Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-01-16
WILL II EFFECT DISCIPLINE?
RELATIVE TO APP DIN T
MENT OF MIDSHIPMEN.
Much Interest Taken In Letter OF
President For Giving Berths to
Dismissed Middies.


Much discussion in quarters closely
connected with the Naval Academy
/ was heard today in connection with
the letter OF President Roosevelt urg
i ing the appointment TO the Navy of
/ the three midshipmen who were ex-
nelled from the Academy for hazing
| While persons outside of the Academy
talked without stint of the effect this
would have on the discipline OF the
| Academy anyone connected with the
| Academy could not be induced to make
a statement.
None of the officers cared to give
| expression TO any opinions they might
/ have in relation TO the matter as II
| would plainly be an act for which
| they could offer no explanation. AS
every officer is loyal to the Superin-
| tendeut and the discipline which he
| has been able to maintain they would
most likely make the only logical
statement which could be made in a
matter of this kind.
There was considerable talk in out.
side circles and it was even touched on
by an eastern paper, that Superinten-
dent Brownson considering himself
aggrieved, would ask for sea duty.
| These statements, however. emanated
from sources which were not in close
touch with the Academy or the man
ner of man which superintendent
| Brownson is known to be.
There is every reason TO believe that
| he would not resort TO such childish
| display of disapproval, if disapproval
| he feels AS it would be manifest
| effrontery and reflection on his lnteg-
| rity no questions were asked Of him
L Whan the
| three midshipmen were discharged
| from the Academy Captain Brownson
was highly commended for his action
| in the matter as he was plainly an
| tagonizing powerful influences which
i would not set in against him exactly,
| but which would be exerted for the
reinstatement OF the mldshipmen.
Those who now claim that Superin
| tendent Brownson, setting aside any
| personal feeling he might or might not
| have in the disposition of the case of
| the three midshipmen could not, even
| though he wanted to, do anything
| different than he had. By an act of
| Congress having was made an otfense
| punishable by dismissal from the
| Academy. The midshipmen were well
| aware of the fact that such became
part of the Academy rules and in
| spite of this did commit acts which
| were plainly haZing.
The three men were found guilty of
| the offense and Superintendent Brown
| son, relying on the authority vested IN
| him and what was really positive
command, ordered their dismissal.
| He had no option in the matter and
could not have dealt more lenlently
with them in the matter. This is the
manner in which the standing OF
| Superintendent Brownson is set torth
| by a civilian friend of the captain
| Of course nothing could be learned by
| the Capital whether or not Superin-
| tendent Browuson was aggrieved by
| the action of the President, and it
would be q pure case of guess work
| to give such an expression publicity.
The Presidents letter was sent to
the Senate and House and was intro
duced as an act by Congressman Kyle.
1t is as follows
"In the fall of 1908 John Henry
| Lofiand, Earl Worfen Chaffee and
| Joseph Drummond Little. then mem
bers of the first or highest class at the
| Naval Academy, severally committed
acts for which they were charged with
the offense of hazing, were tried by
court martial and were dismissed from
| the Academy and from the naval SER
vice.
g In letter addressed to the chair
man of the Committee ON Naval Affairs
| of the House March 81 1904. the Sec
rotary of the Navy, after reviewing
| the facts upon which action in the
| cases of these midshipmen was based,
| states that IF discretion in the infiic-
| ton of punishment had been vested
either in the court-martial or the De-
partment a lighter punishment than
| dismissal from the service might have
| been inflicted and concludes that
| Congress is the proper authority to de-
| termine in cases of this character
| whether exception should be made TO
| the operation of the statute.
1.-The Committee ON Naval Affairs,
upon consideration of the Depart
ment's report, unanimously concludes
| that under all the circumstances no
detriment will be done the service by
| sanctioning the appointment of these
| midshipmen to the naval service under
appropriate conditi MS and restrio-
| tions
Upon review of the facts in this
| case concur generally in the conclu-
| sions of the Secretary of the Navy and
| the Committee on Naval Affairs with
| respect to the character of the offense
committed by these midshipmen. Their
| acts were in plain violation of the
| latter of the statute, but the case pre-
| sented is not an aggravated one, and
| believe that their severance from
| the Academy, their reduction to the
| foot of the class of which they were
members, and their entry into the
| naval service without formal gradua-
ton will be adequate punishment.
1.-The draft of bill granting author
| ity for the appointment of these mid
| shipmen to the Navy under conditions
and restrictions believed TO be suffi-
cient to guard the interests of the ser
| vice is inclosed for the consideration
/ of the Congress.