The New York herald., 1921-02-20
AFTERMATH OF WAR
High Cost of Whiskey and
Labor Unemployment
Listed Among Causes.
PROTECTION DISTRIBUTED
'We Usually Get Our Men,
Warns Chief Sutton in
Interview.
Special Despatch to TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Feb. 10.

Special Despatch to TIE New YORK HEsALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. G.. Feb. 10.
There is a nationwide plot on foot,
centrally directed. for the wholesale
robbery of mail trains post offices and
post Office wagons 1t was disclosed
to-day by George NJ. Sutton. Chief Of
he Postal Inspection Service es an
aftermath OF the holdups in Toledo,
when S400, 900 loot was obtained from
wagon on Thursday last, and on the
Northern Pacific Railroad neae Min
neapolis on Friday night with loss
estimated at several hundred thousand
dollars.
Evidence gathered in preliminary in
vestigations of these cases and Nners
that have occurred IN the lass few
months Mr.. Sutton said, indicates that
4 bandit ring is in operation with
network throughout the United Stgtes
II am confident we will sooD be f'ble
10 break up the nationwide organfra-
ton Of post Office burglars and otper
criminals who are planning ourgiarss
at many points" he said. There IS
robbed the Toledo post office wagon
soon will be caught"
There has been a sharp increase IN
the number of post Office and mail train
robberies the Post Office records show,
but the officials insist that this is but
one phase OF the crime wave. which mas
been on throughout the country during
the last few months. The increase In
mail robberies Is less, they say, than
in other lines, that is, banks, trust COM
panies and various financial institutions
Exact figures as to the number or
most office and mail train robberies are
not available for recent months, but
lie officials said to-day that during the
last fiscal year ended June 30 there
we're 3.145 arrests for violation OF the
postal laws. OF which 535 were on ac-
count OF post Office and mail train rob-
herfes. The expectation is that at the
present rate the number will be ex-
ceeded this year. or the arrests 1917
we're of persons outside the post Office
service.
on the evidence that there Is plot
nationwide In It's scope for the robbery
of post offices and mail trains the en-
tire force OF the postal inspection SER
vice has been placed in strategic posi-
tions throughout the country ready to
follow any trail that develops. Mail
clerks have been warned that the scheme
Il on and they are on the lookout for
attempts at robbery.
1T is difficult to find the exact rea-
son for the crime wave" Mr.. Sutton
said II am inclined to think II is one
Of the aftermaths of the war. A great
many men who were In the military
service have not returned to their old
homes and are knocking about the
cities. The fact that they have been
specially trained in the use OF firearms
may be responsible for some OF the
crime Further. there are many other
things that may be responsible--the un-
employment situation and even the high
cost Of whiskey.
II think the postal service has Jared
better than banks. Where there was
one bank robbery last year there have
been FIVE during the present year. Fur
fher. the losses have not been so great
As reported in specific instances. am
sure there has been tremendous exag-
geration.
II want to say this, too" Mr.. Sutton
continued. that we usually get our
men"