The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-31
So Says Secretary Long in a Let
ter TO the House Naval
Committee.
NO COMPLAINTS OF HAzING.
Thinks the Inquiry at West Point
Will Have Good Effect at the
Naval Academy-DOes Not
Seek to Avert Action.

Washington. Jan 3o.-secretary Long has
addressed the following letter to the House
Naval Committee. relative to the pending
resolution touching hazing at Annapolis:
Navy Department. Washington. d. c.,
Jan. 90. I3O1.-Sir: I have the honor 10
acknowledge the receipt Of resolution in
troduced by Mr.. Sherman relative 10 a pro-
posed investigation of a practice Of hazing
at the Naval Academy. and asking the
views OF the department thereon.
II reply. permit me to inclose a cory
OF letter which I wrote to Mr.. Sherman
on learning that he had introduced this
bill. also copy OF a report to me by the
wrote in anticipation Of the present request
for the views of the department, in order
that / might have all available informa-
ton in the premises.
II need not repeat that both the de-
partment and the superintendent would, as
stated in my letter TO Mr.. Sherman, well
come any investigation II should be borne
in mind. however. that such an invesiiga-
ton will necessarily tend very much to
demoralize the academy for the time being,
and probably for the rest of the spring
term, interrupting the course OF study.
No Complaints Have Been Made.
al ought to say further that no COM
have been Secretary of the Navy, so far
as / now recall. of any hazing at the
academy. This. to me, is significant. be-
cause parents and friends are always ex-
tremely and properly sensitive in case Of
any hardship or wrong. and had any sucn
case existed al the academy 1 feel conf
dent that complaint would have been made.
1T Is also noticeable that since the in
PRODUCTION of Mr.. Sherman's resolutions no
such compiaint-indeed. no word at all.
with reference TO any practice of hazing at
the academy-has come to me- cannot
help thinking that IL there were occasion
for investigation / should have received
some suggestion OF this kind. especially
after the general interest created by the
West Point investigation, and after Mr..
Sherman's resolution had called public at
tention to the Naval Academy.
Il may be permitted to say, also. that
consideration should be given the general
rule that an investigation Is not usually
ordered unless the foundation Is laid for IL
and 1t is presumed that the committee
would require this
No Necessity for Investigation.
II suggest, further, that, before final ac-
mon the superintendent TO appear before
Il. and that. IL need be. a subcommittee
of the committee visit Annapolis, where
every facility WILL OF course. be open to
determination whether there is justification
for formal investigation.
view to avsit an investigation II Congress
shall deem 1t desirable, in which case the
department. superintendent. and all the on
GERS will heartily cooperate In making 1t
thorough and complete. From the best
Information ! can get. however, the prac-
tice of hazing has BEEN as the
superintendent states. so minimized
by the better public sentiment
of late years. and the result Of the recent
at West Point will undoubt-
edly tend still further to emphasize the
sentiment Of the public and of the students
themselves against the practice, that an In
vestigati ton az the Naval Academy does not
seem to be required, unless foundation
therefor shall be laid as above suggested.
Very respectfully.
JOHN d. LONG.
secretary.