The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25
HAZING BILL In THE HOUSE.
MR.. HEPBURN FOR CERTAIN AND
FINED PUNISHMENT.
He Says Hazing Is Not a Mere Boys Prank,
but II Is n Violation OF Law a Deliber.
ate Defiance OF Auth GRITTY, q Refusal TO
Recognize Discipline-The BIN Passed.

NV W.
Recognize Discipline-The Bn Passed.
WASHINGTON, March 2i.-After ha wing
passed $50 private pension bills, the House
of Representatives to-day discussed and
passed the anti ha zing bill prepared by
the subcommittee OF the Committee on
Ma val Affairs, which recently investigated
the subject of haHing at Annapolis. The
measure came before the House as a sub
stitute for a Senate bill and will now go
hack to that body for its action.
The House supported the trainers OF the
bill in every respect, adopting their product
unchanged, with but one exception. despite
the efforts of Messrs. Rixey Of Virginia
Underwood Of Alabama and W. w. kitchin
of North Carolina to amend its provisions.
The sentiments Of those members who
believed in certain and fixed punishment
for hazing were expressed by Mr., Hepburn
of Iowa, whose earnest and emphatic ut
terances met much applause. He said: .
Il have none of this maudlin sympathy that
is INDUCED in by certain gentlemen here for
the boys and for the 'pranks OF boys.
II Is not a mere prank of a boy to indulge in
hazing. 1t is a violation Of the law of the
land. a law that he is familiar with. for If there
is any statute of this nation that is known TO
all these young men it is this statute reprobat-
ing that conduct. and so it is not to be con-
sidered az a mere prank. a matter oil wanton
playfulness. 1t il a considered, deliberate
defiance OF authority, 1t is a refusal to be
obedleut. 1t is a refusal TO recognize disoi-
pline. It is a refusal. TO fit themselves for the
discharge of the higher duties that are to be
Incumbent on them.
Gentlemen say that II Ia a hardship to dis
miss these men. Is 1t not better TO dismiss
them now than TO allow them by their laXity
and by their unftness to corrupt the men
who may be under their command later on,
and to make inefficient a ship? Instead or
its being a calamity to dismiss these men II
will be a future blessing to the service and
of incalculable benefit to the country ar large.
if it does serve the purpose of impressing
upon them the primary duty for which the
Government is expanding thousands OF
dollars to convert mere boys into proper
naval commanders. charged with the grave
responsibility of maintaining tho honor and
supremacy of their country.
There is need of discipline in the navy.
| read a list some five years ago to this House
of twenty-six vessels that had been cast
away or substantially ruined since the close
of the Rebellion. In twenty-five years.
twenty-six vessels had been destroyed.
Look at the list of casualties to our vessels
now. What a calamitous result followed
the effort to take a squadron out OF the harbor
Of New York. with which the naval officers
ought to be familiar. Two Of them in collision
and two of them landed in the mud. Almost
every month you read of some mark OF in
efficiency upon the part of those who are
charged with the conduct and management
Of the navy. Why Is it? Why should it be
so? We pay enough TO create our navy. we
pay enough to give scholastic Information
to these cadets Of ours, | take it that 1t is
because of something else, something of the
higher grade of qualification IN the naval
officers that Ia lacking.
We do not punish naval officers. or the
twcnty-six instances that / have referred
to the sevorest punishment inflicted upon
any officer was the decision of a court-martial
that he should be, put upon shore pay FOR
three years, and that was cut down py tne
There is no punishment infioted upon naval
officers except in most extraordinary cases
ia a selected from among the friends aud
associat es and old classmates Of the man
w yaso,t is TO b be tried t in i tbi is d q %GGETry or f ineni /.
cheney. IApplause.l
'"The bows" at the Academy found their
advocate and apologlst in Mr.. Padgett OF
Tennessee. whose warm tribute received
applause like unto that given Mr. Hepburn.
! have not entirely forgotten when | was
a boy. I fear that some, judging by what
and the spirit Of their boyhood. ! spent
Naval Academy investigating the conditions
! there, and | stand here TO speak a kind word
for these boys at Annapolis. ! say that you
! cannot find 300 superior boys in the u nited
States. There may be here and there some
thing done which should not have been done,
but when one stands here upon this floor pr
elsewhere and pronounces a sweeping ,denuh,
! citation upon the cadets at the Academy, !
| rise TO speak a word Il OF commentator OF their
honor and their integrity.
The House followed the lead Of the sub
committee and rejected all amendments
offered, with but one exception. Mr.. Hep
burn succeeded in getting in a provision
! that IL shall be the duty OF cadet officers to
report cases of hazing, and then the bill was
passed without division.
At Ass o'clock the, House adjourned until
Monday.