The daily times., 1919-07-18
STATE DIVISION
WAR INSURANCE
In Order to Keep in Touch with
the Insured Soldiers who
Since War Have
DROPPED THEIR POLICIES


| ic decentralization of the Bureau of
War Risk Insurance by the estab-
hshment at suitable points through
out the country of local offices for
the more effective transaction of
business was recommended today
f, by the advisory committee of thir-
teen, headed by Charles Evans Hug
hes which had been in conference
for three days with Director Chol-
meley-Jones and his associates.
Work undertaken by the bureau
was declared to be "stupendous" in
which the greatest difficulty at pres
cent was the fact that about 80
per cent of the addresses of dis
charged service men are incorrect
SO that the bureau as unable to com
municate with them regarding the
continuance of their payments and
conversion of the tenn policies to
permanent issuance insurance. In
this connection it was disclosed that
approximately three-fourths of the
holders of existing policies, which
aggregated $4O,OOO,OOO,O0O have not
continued their payments. Policies
were written for about 100000
men.
The vast undertaking." the Hug
hes report said, Cannot be carried
out merely through correspondence
with central office IN Washington.
10 attempt to do so would inevitab-
ly cause delays and m1sunderstand-
1ngs and create a widespread dis
satisfaction with an enterprise which
TO De successful must command a
high degree of confidence.
I'VE are Informed that a consider
able number of applications for per-
manent insurance have been receiy-
led. 1t is to be hoped that there will
be a general reinstatement of pol
1c1es and an acceptance by all
OF the exceptional opportunity for
insurance at low coss which the gov
ernment has offered. To accomplish
this it will be necessary to be in con-
slant touch with the insured during
the period of insurance"
The recommendations of the COM
mittee were set forth as follows
"First-We recommend that
qualified representative of the bur-
eau be instructed to proceed i'm
mediately to the capital of each State
to confer with the governor of the
State for the purpose of securing the
aid of the State and the offices of
cities and counties in obtaining cor
rect addresses of soldiers sailors
and Marines and their dependents
residing within the State. We recon-
mend further that in order to cor
rect the address list, immediate eff
Tort be made to elicit the co-opera-
tt1on of all voluntary agencies avail
able for the purpose, such as the
American Red Cross, the American
Federation of Labor and the other
associations which have so helpful
~ contributed their aid in connection
with war activities.
"Second.-We recommend that
the bureau Immediately porceed to
establish local representatives in
each state or in such districts as if
may seem advisable to divide tbe
country for this purpose, to the end
tnat there may be constant provis-
ION or personal contact with the in
sured soldiers, sailors, and marines
and their dependents for the procur-
ing by them of information with re-
spect to their privileges and obli-
osatlons, for the local. payment of
premiums and furnishing of proofs
ana Tor whatever local business NAV
pe conveniently, transacted within
the district.
Third.-That the cooperation of
voluntary agencies desired to meet
'ne immediate exigencies of the bur-
eau should be secured to the ful,es+
extent possible, to the end that their
ala may always be available for
.tne purpose of reaching the insnred
Fourth.-That in addition to the
means already suggested, and the
cooperation of these agencies. there
should be started a publicity oampa-H
EConfinuad 40 ,.N r..A.,