The Cairo bulletin., 1910-10-18

cf tle court martial and congress re.
fused to reverse IT, Ii was pathetic
scene when the seven took their last
supper In Grant hall Although dis
graced, they were among the most |
popular cadets 10 the institution. Now,
for one act OF boyish folly they were
to 20 forth under cloud denied their
chosen career and perhaps handi-
capped for life.
No demonstration occurred at the
tables or after Handclasps and low
spoken words alone marked the last
act of the tragedy-for II was u trag-
edy to the whole student body sutton
included 70 he expelled from West
Point is as much of blow TO the ca
Diet as stripping off his epauletS and
breaking his sword is to an officer,
Rather high price to pay for mid
night frolic. Yet an army without
discipline would be like government
without laws 1t would fall apart like
rope of sand.
In the old days--and the old days
were not as good as the present ones,
whatever sentimentalists. fossils and
pessimists may say to the contrary
in the old days hazing was much more
prevalent at West Point than now
For "plebe." more fondly and fire.
quently called beast" his first year
answered literally to General Sher.
Iann's definition OF war. The upper
class men went on the theory that Il
was necessary to knock Off the new
comer's rough edges, and they did 1t
with a thoroughness that was positive
~ raw. ,.4
Torturing Schemes Numerous.
Among the most ordinary forms Of
hazing was "eagling." which consisted
in standing on ones toes, extending
the arms like wings and by bending
the knees and hips squatting success
sively-oh, say, hundred times.
Another favorite form was the
wooden WILLIE" consisting Of an In
finite number OF difficult evolutions
with gun. such as holding 1t out
straight at arms length and doing
other fearful and wonderful stunts
which would make ones muscles ache
even to think about. This was kept
up untilhhe upper class men were sat.
isfied or the victim fell exhausted.
Among the more unusual methods
of torment was that of gathering ants,
say 100. accounting for all of them,
then placing them in the victims lock
ef. Usually the Plebes cap was the
nrst receptacle of the ants. and. while
1t was not stipulated that the cap
| must be worn. cadets are not suppos
ed to go about the parade grounds al
West Point bareheaded. This little
item of ant gathering was brought out
in an inquiry In 1908 when eight has
ers were dismissed from the academy
only to be reinstated later by President
| Roosevelt.
There are two sides to the story,
however, as is usually the case with
things human. Many good men IA
mliar with army life and with the
Military academy have defended haz-
Ing at West Point ON the theory that
| 1t made men out Of the new students
Among the stunts imposed by the up
| per class men were various forms OF
bracing aud exercising which were
really beneficial, giving the "beast" q
more erect carriage, hardening his
muscles, teaching him to obey orders
and generally licking him into shape.
Good For Swelled Craniums.
Another good effect of the hazing
system was to reduce any bump OF
conceit that might have developed III
the beasts" head. For example. II
he were his fathers SON." being the
offspring of senator. general. a
| governor or somebody. he might
have imbibed an undue idea of his
own Importance from the parental
greatness. Just about two weeks OF
West Point takes that out of the high
est born IL at the end Of the period
the plebe does not look upon himself
as worm it is not the fault of the
upper class men.
A member Of the West Point class
Of 1870 now an officer OF high rank In
active service tells this story about
the first day in plebe camp of Freder
ick Dent Grant. son of Ulysses.
An upper classman bent on nothing
else than having some fun with tine
son of the famous general asked him
on his advent into camp, while he was
still wearing the clothes Of civil life
Which do you think Is the greater
man, General George Washington OF
General Ulysses s. Grant?"
lFred's answer, blunt and quick, was
washington may have been the great
er man. but my father was the greater
soldier
Grant Was Game.
"Mr Grant" said the upper class
man. ''to compare your father tc
George Washington in any sense II
| liLn into tha com M RING nf q r,i,ink or