The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-11-09
SHOOT TO KILL SAYS
ORDER TO NAH. CLERKS
Marines Assigned to Duty of Protect
ing Trains, Trucks and Postofiices
in Fifteen Cities
OPEN WARFARE ON CROOKS
United States Mails Will Be Taken
Care of Regardless of Cost ard
Sacrifice, Says Hays.

Washington, Nov. 8.-With orders
to shoot to kill if necessary to prevent
mail robbcrics, 1000 marines were or
dered to duty today as guards of mail
trains and trucks and at postoi1ices
IN fifteen cities. The men will be
armed with pistols, and sawed-off
shotguns, Postmaster General Hays
announced after a conference with
Major Gen. Lejeune, commandant of
the marine corps. The marines are to
be replaced eventually, he said, by
special 1orce recruited from the postal
service.
Arrangements for the services Of
the marines, the Postmaster General
sand, were made with the Secretary of
Navy: The matter was discussed at
today's cabinet meeting, and President
Harding is saiG to have expressed ap-
proval of Mr.. Hays plan to checking
loot of the mails.
The Postmaster General also an
nounced that as a result of the recent
New York robbery, orders had been
issued suspending from the service
three New York post official
-EllJah MI. Norris, superinten lent of
mails; Henry Lippman, superintendent
of registry, and Walter S. MAYER, su-
perintendent of money orders.
Will Board Trains
Some of the marines. Gen. Lcieune
said, would board trains tonight. and
within twcnty-four hours would be on
guard on practically all trains, in the
country carrying valuable mail. Men
for duty in the East, South and Cen
tral 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 Island, Cal.
Among the cities to which they will
York, PHILADELPHIA, Cleveland, Rich
mon, Atlanta, Chicago, st. Louis, Min
neapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, San
francisco and Los Angeles Tcle-
grams were dispatched tonight by the
Postoflicc Department instructing
postmasters and postal inspectors at
these, points to cooperate with the
guards.
Declaring that it was proposed to
protect the United States mails "to
the last postal card regardless Of cost
and sacrifice" Mr.. Hayes said he
wanted it known that the Postonice
department had declared "open war
fare on the crooks and bandits of the
country"
During the twelve months ended
last April 8, according to Mr.. HAYS a
total of $6,30O,OOO was stolen from the
mails, but in the six months follow
ing the announcement that postal en-
pl0yes would be armed the total stolen
fell to $31S,8G9.
The advisablity of cnacting lcgis-
latlonl authorizing the government to
pay death benefits to the families of
postal employees slain by bandits is
understood to have been discussed to-
AS further deterrent to mail rob
berries. Attorney General Daughcrtv
has suggested to the district attor-
neys in the various States that the
courts be urged to impose heavier
sentences where convictions are OBJ
tanned for mail robberics, Mr.. Duugh
crty expressed the opinion that the
widespread unemployment was respon-
slDie Tor much of the crime in the
country. Men being out of worJ, are
more likely to break the laws than
those employed, he said