Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-07
P. N. GENERAL new
ASKS DEATH FOR
us, mail BANDITS

Washington, Dec. CD - The
death penalty for mail bandits is a
requirement for the carrying on of
master General New said today in
his annual report to President Cool
idge.
He urged that Congress enact
drastic legislation to impose the ex-
IRENE sentence upon any man who
undertakes to rob the mails by fire
arms Or who places the lives OF
postal employees in jeopardy.
Attacks on the mails by bandit
gangs have become so frequent, he
said. and the methods employed have
become SO ruthless, that 1T is the
unqualified opinion of the POST
master General that more drastic
punishment should be provided by
law for offenders in cases of this
character" The report did not men,
ton the specific bandit holdups
which caused him recently to ask
that the United States Marines be
called out to guard the mails, with
orders to shoot to kill.
Notwithstanding the depredations
of criminals on the orderly workings
of his department, the Postmaster
General reported steadily increas-
ing business with a corresponding
| lowering of the deficit which to date
has been returned yearly. He noted
progress in handling the mails by
air, train, motor vehicle and other
means of transportation. and assert
ed that despite the expansion of the
service and the $70,000,000 raise in
postal salaries. actual expenditures
last year exceeded revenues by only
$19,972,379.
Had it not been for the salary in
creases, Mr.. New said, operations for
| the year would have shown an actual
surplus, and this despite the fact
that new postal rates produced less
than half enough to meet the salary
raises.
! Actually, with adjustments on ac-
count of undischarged obligations
for the fiscal year 1925. civil SER
vice retirement fund requirements
| and 1926 obligations outstanding, the
Postmaster General fixed eXpendi-
| lures and ,undischarged liabilities at
$697, 725,919. producing an operating
| deficit of $37,906,1lS, compared with
$49,453,090 a year ago.
MIR. New accompanied his report
with a number of other recon-
| mendations, including one which
| would exclude fire. arms from the
| mails, and another which would
have II postmasters classified under
the civil service and the four yeai
term of Presidential appointments
| abolished. Under the present law
| only fourth class postmasters are
| classified. Recommendation was also
| made for the restoration of the l.
| cent rate on private mailing or post
| cards, and for the reduction of rates
! on publications mailed by the gen
eral public to .1-cent for each two
| ounces, regardless of distance.
1t was noted in the report that the
per capita expenditure of the United
States for postage was $4.97 as COM
pared with $4.69 the previous year.
Illustrating that the public Is care
less in using the mailing privileges,
| more than 100000 unbelievable
letters found their way to the dead
letter office, and $5,530,256 in checks,
money, and money orders was con-
tanned in them.
Plas have been laid for lighting
the entire transcontinental air mail
| route, the report said, and when
that is completed a schedule will be
arranged to permit departure from
both termini after the close of the
business day, instead of in the
morning as at present. Operation of
the route by private enterprise is
being sought.
The slight increase in pound rates
on the advertising sections of news
papers and magazines to certain
zones had no deterrent effect in the
ever increasing volume Of such
matter, according to Mr.. New. On
the contrary he said the total mail
ings Of second class matter at the