William Cox Redfield to Woodrow Wilson

Responding to your letter of the 20th instant, with which was enclosed one to you from Mr. George M. La Monte, Commissioner of Banking and Insurance of the State of New Jersey, dated the 19th instant, permit me to advise as follows.

The suggestion made that “some kind of an open policy” should be used by the marine insurance companies whereby the actual time of the movements of vessels could be concealed seems to me a good one. I am not sufficiently familiar with the details of marine insurance practice to say how it should be worked out, but something of the kind in one or another form already exists, and I think there would be no insuperable obstacle in putting the plan into practice.
The suggestion also made that the marine insurance companies can themselves say how secrecy can be secured, or responsibility fixed, seems to me a good one.
The third suggestion as to re–insurance has force.
My thought would be that, since the Treasury Department has already experience in dealing with insurance matters and is now considering development of that great subject, it would be well for them to call a conference, perhaps a private conference, of men well–known in the marine insurance field with whom the matter could be discussed. I have no doubt such a conference would be fruitful.
I return Mr. La Monte's letter and regret that I am not able to write more definitely.

Yours very truly,

William C. Redfield


Secretary.
The President,
The White House,
Washington, D. C.