Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-12-08
IN DEFENSE OF M|DDIES
Young Men Separated From Home
And Naval Discipline Are
Tempted Like Others.
LET THEMSELVES LOOSE.
No One Pays Attention To Harvard
And Yale Students Under Similar
Circumstances.

circumstances.
A valued correspondent of the Army
and Navy Register writes of a circum.
stance involving the administration
of the Naval Academy in a way
which is entitled to the serious con-
sideration of those who have to do
with the maintenance of discipline
at the institution at Annapolis. He
says:
"The announcement in the press of
the recommendation for dismissal of
the Midshipmen who were concerned
in disturbance with the Washington
police following the class dinner of
'l3, will be received with more or
less satisfaction by people who believe
that those in training for a naval ca
reer should be above such disgraceful
proceedings; but to those who look
below the surface and see something
more than the effect, the fate of these
unfortunate young men must enlist
deep sympathy, in view of the con-
viction that the cause should be re-
moved.
Think of two hundred boys turned
loose on such a convivial occasion,
with no limit to the quantity of in
toXicants they may drink, beginning
with cocktail and running the gamut
of wins down to the Iiqueurs, and is
It any wonder that many of them are
disabled? Here are a lot of young
men who have been home for month.
who meet in Washington for the
class dinner, only few, let us hope,
familiar with strong drink and its
effect; the occasion is one of reioic-
ing, and under the circum stances it
is remarkable that more do not be.
come intoxicated. The remedy is
so simple that it is amazing that
the authorities of the Academy have
so long permitted the Midshipmen
this unrestricted opportunity to get
into trouble"
These remarks, coming from a
naval officer who is graduate OF the
Naval Academy, and who has a son at
that institution, should receive the
Endorsement of those who are inter-
ested in the reputation of the Naval
Academy, and in the welfare of the
Midshipmen. The situation which has
been permitted to exist is intolerable.
On other occasions there have been
results which are most grievous. In
dividuals who have indulged too freely
in Intoxicating beverages at these
class dinners have been publicly ad-
vertised as dissolute young men and
have usually been dismissed from the
Naval Academy with all that that
means in a career so untimely inter-
rupted.
The young men who are thus sepa-
rated from the naval service are from
good families, with every chance
that they would have conducted them
selves creditably under more fortunate
conditions. They are probably among
the best of the youth of the country
in the way of character and ability
and if it were not for this indiscre-
tion would have lived to render salts
factory service. 1t seems a pity,
under such circumstances, that moth
ing is done to protect the young men
from the danger which few of them
realize or know how to avoid. Aside
from the calamity of dismissal affect
ing the individual, the notoriety
which is invariably given to the es-
capades creates the impression that
the Midshipmen are habitually given
to this form of dissipation, and that
all they want is the opportunity to
engage in drunken quarrels with the
guardians of the peace.
No one pays very much attention to
Yale or Harvard students who let
themselves loose in New York or
Boston on occa sions of reunion and
celebration. 1t is excused on the
ground that this is youthful folly and
the exuberance to which the col
lege boy is entitled as a relief from
his arduous labors. A Midshipman
must be of another type, apparent
ly, and any mistakes which he may
make is charged up against him with
harsh language and an unforgiving
spirit. 1t would seem to be worth
while for the naval authorities to
place certain reasonable restrictions
upon Midshipmen, even when they
are away from the Naval Academy
and engaging in festivities which
are for their own enjoyment.
A supervision of the class dinners
need not go, presumably, much be.
yond word Of caution dropped here
and there, quietly and judiciously.
1t would not be necessary to placard
the banquet hall with admonitory
notices. The Midshipmen have
enough good sense to take advantage
of good advice. Our correspondent Il
quite right, when he suggests the
sympathy which these Midshipmer
should receive and when he urges that
the cause of these disturbances be
removed. 1t is much better to apply
the warning than to impose the pun.
ishment.-Army-Navy Register, No.
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