Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-28

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VALUE To Be STRESSED
BY INSURANCE LEADERS
New York. Nov. 27-The advance
ment of rail and air transportation
and the progress of the warfare
against disease in the United states,
all three in the commercial and so.
cial aspects. will be reported upon AT
the eighteenth annual convention OF
the association of life insurance
Thursday and Friday, Dec. II and
II. The convention will endeavor to
make a forecast of the United States
of tomorrow from the business ana
economic experience ana trends OF to-
day. How greater benefits for in
dividual and nation may be realized
from more efficient thinking Will be
the underlying subject of the two
day conference, the central theme
being Sound Public Opinion the Ma
tons Great Reserve"
Walton L. Croker. president OF the
John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance
Company of Boston, win preside at
all sessions of the convention. Life
percent%of the sixty billion dollars OF
old line life protection OH American
lives In companies situated in prac-
tically every state in the Union, are
expected to be in attendance. Ca
madam life insurance companies also
will be represented. Federal. state
and dominion officials and represen-
tatives from various national fields
of business and economic endeavor
will join in the conference.
The heads Of two great American
transportation systems are among
the announced speakers. One will be
Major General Mason NJ. Patrick,
chief of air service of the United
States army, who organized and SUI
pervised the recent world-encircling
flight in army airplaaes. The other
will be Charles II. Markham, presi-
dent of the Illinois Central railroad
company. General Patrick will speak
on the topic. 1.-The World from
Above" presenting official moving
pictures taken on the recent world
fight. His address is expected to go
far in acquaintiIig life insurance
executives with details of prospec-
tive problems likely to arise from the
increased use of air vehicles both by
operating crews and passengers.
Mr.. Markham will speak on Our
Common Carriers and National Ex-
pansion."
In announcing the plans Of the
convention, Manager George 7.
Wight of the association, said to-.
day:
"The state of health of the Ameri-
can people this year. their potential
purchasing power and the character
of the country's present investment
demands will be reflected at our ses-
sions by the submission Of aggregate
current statistics now being contri-
buted by the life insurance COM
panes generally.
"In order to measure the recent
progress of the warfare against dis
ease, there will be survey OF the
mortality experienced by policyhold-
ers for the first ten months of 1924,
in comparison with the records of
prior years. This, it Is expected,
will disclose increases or decreases
in various causes of death and tndi-
cate where the next attacks should
be made in the movement TO reduce
further the preventable hazards sur
rounding the 50.000,000 policyholders
now insured in American companies.
Mortality due to the automobile Will
be segregated from other accidents
In an effort to determine the current
trend Of this important cause OF
death.
Recent developments in aerial
navigation will command special at
tention from the convention, parttc-
ularly with respect to commercial
possibilities. All doubt of the future
Importance of air transportation for
passengers and goods gradually Is
being dispelled. Meantime clear
thinking will be indispensable In de-
termining proper relations between
the public and it's new servant and
the correct attitude Of life insurance
In view of the status of the individ-
ual as changed thereby.
"For instance. the question as to
what. if any. additional risk will be
incurred by the insuring public gen.
orally will require answering. In the
history of life insurance there are
recorded numerous similarly i'm
portant problems, such as residence,
travel and occupation. each of which
was successfully solved. One hun
dred years ago, before life insurance
had even a foothold in the United
States, the companies of Great Brit
ain were struggling with the problem
as to what, IL any, increased hazard
was incurred because of the then
recent advent of steam vessels. The
Scottish Widows Fund and Life In
surance Society in 1921. decided that
passage by steam vessels was at least
equally safe with conveyance by
sailing packets. In the case of both
types of vessels coverage of policies,
however. was restricted to certain
prescribed waters adjacent to Great
Britain and Ireland. Death on other
parts of the high seas voided the
policy.
Others who will speak from the
same platform are Governor Chan.
ming II. Cox of Massachusetts,: Gov
ernor Thomas G. Mcleod of South
Carolina; George Perry Graham Of
Ottawa, the Canadian minister of
railways and canals: President Rich
ard +. Grant of the Chamber Of
Commerce of the United States; and
John c. Luning of Tallahassee. Fla.
president of the national convention
of insurance commissioners.