Mr. Charles Evans Hughes was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and an exponent of realistic liberalism within the evolving framework of the U. S constitutional government. His long and varied career included numerous and substantial contributions to the development of law, the improvement of government and the continued progress of American society.
Less well known, outside insurance circles, was the fact that he served in 1905 as Chief Counsel to the Armstrong Insurance Committee in connection with its investigation of insurance operations in the State of New York. The success of this investigation was largely due to his efforts and creative direction. A major revision of the insurance law in New York State resulted, and other states took similar actions. The end product was to set the stage for increased self-control within the insurance industry. This was a milestone in the coming of age of the insurance business and contributed to its readiness to effectively serve the needs of 20th century American society.