Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-29
Cadet "Who Has Suffered" Declares
cant Thing Does Not Amount to
Shucks" - Command to "Brace"
Fine Thins-some Odd Stunts.

men. If the regulations did not forbid
1t, L 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 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 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
fellow good.
"Let me tell you what has happened
to me during my plehe days. which will
not be over until next June. I am
walking through the company streets
when an upper class man comes along
He says HAITI halt. Who are
you? he asks.
"'Mr. Smith, SIR
"'Who are your
"sNIr. Smith, SIR
"sWho are youy third time.
Nobody, sir
fright and my questioner passes
on.
"a plebe has the right to tell his
name twice in sort of declaration of
independence. but he knows that on
the third Interrogation he must say
Nobody
Il am stopped by third year man,
who points to q water pail and asks.
What is in that pail? look and re-
ply, Nothing, SIR What is In that
pait?' he demands again. | once more
say, Nothing, SIR but know what nc
is driving at. I pick up the pail and.
filing 1t at the hydrant. set it dowa
where I found it, and that is all there
is to it.
can upper class man meets me and
asks, who does a, plebe rank? Every
plebe knows the answer, which is
The hell cats. the waiter and tho
walters dog. SIR The hell cats arc
the men assigned to beat the drum and
play the fife in the morning to wake
us up. OF course they are cordially
hated and are synonyms for every
thing that is despicable, SO even
plebe has the satisfaction of knowing
he ranks hell cat
1.-TWO plebes are caught walking to-
gether. One of the upper class men
says. You fellows go clean up our
company street. and mind you make a
good job Of it,! The plebes make what
they think is good job and depart
They are stopped by the older cadet
'H-ey, you! That is pretty poor
job. Did you take away that saw log?
eve didn't see any saw log, SIR
"sWell, it's there. Get wheelbar-
row and come along
we OOCy uul tAS OdIiON
along behind our leader. He stops and
points to partly burned match on
the ground.
"'Here, you! Get hold of this end of
that log and you get hold Of the other
end. Mind, 1t is heavy, and don't drop
It.
1--WE solemnly stoop and pick up the
match stick together and deposit it in
the barrow. Then we trundle 1t away
and dump the match In an out Of the
way place.
"The often heard command to brace
is a good thing FOR a plebe. 1t means
only that you must draw in your chin
throw out your chest, put your shout
ders back as far as possible and walk
that way until out Of sight Of the up
per class man. Dreadful, isn't it?
"a plebe's first year is up in June,
and week or two before the time ar
rives when he will be forever free from
this terrible 'hazing' he generally gets
'fresh'-that is, he sometimes grins at
the man who orders him to brace OF
asks who he is and walks away. That
is B. J.-ing,' in the vernacular of West
Point. Interpreted it means before
June-ing.' A 'B. j. gets on the nerves
Of second or third year man, and un-
less the plebe is good fellow up to
that time be has to brace and ell water
pals very frequently until June ar
rives.
at may be cruel to tell man to
stand on his mantel and recite the
alphabet with appropriate gestures or
to make him say he ranks the walters
dog, but can't see it. and believe,
with practically every other plebe, that
it does fellow good. 1t is only the
fellow who has been taught by his
parents that he is high and mighty
person who makes fuss over the
'hazing he gets at West Point. As
matter Of fact, it teaches him to obey
without question, and that is one Of
the essentials of a good soldier"