New-York tribune., 1907-09-07
NO DISMISSAL PLANNED.
Colonel House Says Vest Point Dis
fnrbance Is Insignificant.
[By telegraph q The Tribune. ]

West Point. n. =, Sept 6-There will be no
wholesale dismissal of an entires class of
'plebes.'' as some of the sensational and un-
trustworthy correspondents have predicted be
cause Cadet Book has been ''silenced'' cut
by his classmates after he +od the authorities
at the United States Military Academy that he
had been hazed by Cadet Sherman Of Georgia.
a member of the second year class In fact.
Colonel Robert Lee Howe. commandant Of
cadets, laughed at the idea. AS matters stand,
he said tonight, nobody would be dismissed.
NO threats whatever have been made he said.
The matter is of small moment here and has in
no way disturbed the equilibrium of the author
tiles or the discipline Of the corps Of cadets
The discussion. the runor of a general dis
rnissal and the comments in newspapers orig
mated when it became known that Cadet Book.
Of Missouri was not spoken 70 by nearly all OF
his classmates in the ''plebe" division. His os-
tracism has been a fact and all because ne
told" Cadet Sherman had ordered him 20
'brace''-that is. to throw out his chest and
throw back his shoulders. Cadet Sherman had
no military right to give this order. 1t was the
rliIdest form of hazing. but cadet Book, who IS
a member of 4 prominent St Louis family. re
fused to accept the treatment. The hostility OF
the vearIines and other upper classmen at such
rebellion affected him and he became tncoTnpe-
tent al drills. Finally he told the story or MS
hazing to Commandant Howe Then cadet
Sherman was punished by being deprived Of lib
ertv and by being kept at hard work Inus
cadet Book became blamed for Cadet Sherman 5
suffering. II was very like an ordinary schooi-
bows souabble only IT happened IN the school
Of warriors to be
There IS nothing unusual about H. salu
Colonel Howe tonight The Only Iedso" /
zreal, Of it is because the newspapers have nnaae
~, , ro+ Of talk about II. Several times IN
49, ttstor,y Of the academy a cadet has been os-
+racfzed No more here than at colies9 O0H d
-, - forced 10 speak 10 another whom he
does not regard in q friendly manner Olu9'7
So, teadnuarters would only aggravate the
situation In my position 1 cannot co"l,ne,il 'l-
cadet Books behavior or the way he IS oelns
.uaa+od cadet sherman was punished for haz-
ing cadet Book. Because many Of Books class
mates have given him the coiu Siio''1
not mean anything serious.
,.--1a stories that have ordered the class 20
meet him and speak to him as formerly are
,r=,r5 That I told them they would be dls-
,,fseea e they did not do so is even more an
s~d T is all nonsense. The case will ADJUST
i,zs4s IN time want IT understood also 'haO
cadet Rock did not voluntarily tell OF the haz-
ing He was so nervous at drills that ques-
TONED him and finally drew from him the red
son 1t was because he had been hazed ana hau
rebeIIed that he was disturbed
When asked If he thought the matter Wouia
he adjusted in short time Colonel Howe sald-
Most certainly" As TO the method Of settle
nert he laughed as he remarked CERTAIN
things are being done. and I can't tell you about
tbano II wouldn't be fair. It's just a stu
dents disagreement. and have no criticism 10
pass"