Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-01-23
THE MONEY TREE

By Ethey M. Troy

hdo q SPlSIlulu ISCOIu OF accom-
plishment to report for the veal
just completed, according to stats.
tics released by the Insurance Re
search and Review Service, Inc.
Every institution must justify its
existence by proving it's value tt
society-or cease to exist. In this
nation = in these times = there
is no place for people or things
that take but give not. It is oul
right to ask of any business not
"How much did it maker" but
"What did it give to society?"
AS of January 1, 1941, there was
$117,500, O0O,0 900 of life insurance in
force in America - owned by the
people of America. Compare this
figure with the total value of
wholesale trade in the United
States in the same period: $45,-
O00,0O0,0OO; or with the retail
trade, $4,000, 900; or with the
value of farm land in the United
States, $34,O0O,OOO,OOO.
The Sill, 5O0,O0O,OO0 of life in
surance in force as of January 1,
1941, was owned by 65,O0O,O0O
policyholders. Considering the
fact that a life insurance policy
almost always protects others as
well as the policyholder, this means
protection for 1OO,0OO,OOO people.
The widespread benefits influence
the lives Of more people than the
total population of the British
Isles, 46,OOO,0OO; or almost ten
times the total population of Can
ada, 100000.
During the year just closed,
American people purchased life in
surance with a face value of SILL
124,O0O,00O. Did any other single
industry sell goods or products of
such value? The money in circu-
lation in the United States approx
mates $8,521, 100000; Baby Bonds
sold in the period 1935-194O amount
to 208,880,724; annual W.P.A.
allotments equal $1,100, 00O, 900; an
nual Social Security costs total
1920, 100000.
In the year just ended, the in
stitution of life insurance paid out
in actual cash the staggering sum
of $2,70O,00O,0O0 = the largest pay
envelope of any single business in
the world. Wages paid by textile
industries amounted to $1,4OO, OOO,-
600; railroads, $1,450, 900, 900; ma
chinery manufacturers, 81, 200, O0O,-
900 and the iron and steel indus
tries, $1,O50,OOO,OOO. 1t is the
ability of a business to pay off in
cold cash that is most vital to its
existence, for it puts money into
the pockets of the people and keeps
industry and commerce moving.
Last year life insurance paid to
living policyholders, $1,70O, 00O, 00C
= dollars returned directly to the
people who had saved them in the
secure treasury of life insurance
The dollars saved returned to the
depositor, often times MANIFOLD.
This sum could buy 100000
shares of General Motors stock; or
100000 farms at $500 each, or
could build 100000 homes at $4,000
each, or could provide college edu-
cation for 100000 boys and girls,
or buy 2,125,OO0 automobiles at
$500 each. The people of America
are finding each year that no mat
ter what may be the records of
other investments, life insurance
always and without fail pays divi-
dends and return the principal
whenever needed or wanted.
In 1910 life insurance paid to
beneficiaries of policlholders ST.
0O0,OOO,00O in order that they
might have funds and income to
replace the incomes stopped by the
death of a provider. This sum
could feed and clothe 100000
families for year.
The trust placed in life insurance
by the American people is large
trust, a high trust. It cannot be
betrayed. These people have laid
by a great emergency fund for the
future. AS does no other force
in the nation, life insurance strives
practically to keep alive the ideals
on which America was founded by
helping men and women to be
Independent and to keep them free
in every sense Of the word "free-
DOM"
Buried for 36 hours in the debris
of four-story house in London, a
dog emerged unhurt.