Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-22

With the approval of the President and
upon the recommendation OF Col Hugh
L. Scott. superintendent of the West Point
Military Academy. Secretary OF War
Wright acted today in the cases OF the
eight cadets accused of hazing, who have
been under suspension since early in
July.
Cadets William T. Rossell,jr and Harry
T. Weaver, both first classmen are named
as the ringleaders and dismissed from tho
academy. The other six third classmen
are suspended without pay and allow
ances until June Is. 1909. when they may
re-enter the third class. They are
George Washington Chase and Bryan
Quinby Jones of New York, James A.
Gillespie of Pennsylvania. William Nalle
of Virginia. William Wellington Prude OF
labama and Isaac Spalding Of Oklahoma.
Gen. wright's Report.
Gen. Wright's report to the President
follows:
"Rossell and Weaver are the suspended
first classmen. Rossell seems to have
been a ringleader in interfering with tho
plebs. and in at least one instance and
probably more. laid hands upon them. al
though not violently. and intimated. when
objection was made, that the victim
should either submit or fight This prob
ably brings him directly within the law,
and I see no other course than that he
should go. Weaver seems to have been
not quite SO pronounced in his behavior.
although he was guilty of practically the
same thing as Rossell. The remaining
cadets are, 1 believe, third classmen.
1T seems to me that in dealing with
these young men their difference i'm age
and their length of service in the academy
should be given consideration. RosseIl
and Weaver, as first classmen. are much
more matured. both in age and knowledge
Of the rules and consequences Of their in
fraction, while the third classmen had just
ceased to be plebes. and. as they all say
and l have no doubt is the fact were
simply treating the newcomers just as
they themselves had been treated. and
probably without any real reflection or
perhaps knowledge of the gravity of their
offenses as laid down in the rules. Under
these circumstances l think a clear dis
tinction should be drawn between the Of
tenders belonging 10 the first and third
classes.
Congress Forbids Hazing.
and directs regulations to be made by the
authorities of the academy does not pre-
scribe what haxing is. This is not a tech
nical term. and We can only ascertain
the meaning of the word by reference 10
the standard dictionaries. webster's Inter-
national Dictionary defines hazing To
harass or annoy by playing abusive or
shameful tricks upon to humilitate by
practical jokes-used especially of college
the sophomores hazed a
freshman. The Century and Standard
dictionaries give practically the same def
milton. Now, none of the acts shown to
have been committed by these young men
come within this definition of hazing. The
evidence shows that while the offenders
directed the plebes to brace, that il,
stand at attention with their shoulders
thrown back, rub bockles. clean guns.
bring water from the spring, fall in at
the first assembly call instead of five min
utes later at the second call-still, none
of these acts can hardly be fairly brought
within this definition. They all undoubt-
edly were improper interference with
the plebes. constituting an assumption OF
over them in direct conflict with
the regulations for which severe punish
ment should be meted out.
Need Not Expel Them.
1.-The act of Congress which forbids
hazing is extremely drastic I'm character.
In that it provides that any cadet found
guilty Of hazing shall be summar1ly dis
missed from the academy. and in addi-
ton shall not be reappointed to the corps
of cadets or be eligible for appointment
as commissioned officer I'm the army or
navy or Marine Corps until two years
after the graduation of the class OF
which he was a member. This being SO.
do not feel that IL is just to extend IL