The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-25
iChairfnan of Special Committee
Says Meriwctlher Resented
( Gross Insult. is3 IA
H d 4 BlL I! IS PASSED
Amen drnent N. Makes. I r Duty Of
Cadet Officers $to Report In
Ssss frac tions of Rules. ~
.{By Xss ocllyaIte ed ! Press

tie passage OF a Senate bill with Sas House
The action was taken after
d protraoted debate, which placed IN the
record the Impressions Of the special COM
mittee which Investigated the subject re-
Gently and a severe criticism Of efforts
to condone hasing. By Mr.. Hepburn, 81
Iowa. Several amendments were pro-
posed to the measure, but all were re-
5ected save one. making it the duty IL
cadet orlcers. as well as other academy
authorities, to- report infractions Of the
rules. III n
81 ri The bill repeats h that portion Of the
existing law which makes il compulsory
to dlsniiss midshipmen guilty; Of f1axlngs
in any degree. and substitutes punish
inent according to the nature OF & the
offense. Cruel and brutal hazing may be
punished by dismissal. IS III
Meriwcther- Branch Matter d III
i. PREVIOUS to the liazink bill cons,derations
I236 pension bills were passed. When the
sfasing bill WIS ia ken sup, Mr. RlxeyS (Vir-
ginia proposed n g y substitute. and Mr..
sYreeland New a orkJ /. airman Of the
special committee on hazins, took 5S the
floor to detail hts i1npre ssions resulting
from the Inquiry He reyiewed tho pre-
,liminar III trouble 2 be tween m idshipmen
.Merlwether and Branch. leading to the
Branch Branch! nc; said, vs. had insulted
Shleriwether BY critiei4lng tho "a ppearancef
OF a picture OF his gfandm6 her and Of
the spelling III a letter from her. RI; s35s
n. ~ II sd tina a boy who would not re-
sent such an insult is no to carry
Ills country's nag orr q coml,1isslo Ion u
the navy Ella culated Mr., v reeia nd, TO
the applause OF memoirs. KS ];
Mr. Paarce Maryland sought to get
tho source OF the Committees inforn,atlons
on this point. q y;
AZ Mr.. Vrceland objected to- being cross
questioned after he had stated the In
formation came from the superintendent
OF rnidshipmen and was entirely reliable.
tt&3s He felt, view Of the purpose OF the.
education at Annapolis. that a, prison
discipline was not the proper one that
60 far as possible i he cadet body should
.fbe self governing In his Judgment, II the
necessary steps to enforce discipline. 3fs
81 Mr.. 1vreeiand condemned the present
hnzing law which left no discretion but
h to dismiss a. boy for hazinE when ten.
dement's might be a ufflcient punish
5n1ent for the part ular offense, AS to the
sent ence or M1uSnlpnan IA Nierl WotNsr.&t0SS
confinement for a year, he \ declared i "a
presidential pardon ought to be extended !
Mr. ". w, 4 Kitchen North Carol!nal,
who mn de a minority report on he b!ll,g
explained q his views, The measure ne
.contended was too great a modification
Sof the present law In the direction Of
;leniency.a It would. . he said q greatly en-
courage hnztng. n 43 ssl l{ss
Rixey's Substitute. n
Mr.. Rlxey followed, stating that tbs;
situation seemed 10 be that so young
me,, at the academy we're guilty OF has
ing: that a very small mtnorlty ought
to be dismissed that the balarjce, instead
Of going Scot free, ought to he punls shed |
with something more mild than dismissal
His substitute was to prevent any dis
nIssal without the trial 3of the accused
by court-martial.3 u Il f!s
~ An effort by Mr.. Underwood (Alab ama)
Is amend the bill, so as to require cadets
upon entering tha academy to pledge
themselves not to participate ~ hastnE,
failed. 81 Y z. KS L a I,
an amendment requiring cadet on icers, a. !
Well as Instructors and naval officers. to
report attractions Of the haslnE reGula-
tions, after which the bill was passed
& The House adjourned at $:A o'clock. "a Il