Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-02-23
BENSON ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF B. g. O. COM
MITTEE--IS 1T SO ENTIRELY ABOVE
PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME.
Secretary Bonaparte's Bill to Do
This - Hazing Legislation
In Congress.

- wa ~0S.
Secretary Bonaparte's bill before
Congress to let the punishment ut the
crime of hazing at the Naval Acad-
emy aud 10 grant the Secretary of the
Navy authority, ia his discretion, 10
dismiss midshipmen whose continued
presence at the institution he may
deem contrary to the best Interests of
the service, passed the Senate yester-
day.
The bin WAS a kite with heavy
tail. half dozen amendments being
tackled OH to it as il winged its fight
through the ethereal Senate. The
bill, as originally drawn by Secretary
Bonaparte, and as reported TO the Sem
ate by the Naval Committee, would
have vested tie Secretary of the Navy
with great power, tantamount, in
the opinion of some Senators like Mr.
Culhertson, of Texas, TO unbTidled Ii
cense in the matter Of dismissing
midshipmen.
1t provided that the Secretary might
at any time dismiss any midshipman
whose continued presence at the Acad-
emy he might deem contrary to the
best int rests of the service. This
power was circumscribed. however, by
provision delaying its exercise until
after the Secretary should inform the
midshipmau in writing of his reasons
for contemplating its exercise and un-
til after the midshipman might submit
statement and the papers in the case
be submitted to tue President
Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin. was
violently opposed to the bill. He is
said TO be one of the ablest cOnstitu-
tional lawyers in the Senate, and
declared his opposition to the ground
that it involved too large grant of
power to the Secretary of tho Navy
and also because the bill as framed
under the auspices of the Administra.
tion provided two methods of striking
at hazing discretionary courts-mar-
tial and summary dismissal--in the
discretion of the Secretary.
Mr. Spooner objected 90 the idea
that some midshipmen might be dis.
missed without court while
others might be compelled to undergo
trial. He moved to strike out the en-.
tire first sec tion of the bill which
was tho one making the grant Of power
to the Secretary of the Navy, but with.
drew his motion when the advocates
of the bill accepted the amend ments
granting to the midshipmeu the right
of demanding q court martial, if they
should prefer a trial of that character
| to the mere decision of the Secretary
of the Navy.
The bill was also amended so as to
require the Secretary of the Navy not
only to give his reasons. but to fur
nish the midshipmen with copies of
| the evidence upon which summary
dismissal should be based, aud the
discretionary power with which it
| is proposed TO vest the Secretary of the
| Navy was also lessened by an amend
ment requiring the President to ap.
prove or disapprove the Secretary Is de.
| cision TO dismiss. Another important
amendment proposed by the committee
aud adopted by the Senate makes it
the dlty Of every professor, instructor
and officer stationed at the Naval
| Academy to promptly report TO the
| superintendent any fact coming to his
attention indicating any violation of
the Anti-Hazing laws.
Senator Lodge aired his opinion dur
/ ing a debate, in which he called the
/ conditions at the Naval Academy
"disgraceful' and alleged that negli-
/ gence on the part of the superinten-
| dent aud officers was responsible for
/ the spread of the hazing. He said the
"hazee'' (midshipmen who submitted
| to hazing) should be punished as
| severely as the hazer He declared
any man who yielded to hazing is unfit
| to be q naval officer, and called him
d "mean creature displaying a
"cringing spirit of oowaTdice.
Senator Tillman had his say and
| aired his opinion. He used such tetms
as Outrageous condition when
| speaking of the Academy, and said il
| is due to interference and meddling
/ of Congress aud the President. DC
referred to Little, Lofiand and Ohadee,
| who were dismissed for hazing last
year and Teinstated by the President
/ and Congress. "This, ne said.
was the cause of the devilment
among the midslupmen.
Senator Dick does not blame hazec
| He calls hazing tboyis ish buffoonery.
He was in favor ofsgivipg midshipmer
| the fullest possible trial before court
| martial and upon conviction the full
est extent of the penalty Of the law.
| The pending bill did not go as far al
| he wished, but as legislation is large
| " compromised he was willing to &C
| cept the amendment in modified form
as a step in the right direction. He
| did not agree with those who blame
| the So called hazees for being hazed
! de said they were hazed by superior
numbers of upper class men who were
familiar with all the tricks and de
clared that the boy entering the
| Academy looked upon hazing as ont
of the traditions Of the institution