Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-14

The discussion took place alter the reg ular business session and was led by 1 James l.. Case, chairman of the business | methods committee of the club. MT. Case in opening the discussion on Business | Ethics said in part:
 Each member of the Norwich Rotary ! club represents some particular business l classification, and each one IS supposed to 1 be :. leader in this community ji his | chosen line. 1 take it for granted that all ! are desirous of conducting their affairs in l q most expert manner possible, and that l you are interested in considering such 1 discussion as the one to be presented to- | day,
 During the past five years the 5usi- | ness conditions of the United States have l passed through a period Of changes, the | Ike of which has never been experienced in the history of our country. It has re- QIired the best of brain and training to meet and successfully SurmoIInt jnnurer- able difficulties which have faced Amer Ican business men. and because you and thousands of others like you, nave fought these conditions, with a firm de- termination to win, the American nation today is the richest and most powerful on the face of the earth. Lest we forget that. this accomplishment carries with 1t many new and added responsibilities. 1 submit that each and everyone of US must realize that a continuance of these prosperous conditions can only result by application Of correct business practices. When one considers that 97 per cent. of the business of this country is conducted upon a credit basis and 5 per cent by cash payments. he realizes something ot {. the actual conditions which exist.
 Any line to be successful, requires that those who conduct it must possess three i fundamental principles of (a) character. i (bl ability, and (cl knowledge. and am sure that JvH wifi agree with the , statement that unless such foundation is laid. success cannot be attained. { Rotary International is calling atten ton 10 the ideals for which Rotary stands and it afirms that Service bove | self" must be the inspiration Of every member, for 1t is true, beyond a shadow 0f doubt that The profits most who serves the best"
 : In the tme allotted to your committee today. it is impossible to enter into discussion of many of the business meth I Uds which form the basis of the several ciassiGcations which make up the mem bership of this Rotary club
 At the roll call most of You responded 2 by stating that you belonged to some par tlcular local. state or national trade or- ganization, and it is exceedingly grati- ! flying to know that so many of our mem 1 hers arc affiliated with such organiSa- | tionS. for it has been proven time and gain that the local merchant, banker. | manufacturers. agent, or professional { man who takes time to associate with others of his kind, secures a wider Vi- , sion of the opportunities which exist in 1 his particular calling, and # he possess es the spirit of a Real Rotarian he will
 contribute his mite. or even more, to the welfare of these larger associations. Your consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in three of the larger state and national bodies is respectfully invited for three of our mem hers have been asked to tell you why they belong to the LawSers-the Bank CTS and the Insurance associations.
 The secretary of the chamber of com
 merce. who represents an organization comprising all lines of business actiyi-
 ties will state his opinion as to the value
 of having members of the chamber iden- tified with their several trade associa- tions.
 x. J. Ayling will speak for the lawyers ;; Nathan G;cbs for the bankers; John i O'Rourke for the chamber of commerce
 and the chairman of the meeting will tell T of some of the things that the insurance
 organizations have done for the local
 agents throughout the country.
 May l urge that those who have not identified themselves with similar organ
 zations will give this discussion their
 most serious and sympathetic considera-
 tion. 1 belong to the Norwich Board of Underwriters, which represents the local
 fire. casualty and surety agents of Nor wich and vicinity; to the Connecticut State Association of Insurance Agents
 an organization which is composed of local fire, casualty and surety agents re- cid in t1n q nf aRfI IoYIf Y9 H
 membership in this state association au- , tomatically gives me membership in the | National Association of Insurance Agents
 which is an organization composed of ap- , proximately 10000 local insurance agen- B Fcies doing q fire. casualty and surety bus
 mess in the United States, the members s of which are said to write 80 per cent. oi the premium income business of these , three classes of insurance in the entire . country.
 Both the state and national associa
 tions have been constantly protecting ant
 developing the interest of local agents ana
 because of what has been accomplished ! during the past quarter of a century, thes , possess 8 recognized asset In the expira tons of all business placed on the book: o of the several companies they represent n If q local agent desires to retire from tht n agency of any company at any time, ht < may sell the aspirations which he ha; 3 secured, and thereby obtain substan g tiaf profit.
 The National and State Associations
 believe in the principles of conference
 cooperation and coordination of 1nte rests, and by means of frequent confer
 ences, evils of the business have been re !, moved and good practices substituted. Tn U object of both associations is ito suppor ' right principles and oppose bad practice 7 in insurance underwriting" In recen . years an effort to secure the passage Il ' several states of the country of qnanfica
 tion laws which will require that tn
 agents of the future shall be better quak , fled than the agents of today. As re l suit the insurance commissioners con |. 1 vention held in New York last week ap
 proved a model qualification bin, wh1cA if passed, provides that no person may
 appointed an agent of a fire, casualty Q
 surety company, unless he possesses char tacter, ability, and reasonable knOWaedG
 of insurance laws and also Of police con
 tracts.
 These ideals are quite tn accord wit
 better business methods" to the end ti1s
 the dependable efficient service which tn !public and the companies have right [
 expect from and to demand of all loca
 agents shall be given at all timee.
 When the spirit of 'real service" i
 universally practiced we shall have ia less business unrest in the various sec
 tions of this great country.
 I hope that something will be said 2 V this meeting that may help every one c
 us to put into practice some of the sug Il Eestions that Will be made and in con
 clusion may suggest that yuu win re
 member that Jhe spirit of Rotary is car
 able of great things, for if you, and U A.
 preach" we shall become real asset { this community and thArafrv heIn fn snalr