The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-25
DISMISSED CADET
TELLS HIS story
Gets Pointed Reply From Friend
on Question Of Students
Honor.
BOYS STOOD BY" CLASS
Citizen Says Appeal to Honor Is
Often Used as Danger
Gus Tool.
BOYS STOOD BY" CLASS

| third class at the Virginia Military
institute, from the point OF View Of the
cadets. Is to be found In corresponds
ence here reproduced by The Times
Dispatch. One of the mon dismissed
wrote to friend. a leading citizen Of
the State, not q member of the board
OF visitors, detailing the affair as it
appeared TO him.
The reply, which is couched in kind
| IS language, does not attempt to mince
words The two letters prove Il most
interesting addition to the publc's in
/ formation on the subject. Tho com
nun icatlon of tho student was, in part,
as follows:
The only man caught doing any
! thing out of the ordinary was sec
ond classman. He was reported for
| throwing combustibles and got his
+ penalty tours for it all right. Then,
although the commandant had no
/ proof. and. in fact 40 reason to be-
| lieve that the third class was mixed
| UP in the mess, he became very Sc
| we're on our class
| The next day the commandment call.
| cd Webster, our class president down
! to his Office and told him that If an
| other bomb was fired the extra guard
! would be posted until June IS, and he
called this compromise OF course.
| we could not answer for what others
| That night two Of our classmates
| We're caught in way which did no
| credit 70 the man that caught them,
| One was caught because he refused to
| certify to the answer OF an incriminat-
! ing question, the other was caught
! getting ready to fire bomb. Mean
While half the class was under arrest,
and all on unjust suspicion. Then we
| signed a pledge that If the men were
| shipped that we would all go with
! them, or at least resign. This pledge
was signed by all our men except
four, and. Of course the third class
| rats
| Decided to Lenve.
AT tattoo Sunday night an order
! was published shipping our classmates.
| After taps that nigh, We held secret
meeting, and decided to move out in q
! body after returning from breakfast
| next morning. This was done, and we
went off In an orderly fashion. Our
| president and vice president went to
| General Nichols later in the morning
I to tell him that If he reinstated the
/ men he had dismissed we would return
! to barracks Immediately. He refused
absolut cly to see them.
| about $3.50 we marched up to bar
| racks at attention in order TO get our
| trunks. We were very orderly and
| refused to create any dihturbance. The
| commandant refused to let us get our
| trunks, and informed US that we could
! either report to our rooms under ar
| rest or move out Of limits until the
| order was read out concerning us. we
| about faced and marched down town.
| Still at attention and at p. NJ. we
were told that we had been dismissed
| and to get our trunks out Of barracks
| before 6 o'clock. or they would be con
! fscated We got ready and moved out,
! and at retreat the order was published
/ shipping us all. Three men broke
! their pledge of honor to leave and
| stayed behind. l caught the Z o'clock
| train and came straight here.
! II regret exceedingly that we have
! been shipped but it was a matter OF
! honor with me, and l did what
! thought was right and I'll stick 20 II.
I'm glad stayed with the class and
would like TO have your opinion on
| the matter.
/ '.Disernccful Performance
! rho response was as follows:
Your letter received 1t was with
the deepest regret that I heard of the
disgraceful performan1G,f1 o. S1nr tt tinSs
There is no use in asking me for my
advice at this late day. If YOU had
asked for it before. you acted upon
! your own Judgment, ] might have been
/ Of service to you. The whole thing is
! the same old story. Those who have
absolutely nothing to lose by ,be n,,,;
\
! the good men down with them. and by
I the action OF the latter to hide from
the eyes OF their parents their OWL
deficiencies, AS You grow older you
! viii lind that YOU could not possibly
owe your classmates as high a duty
rs you do your parents, and when {.
should have regarded your own name
MS soldier and the feelings OF your
father ana mother before signing any
4, pledges. This would have been far
more honorable than signing the
/ pledge ana letting your parents snf
fer for the shortcomings OF your class
mates.
Mankind is never perfect When a
man voluntarily becomes n soldier he
does so With a full knowledge OF the
above fact, 1t is. therefore, neither
i the united action OF slibordinatcs TO
overthrow superior authority Ample
means are provided for military re-
dress in every case. The -npcrinten-
dents duty Is 10 see that not only the
cadets, but the commandment and other
officers. conduct themselves properly.
II re thinks at all should he willing
to accept the Judgment Of Gcncral
IN military matters as superior 10 his
own. Ny attitude is that, however
wrong the comnandant may have
been, ana ! do not say that he was
wrong characterization IS not iusti-
fed thereby. In other words two
wrongs DO not make q right.
l.caytng out Of tie question my
feelings as 10 the right or the case
In am Of course distressed Ira; You
/ should have lost this opportunity to
secure Sour education at what con
slider the best school IN thc country,
and J am distressed to think OF the
4 trolble 1t has brought your fntiicr ana
mother. Were I called upon 10 act
IN an nhrial cnpacity.I woull do ali
N my poWer % prevent the rrinstaie-
incnt Of the third class IN nv unonl
, cial calaeity. J sincerely trust that a
way VII be found for Won 10 continue
/ your course without injury 10 the dis
: SiRline ~ the institute OF 10 Your
hohor IN COMBUSTION, let me say that
, 4 dntstions OF bnnor arc moro easily
dlS'pried by dishonest peoplc than any
. othcr questions An aDI,cai 20 mono,