Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-04
NO DECISION YET IN HAzERS' CASE
President Issues an Official
 Statement.
HAS NOT SENT THEM BACK

Denies Announcements Made by Seere-
 tary Loeb and Secretary Wright Con
 corning Eight Cadets Dismissed From
 West Point For Hazins underclass
 Students-Reported Action In Matter
 Had Met With Criticism as Sub
 versive of Military Discipline.
 Oyster Bay, N. T.. Aug. 4.-Whether the dismissal from West Point of the eight cadets who had been found guilty of hazing is to be made perma- nent or the young men reinstated through congressional action or execu- tive clemency. is still undetermined. This attitude of the government is set forth in an official statement issued by President Roosevelt through Act ing Private Secretary Rudolph Foster.
 The president characterizes as er- roneous contrary announcements made earlier by Secretary Loeb and Secre- tary of War Wright. He explains that the president has not as yet heard finally from the secretary of war as to the latter's recommendations in the matter and that therefore the execu- tive has reached no final decision. By Secretary Loeb the president had been represented as approving the dismissal of the cadets. Subsequently and fol- lowing conference with Mir. Roose- welt Secretary Wright told the news paper men that decision to reinstate the offending cadets had been reached.
 The following statement by the pres ident at Sagamore Hill follows:
 The Presidents Statement.
 "No action whatever has been taken by the president in the cases of the cadets. the statement that they were originally ordered dismissed and that they have been ordered kept being equally erroneous.
 An appeal was originally made to the president to interfere. He declined to take any action or to interfere in any way until the secretary of war had expressed his opinion, the view of the department then being seeming ly that the cadets should be turned out, the secretary not having come to any final decision.
 "The secretary then notified the pres ident that instead of making any re- port he would like to discuss the mat ter with the president in person. He accordingly came on, and the discus sion was held, but no final decision was reached, the secretary stating that he is not able to make final and definite recommendation as to all of the cases and preferred to make none as regards any until he could do 1t as regards all.
 "The president has not yet heard finally from the secretary and there fore. of course, has come to no final decision.
 This is the first announcement that the president has made in the matter at all and he has never at any time come to any decision one way or the other. excepting to state that he would probably follow the views of the de- pertinent"
 Loeb and Wright contradieted.
 Secretary Loeb stated that Mir. Roosevelt had set his approval upon the findings of the board of inquiry. the report of which had been for warded from the war department in Washington for his examination. Sec retary Loeb added that this action was final and explained that the cadets could be reinstated only by act of con gress. The president. the secretary made clear, had strongly approved the papers. which had then been returned to Washington.
 Two days later dispatches from Washington stated that Secretary Wright expected to go to Oyster Bay to confer with the president on pend ipg matters of importance.
 Following the publication generally of Secretary wright's unequivocal statement that a decision had been reached that the cadets should be re- instated. there has been criticism of what was represented in some in- stances as a weakening of military discipline. and a disposition to set the