Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-05
HAz|NGAT WEST POINT
How II Is Done as Told by One
Who Has Had 1t.
ut DOES A FELLOW GOOD"
"Pleb" From the South Declares Cali
This Talk Is Absurd"
WANTS CADETS TO COME BACK
Says Lower Classmen Rank With
"Hell Cats" Who Beat Drums to
Wake Up Everybody.
WANTS CADETS TO COME BACK

whether the President has or has not APP
proved Of the reinstatement of the cadets
| who were dismissed from West Point for
hazing. both "plebes" and upper class men
at the academy are hoping that Rossell
and his seven companions will be restored
says the New York Herald.
Speaking Of Rossell and the men who
were dismissed. a plebe from the south,
who declared he had suffered at the
hands of the eight young men during the
last year, explained just what had been
done.
'Rossell Is the best fellow alive He is
the most popular cadet in the academy
with both plebes and upper class men, II
the regulations did not forbid it I believe
every plebe in the corps would sign pc
t1tion asking for the reinstatement of Ros-
sell and the other men without punish
ment.
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 a hundred big, fat
ants to his 'hazers,' and he did so. car
rying the insects in his cap, which was
theological receptacle for them. He wasn't
required to put the cap on his head at ALL
Hazing Does Good.
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 program 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. He says
Halt: l halt. Who are your he asks
Mr.. Smith, sir
Who are your
Mr.. Smith, sir
Who are you? a third time.
Nobody. sir
Right and my questioner passes on.
piebe has the right to tell his name
twice In sort of declaration OF independ
ence' but he knows that on the third in
terrogat1on he must say nobody
II am stopped by a third-year man.
who points to water pail and asks:
What is in that pail?' I look and reply.
Nothing. sir What is in that paiI?'
he demands again. 1 once more say.
Nothing, Sir. but I know what he Is driv-
at the hydrant. set 1t down where l
found 1T. and that is all there is to 1t.
Ranks With 'Hell Cats"
An 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 the walters dog.
sir The hell cats are 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 syno-
nyms for everything that Is despicabIe,
so even plebe has the satisfaction of
knowing he ranks hell cat
Two piebes 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
1t" The plebes make what they think is
a good lob and depart They are stopped
by the older cadet
Hey. you! That is a pretty poor job.
Did you take away that saw Logo
We didn't see any saw log. SIR
= well, it's there. Get wheelbarrow
and come along
I'VE obey and trundle the barrow 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, it is heavy, and don't drop
I'VE sOlemnly stOOp and pick up the
match stick together and deposit it in the
barrow. Then we trundle it away and
dump the match in an out-of- the-way
place.
Command to "Brace."
THE often heard command to brace is
a good thing fora plebe. 1t means only
that you must draw in your chin. throw
out your chest, put your shoulders back
as far as possible and walk that way until
out of sight of the upper class man.
Dreadful. isn't it? No plebe is ever made
to brace on visiting day If he has a rela-
tive or a sweetheart calling on him.
"A plebes first year is up in June. and
a week or two before the time arrives
rible 'hazing he generally gets fresh
That is. he sometimes grins at the man
who orders him to brace or asks who he
is and walks away.
THAT Is b. ling in the vernacular
of West Point. Interpreted, 1t means be
fore June-ing.' A 'B.J.' gets on the nerves
of a second or third year man, and unless
the plebe is a good fellow up to that tima
he has to brace and fill water pals very
frequently until June arrives.
1T 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
I cant see 1t, and l believe, with prac-
tically every other plebe, that 1t does
fellow good. 1t Is only the fellow who has
been taught by his parents that he Is high
and mighty person who makes a fuss over
the 'haZing' he gets at West Point. AS
a matter Of fact, 1t teaches him to obey
without question, and that Is one Of the