The Washington herald., 1907-07-08
CADET AYRES UPHELD
West Point Comrades Back
Up Youth "0n Area"
LOSES SUMMER FURL0UGH
Innocent Cause of Mothers Exile
from United states Military Acad-
emy Punished for Engaging I'm n
Fist FIght-"Apron Strings" Idea
Seems TO BE Lacking in This Case.

New York, July 7-one Of the sights
at West Point is Cadet Fairfax Ayres
"on the area" This cadet. now In his
third year is the innocent cause OF the
Punishment Of his mother, Mrs Charles
G. Ayres, from the reservation occupied
by the United states Military Academy.
Being con the area" means that Tor
a certain number Of days. at certain
equipment as sign that he is paying
a penalty for misdeeds
This is Fairfax Ayres second time "on
The area" and his offense was fighting
The standard of conduct among the
cadets requires the individual 20 fight
with his fists under certain provocations- /
/ The embryo officer who would refuse one
Of these hstic duels. which are forbidden
/ by discipline, but are winlIed at by au-
thority would be Stunned as a molly,
coddle.
/ Such fights are not arranged hap
hazard. The man" provoked is not al /
together judge in his own case. His fel- |
/ lows must approve, or the challenge is not /
/ sent That is presumably what vas
/ done in the Ayr1s-Nlinar fight
Paying Penalty Alone.
| The Fairfax Ayres-H E. MInar scrap
/ was discovered and both cadets were /
sentenced to periods "on the area" Afinar /
being a second-year man, went away on |
| his furlough. or vacation. lie viii pay
his debt Of punishment. or whatever re- /
mains Of IT, on his return 10 the Acad- I
emy. Ayres, having no furIough this /.
| year, IS paying the penalty alone
That would not be complained Of by /
any cadet, in ordinary circumstances But
/ in AyTes' case the circumstances are un- /
q sentence on the area last year just be- /
fore his furlough, long looked for, was /
due.
cadet NJ West Point serves four /
years, lacking the fourth summer. At
the end Of his second year re is permit /
ted TO leave for two months and three /
days. 1t is said by cadets to be unheard /
of for a cadet 10 be deprived Of any Of /
this brief visit home unless for the .
gravest reasons. II is the only relaxation 4
Of It's kind from stern and pressing dis 4
cipline, the only break IN the four years /
training for the coveted commission in
the army.
Loses Chance of Promotion.
Last year Ayres was guilty Of speaking
70 another cadet in the ranks. Technically
this IS a slight ofIense. Ia Ayres case
it vas regarded as constructive haz.ug.
The commandaut Of cadets. Lieut.. Col.
Howe, gave him q severe seutence-t0
lose a month of his -furlough and 10 a
long detail Of punishment con the area.
The sentence Of loss Of half his furlough
nurt the young man most, Of course. An
other pang was the loss Of his chance 20
win one Of the h0nors in the corps. It had
been recommended by the cadet captains
that Ayres be made first sergeant Of his
class. This recommendation was turned
down"
Mrs. Ayres, his mother, arrived at
West Point for the commencement fes-
tivities in June, and found Ayres under
this sentence an army woman" she
felt that she was being Disseminated
Ayrss is the kind Of a fellow 20 20 10
his mother whimpering and begging her
20 get him out OF trouble. They say he
is the kind Of fellow who takes his
medicine" Whatever his mother did
was without Cadet Ayres' suggestion and
with his disapproval
Mother Makes Complaint.
Mrs. Ayres' nevertheless, went to
friends Of hers on the board Of visitors
and said that for some reason her son
bad been Disseminated against. Cen
Horace Porter, Senator Joe" Black
burn, Gen. Chaffee, and Coils Wiley and
Johnston, Of that board, made personal
inquiry among the cadets. and then sug-
gested that the punishment OF Cadet
Ayres be remitted in part as too severe
for the offense. The board had no au-
thority 10 d. more than suggest. The
suggestion was disregarded. The deci-
sion was ''up TO" the superintendent and
cOmmandant Of cadets Avres lost th.s
month Of his furlough, and did his tour
and lost lis 'make"-his chance IN he
first sergeant.
The board Of visitors found that Ayres
ohense was this: As the cadet battalion
was marching off the parade grounds he
noticed that Cadet Lyman. of Hawaii /
q ''plebe' or first year man was ON
the wrong side Of the column. Avres
said In a low voice. Mister haven't
You been here long enough to know which
STE Of the column you belong on2'' The
plebe' answered mildly he thought they
said guide left"
Snub Causes Trouble.
You thought growled second vaar
man Ayres. Il don't want to know what
you thought"
The language was a survival of the
old days when second-year men picked
upon ''plebes," from fall to summer. all
the time. There are many exparienced :
officers who defend the custom. but if s
Is now forbidden. The tactical officer @
heard just enough of this conversation +o
guess its nature. Cadet Ayres was Obliged
10 answer questions which convicted him ,
That is also a part Of the new system at
West Point. :
Ayres' classmates were indignant ever q
the severity Of his punishment for This ]
ofense. 1T is five demerits or ten con !
ttnements TO quarters for this" said one
u bis classmates last week. ''We Thought J
Ayres would get no more We had a S
class meeting and proposed a certain {
Of our feelings. Avras
said if We did that Il would make if
harder for him and cause trouble besides
TO some Of us
Mrs. AyreS' Expulsion.
Mrs. Ayres' resentment Of what she re-
yarded as the unjust treatment Of her son =
was one Of the causes Of her exclusion =
rom West Point. The zeal cause was her
lenial to Superintendent Scott, Command
mt Howe. and Capt Oliver that she had :