The record-union., 1899-11-27

gency, has been "boning scrap" as it
is called. Against such a man the plebe
stands no chance. He knows it before
going out
The fight takes place usually in Fort
Clinton There are present principals,
seconds, time-keeperS and referee. Sen
tries are posted to see that the coast re-
mains clear. The sentries on guard in
camp are instructed as to when the
fighters will cross their posts and dill
gently look the other way at that time.
AS a rule the fights occur before re-
veille, at about 4 a. M, and seldom last
long. The inevitable soon happens. The
first round is spent in sizing up the
plebe, and in the second the slaughter
begins. Often it ends in this round.
Sometimes it lasts longer. 1t depends
on the yearling fighter. If he is mer-
ciful it ends at once; if more brutal, he
takes care to prOlong it. He wishes to
cut up his opponents face all he can
before giving the final blow. When he
does not follow this course he is sub
ject to severe criticism from the more
brutal minds in his class, sometimes
the class President himself
and wins, it means simply that he
will have to fight man after man until
finally whipped. If the corps cannot
find a man who is able to do it the
plebe is left alone thereafter.
The men who bring about this call
ing OUT of the plebe seldom fight. Tney
take care to haze men who are too big
for them or too small. These they bully
with impunity because they know no
danger is in store for themselves AS
rule it is the understood man who car
ries hazing to the extreme, though TINS
rule has plenty of exceptions.
Another thing to be noted is that the
plebe cannot call OUT man even If
he should wish. If it were possible, that
is, if corps customs allowed it, there
would be little or none of this "exer-
cise'' suffered, and there would be less
inflicted because of fear of personal
harm. AS it is, the plebe never has a
chance to get at the ones he would
gladly meet in Fort Clinton In short,
the plebe has no chance. 1t is intended
that he shall have none.
The outcome of these fights is always
more or less serious. Sometimes broken
JdWDOHeS are tliS IeSull, anu lIeQuSAi'''
the bones of the hands are fractured
The fights, be it remembered are WITH
out gloves. The unprotected hand IL
used in a match governed by Marquis
of Queensber-y rules. The whipped
party almost always reports at the nos
pital.
In view of all this, the fact that the
authorities fail to stop these abuses
causes much surprise. That they know
of their existence: that they are trying
to put them down and yet are unable
to locate and pin to anyone the per-
petration of particular offense are
undisputed facts.
Order after order has been issued III
relation to the matter. Threats, ap-
peals to manhood and honor alike have
the same results. Nothing definite IS
effected. Could an upper classman be
detected in any of his work his days
in the academy would be numbered.
But. there the difficulty lies. Ihe
plebe will not tell; he cannot, dare not
tell The yearling pats him on the
back and compliments him when ne
deees the commandant, and in pure
delight eagles him some more. =.
is not ''cadet honor" which restralns
him from revealing the names of men
whose brutal characteristics proclaim
them unfit for service in the United
States army. 1t is rather fear of what
would follow and the innate shrinking
of any man from being a tale-bearer.