The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-11-13
MR.. HAYS TAKES ACTION
TO PREVENT FURTHER
ROBBERIES
TRAVEL ON TRAINS
Orders Men To Shoot To Kill If
Necessary To Protect Reg
istered Letters.-Means
Pusiness, He Says.

Washington, Nov. l2-WiUh orders
to shoot to kill if necessary to pre-
vent mail robberies, 1000 marines
were ordered to duty today as guards
Of mail trains and trucks and at post
offices in Is cities. The men win Be
armed with pistols and sawed-ofr shot
guns, P0stmaster-Gencral Hays an
nounced after a conference with Mai.
Gen. Lejeunc, commandant Of the
marine corps, The marines are to be
replaced eventually, he said By a spe-
cial force recruited from the postal
service.
Arrangements for the services Of
the marines, the postmaster-gencral
said, were made with the secretary Of
the navy. The matter was discussed
at today's cabinet meeting and Prcsi-
dent Harding is said to have express
ed approval Of Mr.. Hays plan 10
check looting Of the malls.
The postmaster-general also an.
nounced that as a result Of the recent
New York robbery orders had been is
sued suspending from the service
three New York postofIice officials
Elijah NJ Norris, superintendent Of
mails; Henry Lippman, superintend.
cnt Of registry and Walter s. Mayer,
superintendent of money orders.
Investigation Of the New York rob-
berry, Mr., Hays declared in 4 formal
will be continued, "as the
matter has not yet been sufficiently
developed to enable US to know def
nitely whether or not there are others
guilty Of definite dereliction Of duty"
The robbery, he added, Should have
been and could have beer prevented"
Some of the marines, Gen. Lejeune
said, viii board trains touight, ard
within "a hours wuahi DC on guard on
all trains IN the country
carrying valuable mail Men for duty
in the east, south and central west,
he said, would come from the marine
corps post at Quantico, Va, while
those for service in the west would
report from San Diego and Mare Is
and, Cal.
Among the cities to which they viii
be sent for duty are Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Rich
nond, Atlanta, Chicago, st. Louis,
Kansas City, Dallas, San
francisco and Los Angeles.
kilograms were dispatched tonight
,y the post Office department instruct
ng postmasters and postal Inspectors
It these points to cooperate with the
,uard.
Declaring that il was proposed to
,rotect the United States mails ito
he last postal card, regardless Of cost
nd sacrifice" Mr.. Hays said he want
a it known that the postofiice de-
artmeut had declared open warfare
n the crooks and bandits Of the
guntry."
During the ~ months ended last
.pril Q, according to Mr.. Hays, to-
al Of S6,3OO,0O0 was stolen from the
rails. but in the six months following
he announcement that the postal en-
loyes would be armed the total Stol>
n fell to S3lS.s69.
The advisability Of cnactinE legiS-
.tion authorizing the government to
ay death benefits to the families Of
ostal employees slain by bandits is
nderstood 10 have been discussed to-
ly by the cabinet.
As a further deterrent 10 mail rob-
rrics Attorney General naugherty
as suggested 90 the district attor-
eys in the various states that the
,urts be urged to impose heavier
where convictions are OBJ
.incd for mail r0bberies.