Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-03-26
THE HATING BILL PASSED.
PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO
TIE OFFENSE.
Cadet Officers Must Report Infrac-
tions Of Repeal Of
The Present Law.
BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE
on SATURDAY.

Hazing at the Naval Academy was
dealt with in Congress 10y the House
of Representatives in the passage of a
Senate bill with a House substitute.
The action was taken after a protract.
ed debate, which placed in the Record
the impression OF the special com
mittee which investigated the subject
recently, and a severe criticism of
efforts TO eondone hazing by MIR. Hep.
burn, of Iowa. Several amendments
were proposed to the measure, but all
were rejected save one making it the
duty of cadet officers as well as other
Academy authorities to report infrac.
tions of the rules
The bill repeals that portion of ex-
isting law which makes it compulsory
TO dismiss midshipmen guilty of haz-
ing in an degree and substitutes pun
ishment according TO the nature of
the offense. Cruel and brutal haziuR
may be Lunished by dismissal. Mr..
w. ". Kitchiu. IN. o., who had
made a minority report on the bill,
explained his views. The measure,
he contended. was toe great a modii-
cation Of the present law in the direc-
tiOn OF leniency. 1t would he said,
Greety encourage haZing.
Mr.. RiXey, of Virginia, followed,
stating that the situation seemed to
be that 800 young men at the Acad-
envy we're guilty of haZing; that a
very small minority ought to be dis
missed that the balance, instead of
going scot free, ought TO be punished
with something more mild than dis.
missal. Mr.. Rixey proposed q sub
stitute when was TO prevent any dis
missal without the trial OF the accused
by court maj tial.
Mr.. VTeeIand, Of New York, chair
man of the special committee on haz-
ing, took the floor to detail lis i'm
pressions resulting from rhe inquiry.
He reviewed the preliminary trouble
between Midshipmen Meriw ether and
Branch leading to the fight which re
sulted in the death Of Branch Branch,
he said. had iDsulted Meriwether by
criticising the appearance of picture
of his grandmother and of the spell
ing in letter from her. q say that
a boy who would not resent such an
insult is not Ill to carry his country S
flag or commission in the navy, -
calculated Mr. Vreeland, TO the
applause of members. Mr.. Pearre, OF
Maryland, sought 30 get the source OF
the committee's Information on this
point.
Mr.. Yreelaud objected to baing
cross questioned after he had stated
the information came from the super
intendent of midshipmen, and was en-
tirely reliable. He felt, in view Of
the purpose Of the education at An
napOlis that prison discipline was
not the proper one; that SO far as pos
sible the cadet body should be self
governing. In his Judgment the Acad
emy officials already had taken the
necessary steps to enforce discipline.
Mr. Vreeland condemned the present
hazing law, which left no discretion
but to dismiss a boy for hazing when
ten demerits might be a sufficient
punishment fer the particular offense.
AS to the sentence of Midshipman
Meriwether to confinement for a year,
he declared a presidential pardon
ought to be extended.
Mr.. Smith, of Iowa, made the OBJ
servation in answering Mr.. Stanley
0f kentucky, that il political inter
ference with the naval and military
academies should cease the officers il
charge scould absolutely abolish haz
ing. Mr.. Dawson, of Iowa, who fol
lowed, gave weight to MIR. Smith
opposition, because the latter was ;
member Of the appropriations com
mittee, aud had had personal exper
fence of being hazed by the House
during the week.
4 speech bv Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa,
was a severe criticism OF what he sale
was a perversion Of the real object Of
the training These cadets are being
~, nF hn
to command the ships and men of thC
navy. They were. as matter Of fact
living in constant and open rebellion
of plain law OF the land with which
they were more familiar than will
any other. The result of such {
course of training, he said, was showI
by the ineffioiency Of naval officers
He called attention TO a list of twenty
five ships which had met disaster b,
bad navigation, and added a references
to the recent mix up in New Yorl
harbor Yet, he said, there was nt
punishment ever inflicted on q naya
officer. They we're tried by theii
friends and former classmates.
A defense of the cadets was made
by Mr.. Padgett, of Tennessee, a mem
Der of the special hazing comm ittee
who minimiZed TIE general charge
as due to the pranks of boys. MI
Weeks, of Massachusetts,. who grsdu
ated from the Naval Academy twenty
five years ago, advocated the passag
of the bill. He said in the PAST al
epidemic of hazing had resulted il
two efforts at legislation. Both law
were seemingly il-consideTed, wer'
drastic TO the last degree and has
done no good. This measure, he said
defined hazing and provided gradu
ated punishment.
An effort by Mr. Underwood, 0
Alabama. TO to amend the bill so a
to require cadets upon entering th
Academy to pledge themselves not {
participate in bazing failed. Mr.. HeI
buru secured the adoption of an amend
ment requiring cadet officers, as wel
as instructors and naval officers, (
report infraetions OF the haziDg regu
lati0ns, after which the bill wa
passed.