The Washington times., 1924-08-26
DANCER To
FRATERNAL
INSURANCE
President of Convention Says
Old Line Companies Are
Prepared to Fight

Dangers that threaten the exist.
ence of fraternal societies which
grow out of opposition to the
powerful part they play in. the
insurance field were discussed with
startling frankness today by w. r.
Shirley, president of the National
Fraternal Congress, in his address
at the first general session of the
biggest fraternal body in the world,
meeting in convention at the
Raleigh Hotel.
His .outspoken method of calling
attention to the possibility of
gradual decadence and. ultimate
dissolution" Of fraternalism, should
the financial powers in the insur.
ance field be successful in their
desire to wreck fraternal insurance
bodies, startled the 800 delegates to
the convention, who represent a
total insurance membership in
fraternal societies of more than
10 900 900.
Challenge To Old Line Firms.
The presidents address was a
virtual challenge to che "old line"
insurance companies, which, he
virtually declared, are organized to
prevent too great an encroachment
on their business.
''The fact that fraternal societies
have rerated and thereby placed
themselves in direct competition
with the commercial insurance con.
cerns," declared President Shirley,
has led to a thoroughly organized
and nationwide movement to tax
fraternal societies.
The movement against fraternal
benefit organizations Is supported
by powerful and resourceful enc
mics" President Shirley asserted.
When Fight Began
$50 long as our societies were weak
and wrote relatively small vol.
ume of business. no attention was
paid to u.s." the president said,
but when our membership grew
into millions and our volume Of
insurance ran into billions, when
the supremacy of the old-line in.
surance companies was really chal.
lenged, then came the ruthless eff.
fort to emharrass cripple and il
possible destroy fraternal societies"
Nor did the head of a fraternal
body representing ten billion dollars
of insurance overlook the shortcom.
ings Of fraternal organizations
themselves.
Failure of fraternal societies to
work unselfishly, whoIeheartedly
and sympathetically together has
minimized their prestige, influence
and power, not only for constructive
building and development but for
purposes of Defense" he warned.
I'VE have permitted petty jealous
les, small personal and group in
terests to drive us apart, stir up
suspicion and engender bitter
hatreds. The result has been
grave weakening of our forces"
The remedy, in the opinion OF
President Shirley is for fraternal
societies to embark on a campaign
of education to renew public conf
dence, to take immediate steps to
prevent antagonistic legislation co
tax fraternals and harmonize any
serious differences that may exist
among the societies. Establishment
Of a national headquarters for the
National Fraternal Congress is i'm
perative, he declared.
Delegates are Welcomed.
Terming Washington city with
the spirit of international friend
ship" Edward F. Colladay, presi-
dent Of the Board of Trade, wei.
coined the delegates. Referring to
the possibility OF a woman presiding
over the fraternal congress. he said:
ut Is proper women should play
their part, but not more than their
part, in all deliberations OF mod.
ern life"
Mr.. CoIladay asked the deiegat ss
to help Washington get the voting
franchise The Reverend Doctor
Alex MacGillivray, chaplain, pro-
nounced the invocation.
Responses to Mr.. Colladay's ad.