Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-11-16
MARINES To CHECK
MAIL TRAIN RAIDS
Pesident Harding Approves Plan
for Armed Guards.
NOW MILITARY PROPOSITION
"DeViI Dogs" With sawed-on Shot
guns, TO Ride on Trucks and
Trains Carrying Valuable Mail
Matter, Says Hays.

NhShluElon, NOV. y. - HfeSluent
Harding and his cabinet ordered the
marines 10 guard United States mails
from bandits. Within "a hours as
many devil dogs" as are needed for
the service will be riding on every
train and mail truck which carries
valuable mail and stationed at every
point where valuable mail Is handled.
They will have instructions TO shoot
20 Kill.
Orders were telegraphed by Post
master General Hays and Major Gen
eral Leieune. commandment of the ma
rine corps. inStructing detachments Of
marines To report az once 10 the post
masters and mail superintendent az
13 large cities where the bulk of
valuable mail is handled
Jobs for 1000 Veterans.
Under the plan the marines viii
guard the mails until n permanent
force of more than 1000 former serv-
ice men who saw active fighting I'm the
World war can be organized TO take
their places.
Coincident with the announcement
Of plans 10 wage military warfare
against mail bandits. Postmaster Gen
eral Hays ordered the suspension of
three leading officials in the New
York city post office. They are
charged with dereliction Of duty IN
connection with the robbery of $1,000
600 worth Of registered mail recently
I'm the New York financial district.
The suspended officials are Elijah
NJ. Norris. superintendent Of mails:
Henry Lippman. superintendent Of
registry. and Walter s. Mayer. super
intendent If money orders. They were
ordered suspended as the result Of an
inves, lgation conducted by postal In
spectorS under orders Of Mr.. Hays.
Inexcusable, Says Hays.
ct was an absolutely lnexcusable
dereliction OF duty In New York said
the postmaster general. He added:
"The investigation win be contin-
ued. as the matter has not yet sufli-
GENTLY developed TO enable us 10 know
definitely whether or not there are
others guilty Of definite dereliction of
duty"
Asked whether the postal authori-
ties believe there was any collision
between postal employees and the
bandits I'm the New York robbery, Mr..
Hays said:
"we cannot say as yet whether 1t
was an inside or outside job"
The plan 10 have marines guard the
mails was laid before President Hard
ing and the other members Of the cab
met by the postmaster general. The
President and department heads gave
II full approval and Secretary DENLY
Immediately ordered General Leieune
10 issue the necessary instructions
and Secretary Weeks ordered the
army to equip the marines with sawed
of shotguns and ammunition.
In Federal Reserve Cities.
The marines will establish head
quarters In Boston, New York, Phlla-
delphia, Cleveland. Richmond, Attain
IA, Chicago, ST. Louis. Minneapolis,
Kansas City, Dallas, San Francisco
and Los Angeles. Federal reserve
banks are located I'm these cities and
large sums of money are sent through
the mails from them.
AS n further move 10 safeguard the
mails Postmaster General Hays or
dered that shipments of valuable mail
be consolidated, so that 1t can be more
easily guarded.
This is no longer a civil PROPOSE
ton" said Mr.. Hays. ut is military.
We have ordered open warfare on the
crooks and bandits Of this country.
The United States mails shall be pro-
tected 10 the last postal card, regard
less Of the cost and sacrifices"
1--WE are going TO do everything in
our power 20 aid the postmaster gen
eral to protect the mails TO the limit
Of the numbers of the marine corps"
said General Lejeune. IF more than
the 900 men that have been asked for
are needed. we viii use more. and the
men will guard the mails according
70 the traditions of the marine corps"