Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-02-04
MILITARY HAzING.
Carried to Brutal Extremes In
German Army Schools.
CADETS MANNED AND KILLED.
The Most Dangerous Punishment
Melted Out TO Errina Freshmen ls
"the Gantlet of Fire." and the Most
RepuIsive is Bacon Swallowing"

/ 0eTfudny is OF All countries. the one
In which the science of hazing in mil.
ltary schools has attained the greatest
development. The army plays In the
Netherlands life part the Importance
of which can hardly be realized by an
untraveled American. Military service
| is compulsory, and In time of peace
! 100000 men are kept armed, uniformed
and drilled. To command that huge
contingent 10000 commissioned officers
are necessary.
This large officer corps has developed
customs, ethics. even morality. of Its
/ own. These customs and ethics are
initiated at an early age by the boy
who asplres to enjoy the veneration
which German officers generally re-
ceive from the populaee. Imitation
| In young man usually means exag-
/ geration. and some of the little mill
itary snobs are on their first day at
| school a JOY to behold. Very soon,
| however. the preeoeious stiffness is
taken out of them.
A harmless though repulsive form OF
hazing cadets whose appetite verges
on gluttony is called bacon swallow
ing" The plebes to be victimized are
lined up on the grounds surrounded
| by group of second year men. A
slice of raw bacon is tied to a piece
of string, and the plebe whose name is
| drawn first is made to swallow the
unappetizing morsel. When the sick
ening sensation of the Irvine tickling
| his throat threatens to nauseate him
the bacon is pulled out. The name of
another unfortunate is drawn, and he
| is in turn obliged TO swallow the ba-
con, the appearance of which has not
been improved by the first mans
! chewing. On 1t goes along the line
| to the next man and up TO the last one.
and for days and days the sight Of
| bacon. a staple article In German
cuisine, will, If 1t does not spoil the
healthy youngsters appetites, at least
remind them that undue haste in as.
/ similating food lacks refinement.
/ After few hours spent in frogs
squat the most dignified and snob-
| Dish plebes assume the good natured
/ and perfectly chummy attitude which
means that they have been tanned.
their owners made to sit on the floor
with their chins resting on their knees
and their ankles and wrists are bound
together. A solid stick passed under
| the knee joints and forcing the fore.
arm back prevents them from moving
arms or legs. and they are left there
facing one another in an unnatural.
cramped and ridiculous position.
| Other forms of haZing are the stom-
ach dance, with or without obstacles:
finding the keyhole, tossing in blan-
ket and star gazing. In the stomach
dance the cadet Is put fat on his
stomach on high table and four tor
mentors take him 10y the hands and
| feet and whirl him around on the
table. In the case OF serious offenses
few hard objects or obstacles" are
scattered over the table. making the
''uanee" rather painful.
Then comes finding the keyhole. The
cadet stands in front of locker and
is blindfolded. He has to feel for the
keyhole with his forefinger. Then an
other cadet places his head between
the locker and the finger, opens his
mouth and bites the finger till it's own
err bowls.
Star gazing consists in being made to
watch the stars at night through a
coat sleeve held like telescope by
two cadets. A third cadet then pOurs
glass OF muddy water in at top of
the sleeve.
When cadet is guilty of behavior
unbecoming to a gentleman, disgraces
his class by some breach Of etiquette
or commits some petty theft he is
generally sentenced by the holy
vehm." or court OF honor" TO the
rod The penalty is applied ruthless
ly. gag being placed in the punished
mans mouth TO stife his cries for
help.
OF all the forms of hazing the most
brutal perhaps Is the gauntlet OF fire"
The freshman upon whom that punish
ment is TO be visited Is kept In dark
room astride wooden chair. to which
he is securely fastened. In the next
room his tormentors are twisting news
papers into imitation torches. which at
a given signal they light with matches.
When the torches are burning brightly
they form themselves in two lines,
another signal is sounded, the door OF
the dark room Is thrown open. and the
freshman is ordered to ride between
the lines. while he is mercilessly
dashed with flaming brands.
However quickly he may run the
gantlet, by the time be has reached
the end Of the blazing pathway his
hair. his eyebrows and lashes have
been singed to the skin, his eyelids are
scared and swollen. his lips blistered
his uniform hopelessly damaged.
One OF the surgeons in attendance
covers up the sores with bandages
and sends the singed plebe to the in
Urinary for couple OF days. The Of
fetal report mentions the explosion OF
an alcohol lamp or some other acct
ont ~