Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-20
WEST POINT HAZiNG.
Southern "Plebe' Says, "AlI This
Talk About II Is Absurd"

Speaking of Cadet William T. Rossell
and his seven companions who We're
dismissed from West Point for hazing.
Il plehe from the south. who declared
he had suffered" at the hands of the
eight young men during the last year,
recently explained TO reporter for the
New York Herald just what had been
done:
"Rossell IS the best fellow alive. He
is the most popular cadet in the acade-
my with both plebes and upper class
men. If the regulations did not forbid
it, / believe every plebe in the corps
would sign petition asking for the re-
instatement of ROssell and the other
men without punishment.
The big fat ant thing did not
amount to shucks. The cadet who Is
supposed to have suffered so through
having to carry a hundred live ants
under his cap was simply told to bring
hundred big fat ants to his 'hazers,'
and he did so, carrying the insects in
his cap, which was the logical recepta-
Gle for them. He wasn't required to
put the cap on his head at ALL
Speaking as a plebe who has been
through the mill for several months,
all this talk about haZing in West
Point is absurd. A plebe who Is at all
reasonable or who has the least sense
of humor rather enjoys his experience
| during his first year here. There is
not one stunt in the whole so called
| haZing programme that doesn't do a
| fellow good
| Let me tell you what has happened
to me during my plebe days. which will
not be over until next June. 1 am
walking through the company streets
| when an upper class man comes along.
you? he asks.
"'Mr. Smith, SIR
"'Who are you"
"'Mr. Smith SIR
"'Who are you? a third time.
Nobody, sir
fright and my questioner passes
on.
"A plebe has the right to tell his
name twice in a sort of declaration OF
independence, but he knows that or
the third Interrogation he must say
Nobody
Il am stopped by third year man
who points to water pail and asks
What is in that pail?' l look and re
ply, Nothing, sir What is In thai
say, Nothing, SIR but l know what ht
: is driving at. pick up the pail and
filling it at the hydrant. set it dowr
where found 1t, and that is all there
is to it.
"An upper class man meets me ant
asks. who does a plebe rank?' Every
plebe knows the answer. which Is
The hell cats, the waiter and tn,
walters dog, sir The hell cats arr
the men assigned to beat the drum ant
play the fife in the morning to wax,
us up. OF course they are cordial,
hated and are synonyms for every
thing that is despicable, so even {
plebe has the satisfaction of KNOWN.
he ranks hell cat
1.-TWO plebes are caught walking to
gether One of the upper class mel
says, You fellows. go clean up ou
company street, ana mind you make :
good job Of itp The plebes make wha
they think is "a good job and depart
They are stopped by the older. cadet.
"'Hey, you! That is a pretty poo
. job. Did you take away that saw log:
eve didn't see any saw log, sir
"'Well, it's there. Get wheelbar
row and come along
1--WE obey and trundle the barrow
5 along behind our leader. He stops an,
J. points to partly burned match O.
S the ground
s Here. you! Get hold of this end o
: that log and you get hold of the othe
s end. Mind, it is heavy, and don't dro
d it
d I'VE solemnly stoop and pick up til
It match stick together and deposit it 1
o the barrow. Then we trundle 1t ava
\ and dump the match in an out of til
,f way place.
20 The often heard command to 'brac,
= is good thing for plebe J 1t near
:, only that you must draw in your chi
e throw out your chest. put your shou
= ders back as far as possible and wal
10 that way until out of sight of the VI
per class man. Dreadful. isn't 1t?
I, "a ulebe's first year is up. in Jun