The sun., 1909-02-14
THE CODE OF THE CADET
LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
AT WEST POINT.

-Beme OHences Never Reach the
Record stsge-Case OF .Iamison,
VINO Told . LIE and Was Found -
While the War Department Is appealing
to Congress to provide for more cadets
at the military academy, there is the
usual number Of young men who having
had a chance at West Point are anxious
TO return there and help to fill the va
cancies. These youths are the cadets who
failed. or In cadet slang, were found
In the january examinations.
No other examination means as much
to the cadet as that Of January. The
plebe. who enters merely as q condi-
eonal cadet, does not get his commission
until he passes 1t. while to the first class
man II 10 the examination that will prob
ably determine his final class standing,
and from that his rank and branch OF SER
Woe In the army. Apretty genera! weed
ing out takes place and the number Of
failures in January far exceeds that of
the other examination In juno. This
January about twenty cadets failed.
The young man 30 dropped had ac-
quired a taste Of cadet life, and though
he may have objected to its severity he
had formed at least q desire TO remain
Besides there Is the ordeal Of going back
home to his parents. his girl and his COM
panions marked as a failure.
30 he HES himself to some one In au-
thority who may help him to reinstate-
ment. He would rather be "turnback, =
that Is, to graduate with some class other
than his own. than not to graduate at all.
The person who to him representa- au-
thority. the man who can most probably
interest the Secretary Of War or tho
President in his behar. is his Congress-
man. Thus at this time OF year there are
always floating around Washington.
anxiously waiting for some fav orable
turn. about twenty or thirty one time
West Pointers.
The Congressman who does not know
very much about the way things go at
West Point finds himself in a dilemma.
Here is the pride Of his own district, the
boy who succeeded in examinations over
all others, who can't get back to West
Point, while at the same time there Is the
War Department. appealing to Congress-
for more cadets and pleading with each
Congressman to keep constantly a repre-
sentative from his district there.
We ought to have at the academy
says the military authority. -the maxi
mum Of $50. Yet there are now only 100
a shortage Of l2i. about 20 per cent"
So the Congressman consents to go to
the War Department and see what can be
done. One OF the first inquiries made Is
about the young mans standing in dis
oipline-in other words, how many demer-
it's has he. and why did he get them.
II he has failed in one study only and has
made something Of a record in others. and
at the same time has good standing in
discipline. his case is not hopeless; but
II he has a long string of dement's his
prospects are not very bright.
The little things count in making up
discipline at West Point. and very small
matter may cut down a cadets standing
seriously. II is more the neglect Of
what the authorities think marks a SOL
dierly attention TO detail that counts than
any special offence against the law or
,..iitary regulations.
The shortcomings OF the day are all
specified and read out by the Adjutant
before the cadet corps at parade and then
are afterward posted for corps inspection
in the guard house. The cadet has the
privilege of>explaining.
Improperly shaved" collar soied at
parade. zone button Of coat unbuttoned,"
late at dinner formation" all cost one
or more dement's. Then come of cadet
limits mot saluting Officer intro
ducing stranger into barracks liquor
iu possession" that roll up ten. fifteen or
twenty demerits or perhaps rise to the
dignity Of offences calling for a court
martial
In the term Of six months there is an
allowance Of 125 demerits. When an
excess Of that number is entered against
cadet he is found on discipline. Some
men who have made most valiant and
efficient officers have left the Point with
a long string OF dsmerits
-In my plebe yesr I went TO Gen.
Sheridan. who was friend OF my father.
TO ask him to help me 70 Reinstatement,
said an officer who has served his country
with considerable distinction How many
demerite have your the General asked me.
Only one over the limit I replied. Not
so bad after all. was the answer, with a
smile. Only two more than had.'
How the dement's do pile up during
the six months! One absent minded
youth forgot to draw the curtain Of his
window at night and got ten dement's,
while his room mate. who was the orderly,
got fifteen, and besides that both of the
boys spent ten consecutive Saturday
afternoons walking the area equipped as
sentfes.
Another. who never could wake up at
reveille. came near being found on
either slates' or absences" from morning
roll call One young fellow who never
could earn to carry a gun at the correct
angle was on the way to having none at
all to carry when cadet officer was de-
tailed to take that youth each day into the
gymnasium and put him through the
manual Of arms.
Another cadet got three dement's every
night there was dress parade because
he could not keep step at double quick
time In marching back to barracks. When
he had piled up a hundred dement's
special drillmaster was detailed to quick
step him every day. He got through
the SIX months, but the rainy days when
no parade could be held helped.
There are some offences that never
reach the record STAGE said West
Point graduate, now an officer In the
army sTbe CORDS doesn't like TO stand