Library Collections: Document: Full Text

It had been prophesied by enemies of the bill and feared by its advocates that only a relatively small percentage of the men in service would take out insurance. The Bureau embarked on a vigorous selling campaign. The military organization, the Red Cross, insurance agents, and other bodies were enlisted in pushing the sale of policies. An officer in every camp was placed in charge of the work. Two hundred experienced agents, under the direction of Willard D. Straight, were sent to France to conduct the sale of policies overseas. Table II shows the progress of the sales campaign. (33) The time limit was extended from February 12 to April 12 to allow Major Straight an opportunity to reach all sections of the overseas forces. The two months of extra time therefore allowed five billion dollars more of insurance to be issued.

By February 18, 90 per cent of the men in military service within the United States had taken out policies. The remarkable way in which the men in the army camps responded is shown in Table III. (34) These figures show how false were the gloomy prophecies that not over a quarter of the men would take out insurance.

TABLE II

TABLE III

The average-size policy issued is one of approximately $8,100. The fact that so overwhelming a majority of the men in service have taken out insurance removes all excuse for further service pension acts. Though no figures have been computed showing the average policy per officer as compared with the average policy per enlisted man, the fact that the general average so closely approached the maximum indicates that the difference between officers and men cannot be marked. This refutes the opinion advanced by Mr. Chamberlain that a $5,000 insurance policy would seem entirely unnecessary to most of the enlisted men. (35)

V. SUMMARY

This act is more comprehensive and liberal than that of any other belligerent country. It not only protects the family of the man in service and compensates them should he die or be totally disabled, but protects the single man as well who has been disabled. The man who is partially disabled is given a money grant as well as every inducement and opportunity to educate himself. It affords, moreover, an opportunity for the enlisted man to provide greater protection for his family by offering him insurance at low rates. Children who upon reaching eighteen years would pass from under the compensation provisions can now be insured a good education. Brothers and sisters can be provided for as well. In short, the act enables the standard of living of the families of men in service to be maintained and in some cases actually to be raised.

The more ultimate effects of the act are no less striking. It removes the necessity and should remove the possibility of both disability and service-pension legislation. That it will work a revolution in the insurance business of the country is evident. The insurance on the books of the Bureau on April 6 was nearly four times as great as that of the largest commercial life insurance company in the world and more than one-half of the total amount of life insurance carried by private companies in the United States. (36) With the addition of future drafts the amount will swell still further. Within a year probably between twenty and thirty billions of dollars of insurance will have been issued. Not only has the total amount of life insurance been increased in this fashion, but the average governmental policy is of an unprecedented size. The average sailor or soldier who has government insurance carries nearly five times as large a policy as does the average New York holder of life insurance.