Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-23
ARRA|GNS EFFORTS
TO GET NEW LAWS
Merle Thorpe Suggests Few
er Legislative Demands in
Address to Bankers.
BY CHAs. p. sHAEFFER.

Inc executive council of the Ameri-
can Bankers Association, in annual
session now at Augusta, Ga, heard
Merle Thorpe, editor of The Nations
BUSINESS. arraign the proclivities of
Ine american people to rush to their
legislatures and demand laws for all
sorts OF problems better handled with
out Government interference.
we are too apt to regard Washing
ton as made up of supermen, with the
power TO perform any economic mir
&c oy passing a law" said Mr..
ihorpe. In one and the same petit
tlon we ask Washington to lower
lrelgnt rates and raise wages of rail
road workers"
-, AS result of the choral clamoring
-, mere ought to Be a Law" Mr..
Ior pc cited the fact that Congress
mas oeen almost continuously in SEES
sion Tor eight years, with 48 State con-
crosses, grinding out laws, 80 per cent
OF which have had to do with Govern
Lhent ana business - laws restricting
and limiting and binding business and
industrial action. Attention was called
10 the year 1924, when some % 900
oliIs Oh that nature were introduced in
our various legislative bodies.
me evil of simple legislative pill
prescriptions was traced by the
speaker to lack of realization of
the tremendous INTERPOLATION of in
duStry today. Business in it's present
complexity, cannot be treated so sim
pie, be opined. Our industrial proc
eSseS, growing more intricate daily.
breed misunderstanding, and often
CrneS bad legislation. The great
danger in the United States is that
popular understanding of business
VIII not keep pace with the more
tr,F.
phases of present day industry-and
the there ought to be a law craze
is only adding to the complexity of
, the situation. The White House
calendar today is 80 per cent business
IN Government. 1t is high time for
US to discard the phrase There ought
10 De law and substitute another
one' There ought to be fewer laws "
New Insurance Popular.
Salary allotment insurance, the
newest phase in life underwriting is
now engaging the attention of the
ZOo'OOO or more insurance agents
operating in the country. Several of
the larger companies already have
adopted the idea, while others are
watching its development with keen
| interest.
Essentially the plan is but the vol
untary application of the check off ="
system to the payment of life insur-
| ance premiums. Five or more en-
ployes of an establishment combine
and agree TO take out individual poll
cles Tor sums ranging from one TO
ten thousand dollars. Then, with the
cooperation of their employer, they
| arrange for the deduction of the prem
iums periodically from their pay, SINH.
| lar to deductions of other dues
| c De- -,
tended to replace or supplant group.
| industrial or other life assurances, but
| to supplement them-to make it
! easier for salary and wage earners TO
| maintain for their dependents the de-
/ gree OF protection warranted by the
| augmented incomes the have enjoyed
| during the last 10 years.
Trading on Local Board.
Five per cent bonds of the City and
Suburban Railway established a new
high mark on the local board this
morning, when SIS 900 sold at $50, a
| full point increase over the previous
| sale. This security merely rejected the
| strength prevalent in other invest
ment issues, as Potomac Electric IS
| brought 106 and Wardman Park
Hotel 6s 101. Gas IS of 1888 sold in
! small denominations at l02.
| Railway preferred stock was in
( Soou demand, 20 SndreS Selnng at 81 y
! and fractionally above. Rumors in
| the financial district are to the effect
! this issue is being accumulated in
| progressive fashion, which rumor
seems to be substantiated by the pres
ent level, s0k, or only ! point higher
+, than the 4 per cent bonds Of the COM
pany. The preferred stock pays per
| cent.
National Mortgage and Investment
! preferred was strong, a total OF $50
shares selling at 81 Mergenthaler
was easier at $50, and Lanston was
| UNCHANGED at S012.