The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-02-07
PRESIDENT TO ASK
A LIFTING OF LID
DEMAND FOR MoDIFlcATING OF
THE LAW AGAINST HAZiNG
AT ANNAPOLIS.
FOR GOOD OF SERVICE
To Enforce Law Against Boyish
Franks VIII Cripple Naval Ser. 4
vice as Nearly All Have
Been At II.

Washington, Feb, G.--The president
today made public letter urging up
on congress modification OF the law
against hazing at the naval academy.
| Unless congress hall promptly amend
makes mandatory the dismissal of any
midshipman found guilty Of any form
Of hazing, the secretary Of the navy
may be forced TO smiss thirty-three
midshipmen from the naval academy
within the next month. In addition to
eight who have already suffered this
penalty, and the three whose cases are
awaiting action of the department.
Secretary Bonaparte after urging
upon individual members of congress
the necess ssity for immediate legislation
finally laid the whole matter before the
president.
It is admitted at the navy depart
menl that If the present law Is allow
ed to stand the service will suffer Sc
yerely. The investigating board Of
officers appointed by the superintend-
ent of the naval academy to obtain
evidence aga INST all midshipmen guilty
of any form OF hazing has already
brought TO light evidence resulting In
the. trial Of fourteen midshipmen of
whom two have been acquitted, eight
dismissed. and one pardoned while
under sentence of dismisg al, and an.
Midshipman Miner Meriwether,
Jr., whose case is now awaiting action
by the department-has been found
guilty and recommended for pardon
Papers in the cases of Midshipmen
Jules James Of Virginia. and W. r..
Boyd, Jr., of Illinois. are before the
department for execution Of the SEN
tence of dismissal
The investigating board has left
with the academy superintendent evi,
dence against thirty-three other mid.
shipmen, who will probably be ordered
for court martial. The law will neces.
state the dismissal Of each midship-
man found guilty Included In the
list are midshipmen whose records are
above reproach, among them
members of the first class who win
graduate next week. and a number re-
lated to prominent congressman.
The case of Midshlpman Meriwether
now before the secretary will probably
come To the president for considera
lion, Merikether is serving a sentence
lf one years confinement TO the acad.
amy grounds for participating In the
fatal fisticuff with MidshIpman
Branch. Evidence in his trial for haz-
ng as TO the character of his pranks |
s the ground on which the question |
'f his pardon is being considered.
The president in his letter on hazing |
points out that in some instances II |
S manifestly unjust to subject a mid. |
hipman convicted OF haz'ng to dis
nissal from the academy. as. frequent
y the punishment is quite dispropor |
ionate to the offense committed. He |
that II Is an error TO try a |
accused of hazing by |
'ourt martial. His idea is that the |
'ower to deal with such cases ought |
o be lodged in some administrative |
'fficer or body to deal summarily with |
he cases.
The president was induced 10 take |
Ip the subject with the committee Of I
by reason Of facts submitted 4
o him in the John Paul Miller case
Ie pardoned young Miller. because he
cit his dismissal from the academy
you'd be greater injustice than the
had committed on the
nan he hazed.