The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1906-03-24

aside-trat these boys disregard the
obligations OF their official oaths,
slight both law and discipline and
evolve codes of honor which do not
prevent their lying pitifully on the
witness stand or seeking to evade
culpablity by wretched quibbling over
the name they give to their offense?
Infractions of regulations at the
academy are punished by a system OF
demerits the number proportioned to
the gravity Of the offense If a cadet
receive beyond certain number 2
year he is liable to dismissal For
more serious breaches the punish.
mentS are extra drill. loss of pr!vi-
leges, confinement on board the San
tee. The bill just passed by the SEN
ate in reference to hazing, before its
final amending granted to the secre.
tary Of the navy authority to dismiss
midshipmen at his discretion as
amended. it gives the midshipmen
power if he so wishes it. to demand
court martial to determine actual
facts.
Candidates for admission to West
Point are called beasts" those that
have passed the entrance examinations
are 'plebes' When the plebes join
the battalion their troubles begin; and
though some of the "deviling" Is mere
ly silly, more than enough cases have
come to light Of very brutal treat
ment Although penalties for haZing
are very severe and candidates are
warned they must not submit to haz-
ing, it is practiced regularly and VI
ciously. The. upper classmen feels
the fearful responsibility of bringing
the greenhorn up to the standard, If
the plebe shows any reluctance. any
want Of respect to his superiors. the
upper classman calls together his
"scrappng committee and a man is
selected to fight the plebe. They have
all promised to obey the academy
rules against such a combat-but
where do academy rules come in when
it is a question OF class sentiment"
Wherefore the fight is called, and pro-
ceeds. The combatants fight with bare
fists and fight till Cne of the two can't
stand any longer, until he falls. 1T
is not enough that he fights until
"groggy,' till he staggers; he must
fight until he can actually stand no
more. There is no let-up. If he fails
to do this. he is branded as a coward
and loses standing with his fellows
Other similar gentle 'punishments"
are inflicted, of such kind the victim
is brought to a stage OF collapse or
goes into commissions He is doc
tored with stimulants. or perhaps sent
to the hospital; and whsh presently
his battered condition comes to no.
tice, the presumption goes that the in.
juries were received in the gymna-
stun
In a stringent editorial on hazing.
as carried on at West Point. the au.
thor says: "A West Point student or
graduate is not necessarily a gentle
man. He sometimes is a brute. We
do not always trust his moral in
stincts, for they may be perverted
The cadet who is a bully will be
bully as an officer; and such boys and
men we want Weeded out Of our mil.
itary service. War, and authority in
time OF peace. cultivate too much.
even under all possible restraints, the
tyrannous elements of a mans char.
acter. 1t is idle to assert. as many Of
hcers are doing. that such brutality
as this exercises a beneficial effect in
breaking a boy to the risors Of mill.
tary discipline