The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1951-08-18
More Racial Discrimination
BY D. E LONCLEY

AsAVAN xASxNAWA UkCNI 1llklll0lIUlA
By D. E LONCLEY
Someone in the Home Office was kind
enough to place clipping from a maya
zine on my Nesk; the subject of which is
as follows: RULES WISCONSIN STATE
LIFE FUND CAN TURN DOWN NEGRO
RISKS"
l am not familiar with the Wisconsin
State Life Fund, but from reading the ar
ucle, 1T seems that it is State Life Insur-
ance plan operated under the direction of
the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance
and to be administered without liability
to or subsidy from the State" At any rate,
1t seems that Milwaukee Negro applied
for life insurance with the concern and
his application was rejected (quote) "be-
cause of the higher morality rate of the
Negro race as compared with whites
makes the former substandard risk" lend
quote).
The article continues as follows: "The
ruling was made by Judge Sachtjen of
Dane County Circuit Court in case start
ed by James Rancher. who had been re-
fused $1,000 State Fund policy. The de-
cision of the State Life Fund, Judge Sacht-
len said, is not based in any way on pref
udice or hostility to the Negro race, but
solely because of their higher mortality
rate No question of Constitutional rights
was involved, the Court held
Rancher previously had filed suit in
Federal Court against the Wisconsin Com
missioner and other State officials to de-
termine the Constitutionality Of the 1911
wisconsin, law under which Negroes are
classed as substandard risks. The Court
said that private companies also classify
members of races other than caucasian as
substandard risks and legally refuse them
insurance at premiums based on the Amer
lean Mortality Experience Table Figures
were cited from 1910 Census Bureau tab
ulation showing the higher mortality rate
among Negroes over whites. Private COM
panies that insure Negroes differentiate
between them and white persons by charg-
ing higher premiums, allowing smaller
commission to agents, applying a stricter
policy or limiting solicitation.
Judge Sachtjen said (quote) ''The State
Life Fund is very small in comparison to
private companies and it is financially un-
sound for small organization such as the
State Life Fund to depart from the ac-
copied underwriting practices. Commits
sioner LANCE must keep the Life Fund SOL
vent, which of course can be done only by
careful selectio of risks" END quote)
NOTE: (The following is my comment.
right or wrong, it's my conviction.)
1. | am not an actuary or statishcian,
but nobody can ever convince me that a
mans race has anything whatsoever, to
do with whether he lives long life or a
short one. If Negroes as whole have a
higher mortality ratio than whites it is Tin
my opinion) due entirely to the differ
ence in living stadards Of Negroes as con-
trasted with the living standards of white
people. Race prejudice, and the resulting
discrimination and segregation, is respon-
sible for most Negroes dying little ear
lier than white people. You can't expect
people who live in slums and second hand.
ed houses full of germs from former white
tenants and owners, to live as long as white
people who live in healthy environments
Race prejudice keeps people from earn
ing enough to buy proper food, clothes and
adequately heated residences. Subject
white people to these situations and they
will die much faster than Negroes com
paratively.
2. If the Negro passed the required
physical tests successfully, should ne have
been rejected solely because he has Negro
blood? Does it make sense to you?