New-York tribune., 1921-12-11
Shipping Board
Seeking Lower
Insurance Rate
Effort TO Remove Handicap
on Goods Carried by Gov
ernnent Nessels Support
ed by Officials of Fleet
Find Additional Burdens
plsn for Federal Marine Pro-
tecfiol, Has Backing IN Sem
ale Commerce Committee

,srsace rates On goods shipped in gov
srnnert vessels, An effort will be
made first % obtain the cooperation
Of Underwriters in quoting rates equal
10 those on privately owned tonnage.
| n this fails, the movement fer legisla-
tor wh:eh will either permit the hoard
10 write Insurance or to establish
government insurance bureau. taking
r;sks or aM American vessels at cost,
vii gain hsadway in Congress. It is
xaewr thst soue of the leaders in both
the House ard Senate are now giving
attention TO the possibility Of creating
an Insurance agency under government
auspices similar 70 the War Risk Bu-
rssu during She war.
It is the contention Of the Shipping
Board that the extra rates. which
began when All government vessels.
good and bad, were in operation after
tie srmistice, are not justified at pres
est, and also that the charge OF mex
reriencsd operators no longer is valid.
Underwriters viii be given an oppor-
Mnity to support their arguments for
higher rates.
The board has named a commission
% study the marine insurance situa-
.on. This IS under the direction OF
Commissioner Meyer Lissner and in
dudes The following members. DR..
william Leslie, professor of insur-
sncs al the University of California.
as chairman; DR.. S. S. Huebner, Uni
vers;ty o. Pennsylvania, and special
expert on insurance for the board;
r. c. RAIDER, manager of the insur-
ance departN ent Of the Standard oil
Company Of New Jersey; 8. K Ogden,
director CT insurance for the board,
and ". J. Love. 1t is understood that
ene OF the subjects under considera-
ton IS the formation Of an insurance
company under the auspices of the
beard to underwrite sinments on gov
srnmsat vessels as low as those al
lowed on privately owned tonnage.
Inquiries into the situation in New
| York brought the reply from one of
| he largest importers of sugar from
/ Cuba, bringing in $4,000, 0G0 worth of
this commodity annually, that last wear
| cnly per cent of his shipments were
handled in Shipping Board vessels,
| upon which there were no ocean losses
/ The reason which he gave for the small
| rrorortion carried on government
ships was that he obtained a lower in
surance rate upon ''ether approved
staaners" operated by regular lines.
u has been learned recently from
cna Of the officials handling the move
manr Of Russian and Jewish relief
nat shipments on government vessels
are subject to range OF cents to 25
.Lv<- !.
upon other vessels
1 Questioned as TO Rates
4 0fhcisls Of the Shipping Board i'll
eaired of nineteen Insurance companies
rscently what rate they would offer
ana Shipment OF raw silk On the gov
srnnleat vessel Golden State from
japan 10 United States or Canadian
PaciSc port This ship is one of the
aswes+ and best Of the government
stsasnec and is operated by company
rated Class A among marine under
wr!seTs, who have asserted in public
statements that vessels Of this char
acter enjoy the lowest insurance rates.
The replies Of the various under
writer's, whose names are omitted, ac-
snrding to documents in the possession
Of the Shipping Board, are as follows:
:
esnss No additional charge for Shipping
n soard passenger steamers. Other vessels
iEs variable. according 10 underwriting
eplion when vessel named. Steamer
u soicsn State type would take z rats Of 10
\ D. cent additional.
10 Not writing raw silk. Declined
d u quote o. any basis
10 s-Rate per regular line steamer, 1s
.sa,s Minimum rate for any or all Ship
sas Soarc vessels. L Fer cent on busi-
s.ra, ~ srittea olt declining account heavy
4 VMmiln5nrs this class CT business.
| 80. -2ate Per regular line steamer.
~ ce5tS Minimum additional for Ship
sas Board vessels. whether Golden
sts type or otherwise. 5 cents.
NC. 10 o--1e-eral rate. l3 cents by ap-
4 ssssc regular liners. No additional charge
ss sa.pping Board vessels. but Shipping g
4 3aalo l-elg1Zers 20 Fay additional rate OF
ssaes anT up. depending on vessels. :
70 o-Tats per regular line steamers,
sI, ss7,s, No adaiti0ua: charge on Ship
II "as 5oard vessels OF Golden State type,
higher rates N inferior vessels.
~ s-Aate IT regular line steamers,
s.. esnss Additional rate for Shipping Board
4 'sss's OF SoIden State type. cents
m. ao S--Rste per regular line vessels. 1s
sa.s; ana 10 additional Tor Shipping Board
'ssseis OF Golden STATE type
u business s--'@ S's'
Wouldn'. Consider II Cents
.osnf NM ia--N1t not discuss rate unless ac-
! war.ss weps;s th@y consider rate Of IT cents.
s01Ssa ssSso accept Shipping Beard vessels
we.Su Stdts type without additional rate.
40. ll-Rate per regular liners, II cents.
sae rate Shipping Board vessels Golden
sssse type.
40. l2-Decbned Not writing theft and
On any commodity.
rsa ~, .@-WA! not quote except on named
nj s5uas; s Would then consider carefully
rs,.rs soi.ow majority OF leading under
Ms on shipping Board vessels
~ is-Eefuse 10 quote account theft
cunts az all
A \ hrof. .r.v
s.rms,snsa rms,ssa account. VIII not. under any
sssss1anees. sssss s. consider Shipping Board
+ .Sss 70. Solcs2 Sl State type or any other
f. inc rate il quoted
~. ls-Dec.ined
,n,ss IL IL Not writing stray risks. Re
ssy raesosasaly 10 discuss rates in any
q OF basis CT named account
aaesn. -s--t cry snail office probably will
q usznes ~ Syadoie TO quote on account OF
4 sse OF Underwriters.
e. .s--sin2N office Unable to quote
Seouat Of absence Of underwriters
\ .s number Of companies represent
~ me Offices above referred to is
lns+us iour which includes the most
H.rLsaAt az IN New York. All quotations
soassea sss~ea OIL the usual silk ''aIl risks
st I.a.-s' warranted full value bill
4ssen~ ~r.ag Several shipments have
Ae caas s4a2e on government vesse.s OF
saisb oSn State type, on al OF
s6ays :. AZ aGdltlcaal rate OF hve cents
ssas 'ne legular liner rate has been
ssusy Of the classification ol
#aers i. s'nes Of various underwriters
Wasins WA raere is no uniformity in
gvbsS,as sSsa as that which would be
sss 4 complete tables of loss ra-
ssaess ~sailabe to all. AS in
satssrss:s ,asurance company places