Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
A SEARCHING INQUIRY
Naval Academy to Be In
vestigated.
PROGRAM OF LEADERS
HOUSE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE
HEARINGS.
Representative Pearre Introduces
PROGRAM OF LEADERS
Representative Pearre Introduces a
observation-disclosures the Officers
of Winking at Hazing.

1t Is hardly probable that the committee
on rules of the House, to which was re-
ferred the Loud resolution for an investi-
CATION of conditions at the Naval Academy
VIII take any action on the subject. 1t
now appears that Mr.. Loud in introducing
his resolution directing the committee on
naval affairs of the House to investigate
hazing and like matters at the academy
sought 10 give the committee a power it
already possesses. This fact has already
been called to the attention of the mem
bers of the naval affairs committee by
Speaker Cannon and other members of the
committee on rules, and 1t is now the pro
gram to have a searching investigation
made by the committee while the naval ap-
preparation bin is under consideration. The
committee has the power to call what wit
nesses II desires to take testimony to Sc
cure all the information 1t desires and to
report on the subject. Consequently il is
thought inadvisa BILE to permit any hys-
teria to show itself in the House merely
TO bestow on the naval committee a power
1t does not need. 1t is learned on high au-
thority that the investigation to be made
by the naval affairs committee will be most
searching and that all phases of academy
life, particularly those having to do with
hazng, running, fstic carnivals and the
like, will be gone into thoroughly.
Mr. Pearre's Resolution.
Officers at the Naval Academy are harsh
~ crluclsed for winking at hazing in
resolution introduced yesterday by Repre-
sentative Pearre of Maryland Charges are
made against the authorities 1.-THE acad-
emy, as follows:
1T appeared to be fairly well ascertained
from the testimony given before The court
mrtial (the Meriwether court-martiaD
that the practice OF tagging hazing and
fighting was common at said institution
and that the same was winked at and
connived at by the officers of the said in
stitution. whose duty 1t is to maintain
discipline among the midshipmcn and to
train and perfect them for service as Off
GERS of the navy, and to protect such mid
shipmen in their health and life and that
the failure to maintain discipline lay more
at the door of said institution than upon
the midshipmen attending there"
After reviewing the Branch Meriwether
case and the recent hazing of Midshipman
Jerdone PettuS kimbrough the resolution
provides for a complete investigation by
the c0mmittee of the House ON naval al
fairs, and recommendations by that COM
mittee as 10 how the institution NAV be so
reconstructed and changed as to prevent
disastrous and disgraceful occurrences
In closing, the resolution urges emphat-
ically that the responsibility for recent
events at Annapolis be fixed definitely
and that the committee make recommended
tions which may lay the blame where II
belongs,"so that hereafter the result may
not end with the mere dtSIniSsing of prom
tsing young men from the Institution but
bring to book and visit proper penalties
upon the trained officers in charge of such
Institution for the conduct of which they
must be held responsible"
Action
Contrary to the expectation of Secretary
Bonaparte. the opinion of the Attorney
General as to the jurisdiction of the power
of the Secretary of the Navy to dismiss
summarily. without court-martiaI. a mid
shipman from the Naval Academy did not
reach the Navy Department yesterday. and
the Secretary has been obliged to defer
his action on the recommends tion of Rear
Admiral Sands, superintendent OF the acad-
emy, that Midshipman Coffin, jr., be dis
missed summarily for haZing. and Midship-
man Van DeYeer for countenancing the
practice.
A resolution requesting the Secretary of
the Navy TO make a thorough investigation
of conditions at the Naval Academy and
to particularly examine fourth-ciaSsmen TO
find out whether they are disturbed In their
studies by the hazing of upper classmen
was introduced In the House yesterday by
Representative Hetiiin OF Alabama.
The telegram referred to I'm yesterdays
Jersey TO Secretary Bonaparte. appealing
to the latter to afford a fair trial 10 Mid
shipman Van Deveer. recommended for dis
missal from the Naval Academy because
OF completely in the haZing of Midshipman
Kimbrough, has reached the Navy Depart
ment Senator Dryden of New Jersey also
sent his private secretary TO the depart.
ment to make inquiry as TO the status OF
Van Deveer's case, but in Secretary Bona
parties temporary absence no answer could
be either returned 10 the message or the
verbal inquiry.