Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-28

ardly or more brutaizing than the has-
ing OF one man by dozen others. Sew
eral against one is certainly inconsistent
with the dignity Of any man who expects
to he an officer OF the navy; and the mid
shpman who under such circumst ances
participates In hazing cannot from the
very nature Of things be a credit to his
country in any capacity.
| "iiazing has reached the limit of tolcra-
tion. 1t simply must be eliminated from
inc naval academy. It has been stopped
at West West Point. believe, and it can
be wiped out at Annapolis
| ut Is useless. ! am afraid 10 appeal 80
the honor of midshipman as a means of
abohshing hazing. If they will not rec
spcct their solemn oath taken when they
enter the academy. which forbds such u
violation Of discipline and which is also
forbidden by IA specific act of Congress.
they will certainly ignore any further
purely verbal appeal
Until this hectic spasm of uncivizod
sport, this deadening of the higher sense
| OF honor and fair play, has passed. and I
believe that it will, IL seems to me there
| IL but ono course open. That Is to place
watch over these midshipmen as though
they were kindergarten school. thus
making II impossible for any number OF
them to assemble without the presence
OF an otticcr. This might seem a humiliat-
ing condition. but the events which have
led up To IL have not been less dcgrad-
ing.
- would not allow any midsh pman
VINO, being on duty had even witnessed
u scene of haling without reporting 1t
or had participated in it to remain in the
academy one hour | would Instantly
dismiss him. Congress, you know. has
reinstai'd midshipmcn who have been
thrown out of the academy for this
offence. would make such recourse
inir ossIblo.
Il appreciate the fact that Congress
and the officers in charge of the naval
academy are now resortng TO the limit
oil their power to uproot this evil. / be-
il"ve thar they Will be successful.
strong rs appeared the resentment OF
the admiral when hazine was being dis
russ"d. reference TO the Branch Mcr-
weth'r case brought ont an entirely
different feeling. He said
- regret that such thing should have
happened at all and yet cannot in my
neart condemn fair fighting.
~ man who is going to make fighting
his profession IN life must not be afraid
To fight An evenly matched fight with
the proper incentives behind it. does not
hurt amy boy; it tends to ha rden and
broaden him.
There is as much difference between
fair fighting and hazng as there is be-
tween piracy and legitimate warfare"
When the admiral Of the navy WAS ask
ed to look back into his boyhood for II
Judgment of hazing. me wheeled about in
his chair and said with enphas sis: .'rhorc
wasn't any hazins at the naval academy
during tho years Of my tuition there.
When I was n fourth-class man some of
my warmes, friends were members OF the
higher classes. The navy was making
officers in those days. They are nearly
all dead now. but some of tho finest mon
the naval world ever knew got their train
ing at Annapolis III those days.
With the conditions which now exist
have no sympathy and advocate tho
showing of no lcncnce. The government
Is spending largo sums OF money to cdu-
cate young men To he It's fighting force
in later years--to educate them as they
can be educated in no other institution
in the country. and is even paying them
good salaries during the time they spend
IN the academy. Every effort OF thor
ouGhly trained minds ccntcrs in the edu-
cation Of those young men. every one OF
whom coveted the prize Of an appointment
to Annapolis. Surely. il i'll becomes them,
after all the government is doing for
them. 10 wilfullv disobey the rules made
for their guidance as we'll rs all prin- (;
cples of common sense and dec.ncy
In conclusion. ! have but TO add that
No, .1,,t I, ;.,1 H..
ana no coward can make good soldier.