The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-28
OPPOSED TO HAZING.
General Wesley Merritt Objects to
West Point Methods

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New York. Jan. 2S.-Hazing at West
Point j. discussed BY Major General
Wesley Merritt, II. S. A., in Leslie's
Weekly. General Merritt was formerly
superintendent CT the United States
military academy. He says in part:
When was a cadet at West Point
from 1855 to 1860, was opposed to haz-
ing. both as a plebe' and as an upper
class man, though had to endure a
good deal of what was termed tyank-
ing. That consisted Of pulling a sleep
ing cadet out of bed and dropping him
on the floor This as a. rule did no
harm, though I remember one fellow
cadet who was rather seriously hurt
sYanking' amounted only to a pleas
antry, OF course, but it was annoying
and unjust when added to all the hard
work that the splebeS' were required to
perform through the day.
II recollect that three Of us occupied
a tent together and that we took turns
in sleeping in the most exposed position.
That was in the bed at the front of the
tent. One night, when was awarded
what was considered the safest place,
the bed at the rear, I sank to sleep with
a blissful sense Of security. The next
thing that I knew I was flying through
the air and landed Jarrlngly on my
back. Another form of hazing in those
days consisted of the unInereiful chaft-
ing of new men, but always endeav-
ored to give back as much as re-
ceived.
Fighting, in the sense of today, had
not been Instituted then There was no
sscrapping committee and cOmbats be-
tween representatives of classes We're
IFnheard of. During my whole time at
West Point had but one fight and that
was with a fellow claSSman over a per-
sonal matter. The new kind Of fighting
is to be unsparingly condemned. as the
man who has been at West Point a
year, and has been training all that
time is sure to be better qualified for a
al I11 a r,f
same height and weight who is fresh
from home. For this reason a fight be-
tween a. 'plebe' and a. second year S man
amounts to a piece of brutality
There are a great many army officers
though there were more formerly than
at present-who heartily favor hazlng; on
the principle that it is in the interest of
discipline and teaches the future officer
to obey without hesitation. One of the
chief difficulties that / encountered when
superintendent of the academy. from 1882
to 1887, was that quite a number Of the
posed to my views on hazing-so much
So in fact, that I could not obtain their
cheerful acquiescene in what was try
ing to do to stop the practice
Il found, to put the matter plainly, that
I had to deal with old cranks' and young
'cranlSs.' The older ones were some Of
the members Of the academic board, and
they knew It ALL For the first three
years I was very much interested in my
work During the last two years there
was so little cooperation with me in my
efforts to abolish hazing that I became
tired OF the post, and was glad when my
appointment as a general officer relieved
me of the superintendancy-
will hazing ever be stopped at West
Point? Not unless drastic measures are
employed. The superintendent must be
a man who IS bitterly opposed to hazing
and / believe Colonel Mills thoroughly
meets the requirement. When he makes
a recommendation to the war department
to dismiss q cadet from the service, that
recommendation should be promptly and
favorably acted upon.
When a young man goes to West Point
g f-cc ms q
he is certain to be hazed- Distinctions In
social standing are never made on ac-
count OF family. position wealth. I
remember that the most popular man in
my class Of forty-f1ve years ago was one
who, upon his arrival at West Point. re-
ported his family as being in INDECENT cir
cumstances- He was very kindly treated
by ALL George Vanderbilt, son of Com
modore Vanderbilt. was put through the
PAGES with great rigor-"