U.S. BANDITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 252, 23 October 1926, Page 9

U.S. BANDITS.

WASHINGTON DECLARES WAR. SPECIAL GUARDS FOR MAILS. (Received 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, October 22. Washington has declared war on train robbers and automobile bandits. General Smedley Butler has taken charge of a special corps of 2500 marines, who will in future guard mails and money shipments by motor car through the country. These guards have orders to shoot to kill. Bandits have obtained 15,000,000 dollars in robberies during the last five years, though most of this sum was finally recovered, only one robbery out of twenty proving successful from th<? thieves' standpoint.— (Sydney "Sun.")

Motor car bandits held up a mail van in Elizabeth City, New Jersey, recently, killing the driver, and seizing £60,000. The outrage was discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet, the President stating that the practice of sending armed marines with valuable mails would have to be resumed. The Postmaster-General

issued a statement which reads: "If it takes the Army and Navy to do it the United States mails must be protected and the lives of employees safeguarded. It should be made a capital offence to attack mails with arms, and I propose to recommend Congress that legislation be passed to that effect. Any man who does it has a murderous intent, and the world is a good deal better off without him."