have gone so far as to sug-
gest to Secretary McAdoo that as a
war measure the government should
take over these insurance reserves and
issue bonds to policyholders and as
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
The l.. >. A. Life Insurance Conpany-L

OF death or total d;sob;l;t, u,,.u
there is the comnu,so," ailot,ro,, :.
half the nav to tho ',onend"nts ,s;n.lI y.
there is the voluntary l;fo IN s',r .a~c's
the very low nrcm;rn,s ~, ,v,;nh ''" n ~
by arranrcmcnt taken ont of tho snl
dioY's monthly nav Tnc,c Som I i,x
dotcrminedlv seen 10 il th.t nnt ~
soldier only. but the soldiers dc.
pendcnts, arc going to be taken caro- Of
in manner that no soldiers or do.
rcndonts were ever taken care Of be-
fore. Or. as Artemus Ward would add
Gwen If the soldier is comncllcd "a
take care of himself"
The insurance feature is voluntary
But the soliciting camnairn so otfoc.
lively maintained Nv tho War Pisls IN
surancc Department. with tho baln -
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
James Amrms
Spread of Spiritisn

Some years ago I investigated this
general subject for one of the leading
magazines and submitted the results,
or, rather. my general conclusions. to
the late William James. | had sat in
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17

r TNDER the shadow of the great war
now at last beginning to
stretch athwart America-t there
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17

PERSONAL, object