New-York tribune., 1922-05-22
sweeping Changes TO Be
Made in \. y. PostoMce
Methods Of Handling
yaluables : Police to Aid
TO Put E~-Convic,s
Out of the Service
Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Bartlett Finds Old
Plan Easy for Thieves


ranplete ard vigorous me;hoaz 10
,.sreat any further thests froa tie
.,s;l; saea as tae $l.i7,.Soo ooaG rob
b,ry IN the General postoalce la,
gul, and TIE So.00ooo0 hold-up at
srsadsay and Leonard Street the
following 0c,ooer will De taken b.
The poatal authorities within the ,lox.
..r days This WIS indicated yostcr-
d.y BIZ First Assistant Postmaster Gca-
e-al John II Bartlett, who arrived from
Washington Saturday evening 20 20
ever in pcrsoi. tne cltcumetauces cou-
.sc.ed w.th t~c arrests made Thurs
day In ,Ae postoif.ce robbery plo>.
NAL wagons carrying valuablcs VIII
hereafter move about the streets only
.rder the mos' rigid rules. Violation
q these rules wilt bring tne arrest o.
ne driver. The first rulc, Mr. Bart
let. said is tina, mail wagons carrying
registered packages. known as "wiro
s,een' wagons, must move over def
rite routes and none other These
.oates arc auown to the driver ard
% the police. Every policeman IS to
k.ow when these mail wagons are
supposed TO move along his beat and
Sae:e they are going. Il he finds a
wagon OF the set path or at any other
nan the designated time he is TO ar-
rest the driver at once.
The October street hold-up never
would have occurred, MIR. Bartlett said,
l. this rule had beer in force.
Loose Methods in Postoffice
As to the conditions inside tho post
osces, Mr.. Bartlett said that there
lad grown up certain laXity that
must be remedied to obtain greater
,sciency. He had found in his brief
hve stigation since he has been here,
!. said, that the rule requiring
els,k to have ten years of trustworthy
service to lis credit before he shall
handle registry business was often
di,,ssarded. He felt, he said, that in
tais respect a postoffice should be like
bank, where much care is exercised
in choosing men to handle money.
Small clerks without experience should
10. be found in the money cages.
Mr., Bartlett also said that it might
be found advisable to recommend 20
tre Tressury Department that the Gen
Gal postoece and many of the
branches be reconstYucted along the
Inc. OF Interior bank architecture. He
would have the same types Of protective
ages where valuabes are handled. A
million dollars in gold from abroad,
contained in little boxes one could put
guarded WiHdow lay on the counters
during his visit yesterday, he said, at
he main Office.
Ia addition, the Postoffice Depart
1ent may ash for return of the
United States marine guards, or men
of the regular army, for sentry duty
N the busy postofiices here.
EaConvicts in Service
Nh Bartlett directed the postoHice
.spectors YESTERDAY TO make a fine
s''tins Of all Of the FACTS surrounding
'he stealing Of the $lt77,8OO sack from
me registry room OF the main postof-
nee iast July. He said that even
,aough 1t were d small bank mailbag,
nevertheless was rather large pack
sse FOR any clerk to take out Of the
registry room in the presence Of tho
guards
More detailed and accurate means
.aust also be found, Mr.. Bartlett said,
.v .S' Identifying employees. He said
,aal II forty-nine men with criminal
cords mad been able to secure post
'aaee Jobs out Of total of 600 new
vap'oyees within the last three months,
,A"se strict Investigations must be
s"i .aae. Inc forty nine are guilty Of
psi!ufy' having sworn that they had
'eser ~, been convicted Of crime.
am here 20 study the problem per-
,,oaaliy and at close range" Mr.. Bart
WV sad "Provision must be made to
s.. s..a'e general Tightening up of pro-
TSsuon for the mails. Conditions in
."s York are peculiar to the town and
s..e not found elsewhere. The great
siaahgea that have occurred everyw here
s.aee the war have been very marked
~ Ihe PostoiIice Department, and it is
''0oaoIe that there will have to be
t0satinued on pese tcurtsen)