New Britain herald., 1925-01-15
MORRILL, LEADER
 OF UNDERWRITERS
MoShel, Faulkner and Souney
 Speak at Banquet

Norman L. Merrill was elected president of tho New Britain board of fire underwriters at it's annual meeting held yesterday afternoon at the Burritt hotel. Those chosen to fill the othe. offices were: William c. Dunn, vice-president; Roy L. Noren. secretary; H. N. Lockwood, treasurer. Harry Hancock and Frank II. Shield were .chosen to serve as a membership committee and P. J. Murray and Ray L. Will bur were chosen auditors.
 John Moshel, director of the group department of the Travellers Insurance Co. at the home office in Hartford, spoke at the banquet last night, explaining the group insur- ance policy as written and also giv- ing a brief account of the growth of its use.
 Group insurance was instituted by the employers in 1912, MT. Moshel stated. It Is a blanket policy pro- tecting the employees from accident, sickness and death. The growth Of this type of policy has been phen~ omenal and at the present time B. 100000 employees of 10000 employ CTS are covered by policies whose principals total sS,O0O,00O,O00. There are 5,0O0,0O0 members of families dependent upon these employees pro tected.
 The policies are written on the salary basis, the fiat basis or the term of service basis.
 At the present time. MT. Moshel said, S,O00,O0O women are forced to work for their living; 95 per cent Of the widows lack the common com forts of life; S2 per cent of the American children are forced to leave school before the completion of the Sth grade; 7-Sths of all money left by married men comes from ilte insurance; S2 per cent of all com- bustible property is covered by fire insurance; 90 per cent of the men in business fail to make any pro- vision for an income in their old age
 Mir. Moshel stated that the labor unions were first strongly opposed to group insurance policies because they believed that the sys- tenn would bring the employers and employees closer together.
 Thomas D. Faulkner, president Of the state board of fire underwriters, delivered a short address in which he told the local underwriters about the legislation which is being strong ly advocated hy the state board. One of the acts is the agents qualifica- ton bill. which will provide for the closer examination of persons seek ing the right to sell fire insurance. Other legislation will provide for the prohibition of automobile clubs go- ing into the insurance business. He to the underwriters 10 at tend the board meetings and sup port the state organization as much as possible. lie pledged his sup port to fire underwriters and urged them to submit to him any com plaints which they might wish to make about the illegitimate sale of insurance.
 Michael T. Souney, second deputy fire chief, addressed the meeting, giving an interesting account of his own experiences during his fire de- partment career. He stated that in ] o22 less than 1900 inspections were made in this city, in 1923 over 12, 900 were made and in 1924 it is estimat- ed that the number of inspections exceeded 10000. He explained, In brief, the work of the fire prevention bureau of which he is the head. The fire underwriters should seek to have proper legislation passed that would give the fire department the power to order a property holder to remedy existing conditions which might be the cause of fire, he stated.
 Frank H. Shield, retiring presi- dent of the local fire underwriters board, announced and introduced the newly elected officers. Mir. Shield has been president of the local board for the last two years and this year was relieved of the office at his own request.