The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-17
Evidence Of Brutality
and Cowardice.
House Passes the River and
HarbOr Bill.

Washington, January 10 "A final vote
upon the pending army reorganizati on
bill be taken by the Senate at four
O'Clock Friday under the terms OF an
agreement reached today. The feature of
the debate on the bill was this denunola-
tion OF the practice OF hazing at West
Point military academy. Mr. Allen, MIR.
Money and MIR. MoCumber declare it to
be an evidence OF brutality and cowardice.
Consideration OF the army re-organiza-
tion bill twas resumed after some minor
matters had bsed acted on, Mr.. Teller
moved to strike ont that paragraph OF
the bill which empowered the President
to place on the retired list any officer who
has been suspended from duty by sentence
OF court martial. or ny executive order
In mitigation OF such sentence.
The amendments was accepted by the
committee ana 1t was agreed to.
MIR. Carter then asked that a final vote
upon the bill and ell the amendments
then pending, be- taken at O'Clock to-
morrow.
Mr.. Allen said that for the time being
he would objsot although subsequently,
he might withdraw his objection.
Mr.. AIlen,then entered upon an eStend-
ed discussion of the penuing measure
declaring his opposition to 1t In any form
1t might be presented SIN the course OF his
remarks, MIR. Allen described vigorously
the situation at West Point as brought
out by the investigation. He declared
that brutality had been develored at West
Point which ought not to be expected to
exist among barharians.
"Ihis thing called hazing prize fight
ing," exclaimed Mr.. Allen. why ths
prize tighter is a gentleman compared
with some some Of those young rutiians
at West Point. Indeed, life has been lost
recently"
AS brief review of the Booz case, Mr..
Allen declared that the first thing
fourth class man met.at West Point was
brutal assault and humiliating indignity.
"And these things, shouted Mir. Allen,
take place Within the knowledge of the
officers OF the institution. These new
cadets are compelled to eat soap, they
are compelled to get down on their knees
and jump like frog, and they are COM
peIIed to endure other indignities which
| would not dare In this presence to
mention.
"Some OF the regular army officers say
hazing cannot be helped-that 1t cannot
be prevented. You place one Of the old
volunteer officers at the head of that in
stitution and in six weeks he will put
a stop to 1t or there will be some dead
cadets there.
''rhis brutal outrage ought to be sup
pressed and 1t can be suppressed. boy
or man, he who will use his supsrior
strength In humiliatlng or brutally treat
ing a weaker person is q coward. And
yet, this bill encourages and supports
West Point as at present conducted.
"I have information which leads me IL
believe that hazing at West Point is re-
sorted to for the purpose OF forcing out
of the institution cadets appointed from
civil life In order TO make room for the
sons of army officers. And If they can
not force out the cadet by humiliation
and intimidation, they prescribe course
of examination which Is In their own
hands and which they could not pass
themselves and thus force the prescribed
cadet from the school.
MIR. Gallinger interrupted to say that
tina testimony taken by the Investigating
| &C mmittee showed that young Grant and
young Sheridan had been hazed quite as
seriously as any others.
Mr.. Money of Mississippi declared that
the hazing had never teen warranted
and that ne knew Of some cadets who had
been hazed to the point Of danger.
"They were hazed to degree, said Mr..
Money, with deep feeling, "that would
nave warranted the hazed in killing the
hazers. -