New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-17
<<TNsuRANCE WEEK" is over with
the result that substantially
every American soldier and

<kTNSURANCE WEEK" is over, with
the result that substantially
every American soldier and
sailor has voluntarily taken out a life
and disability insurance policy, apart
from the other forms OF government
protection.
This war administration insurance
,,rjsc has added something less than
600. 900 young men to the total of
100000 lfc Insurance policy hold
crs in the United States and has in
creased by some ss,O0o,0 900, 900 the for
ucr total Of $4,000 900 900 Of life in
sarance held in the United States.
Observe the significance of this edu-
ca,ional drive for insurance. Insur-
sncc is. next to the function of pro-
.ectine life and property from vio
,cucc. the most important of all social
.onnc;cs. We have SO often heard the
nersis.eut private insurance solicitor
,eci.e the Importance of insurance that
snal,v both VIC and ne have blunted
appreciation of it's meaning.
Insurance will expand tremendously.
II is now experiencing positive growth,
arst through industrial insurance, COM
rcusaticn insurance, group insurance
and finally through war insurance. 1t
is the great lcvcllcr. the great democ-
ratjzing agency. 1t defeats the in
qualities Of fortune. 1t distributes
misfortune. When violence shall have
ceased insurance will be the supreme
function of organized society toward
the units. SLrewd insurance men viii
look for Il hitherto Unimagined devel
opment.
War insurance as conceived under
the act of October is group insur-
ancc. There is no physical examina
ton. The war risk destroys the SOL
dier's and the sailors "insurability"
with most private companies, though
fundamental insurance would ignore
conditions"
The insurance costs and the insur-
ancs losses will theoretically be sup
ported by the group, irrespective of
Individual hazard or individual insur-
ability. The plan is doubtless inspired
by the industrial GROUP insurance,
which within the last two years has
shown enormous popularity.
This government war yisk insurance
must not be confused with the regular
compensation for death or. disability
allowed to soldiers and sailors. The
government will pay S25 monthly to
the widow of each soldier who meets
death or permanent disability and $40
additional for one child and s. for
each other child until the children
reach the age of eighteen years. This
is practically the old pension system.
Under the old pension system the
government is now paying Sl60.000000
year for former war obligations.
These pensions result in about one
half of all men in the United States
over sixty years of age getting little
less than 81 a day from the govern
ment. BY doubling the S160,000,000
appropriation old age pensions for men
would be an assured fact. Just what
these governmental insurance develop
ments will bring forth in this social
direction remains to be seen. England
and Germany can give illustrations of
its working.
With even greater paternalism the
war administration has directed how
the soldier shall dispose of his pay
Fortunately. it is handsome pay. The
war risk act obliges the soldier to set
aside IN most cases at least onc-half
of his pay for his wife, child or other
dependent. No wife desertion, no non
support here.
First. there is the government
monthly pension of some S25 in case