Milford chronicle., 1906-03-16
OPPOSE EXPULSION
OF NAVAL HAZERS
House Committee Wants Graduated
Form of Punishment
MOST OF MIDDIEs INVOLVED

OE Nu4DOAAAo IN OA ' Ii
Washington, March 1.-THE sub
committee named by the house com
mittee on naval affairs to investigate
hazing at Annapolis, made its report
90 the whole committee through Rep
Tesentative Vreeland. of New York
chairman Of the investigating commit
tee.
Rear Admiral BrownsOn is censured
in the report for exacting a pledge
from midshipmen not to engage in haz-
ing and for allowing the boys to think
the pledge was personal to him and
did not hold after Rear Admiral Sands
became superintendent at Annapolis.
Lieutenant C. p. Snyder is also cen
sured mildly for having countenanced
hazing.
Graduated punishment for hazing is
recommended by the subcommittee,
which is firmly of the opinion that
the present system OF expelling all mid
shipmen found guilty of hazing is vi
cious. Rear Admiral Sands and other
officers now at the academy are praised
for the discipline they are maintain
ing, and the report shows that cadet
officers have been chiefly responsible
for hazing.
AS a result of its examination of
witnesses and records the sub-commit-
tee found that 2S1 members of the
three upper classes at the academy, in
cluding the class which was recently
graduated, have been guilty of hazing,
and on trial could be expelled from the
academy. The result would be a great
and unnecessary loss to the govern
ment, in the opinion of the members Of
the committee, who found that many
of the offenses were trivial.
The investigation of the committee
showed there are three forms of haz-
ing at Annapolis-physical hazing, |
running and tagging. They are de-
fined at length in the report.
The physical hazing consists Of fight
ing, compelling midshipmen to stand |
on their hands, and other much dis
cussed means of punishment. Tagging |
is the forcing of under classmen to do
menial service for upper classmen,
such as blacking shoes and serving
meals. Running is the forcing of un-
der classmen to do ridiculous feats.
One Of the most popular performances
under this classification was giving an
exact imitation of sunrise on the farm,
which consisted of initiating roosters
and other domestic fowl.
Under the forms of physical hazing,
sitting on infinity was one of the most
commonly practiced It was generally
1racticed at meal time, and was the
iorcing of a midshipman to maintain
/ sitting posture after his chair was
from under him.
Cadet officers tolerated all such prac-
ices, and, in fact, encouraged them,
to the report of the sub
ommittee. Forcing youngsters to do
uch things was one Of the most cher
shed rights of members of the first
lass, entrusted with maintaining dis I
ipline.
According to surgeons records in
ick quarters, only seven fights have
cen recorded there since October l, G
9O4, and the report says it is impos- :
ible to find that the number of fights /
7as larger. 1t is suggested that sur
cons should report more fully on in
lries, even though slight, which seem
} be caused by fighting.
With the exception of Lieutenant n
nyder, disciplinary officers are exon
rated from connivance at hazing. He Z
charged with having indicated to 2
pper classmen that fourth classmen
light be disciplined by upper class .,
en for laughing at an order. r
NANN INDICTED FOR PERJURY L