The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-11

MILITARY HAzlNG.
Carried to Brutal Extremes In
German Army Schools.
CADETS MANNED AND KILLED.

Melted Out to Errins Freshmen Is
"the Gantlet of Fire." and the Most
Repulsive Is Bacon Swallowing"
Germany is, of all countries, the one
In which the science of hazing In mil
itary schools has attained the greatest
development. The army plays in the
fatherland's 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 $4,000 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 aspires to enjoy the veneration
which German officers generally re-
ceive from the populace. Imitation
in young man usually means exag-
geration,T and some of the little mil
ftary snobs are on their first day at
school a joy to behold. Very soon,
however, the precocious 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 a 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 it 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 it 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-
bish plebes assume the good natured
and perfectly chummy attitude which
means that they have been tanned.
Swelled heads are quickly noted and
their owners made to sit on the floor
hot oh haf.
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 a 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 by the hands and
feet and whirl him around on the
table. In the case of serious Offensc'
few hard objects or obstacles" are
scattered over the table. making thu
''dance" rather painful.
Then comes finding the keyhole. TIL,
cadet stands in front of locker anC
Is blindfolded. He has to feel for thu
keyhoIe with his forefinger. Then an
other cadet places his head between
the locker and the finger, opens hi
mouth and bites the finger till its own
er bowls.
Star gazing consists in being made Il
watch the stars at night through ;
coat sleeve held like a telescope b!
two cadets. A third cadet then pOuri
glass of muddy water in at top o
the sleeve.
When a cadet is guilty of behavo
unbecoming to a gentleman, disgrace
his class by some breach of etiquett
or commits some petty theft he /
generally sentenced by the "hol.
vehm," or court of honor" to tn
rod. The penalty is applied ruthless
ly. a gag being placed in the punished
mans mouth to stife his cries TO
help.
OF all the forms of hazing the mos
brutal perhaps is the gauntlet of fire.
The freshman upon whom that punish
ment is to be visited is Kept in darl
room astride n wooden chair. TO whie
he is securely fastened. In the mex
room his tormentors are twisting news
papers into imitation torches, which n
a given signal they light with matches
When the torches are burning bright.
they form themselves in two lines
another signal is sounded, the door o
the dark room is thrown open, and tn
freshman Is ordered to ride betweel
the lines, while he is mercilessl,
dashed with flaming brands.
However quickly he may run tn
gantlet, by the time he has reache'
the end of the blazing pathway hi
hair, his eyebrows and lashes hav
been singed to the skin, his eyelids ar
scared and swollen, his lips blistered
his uniform hopelessly damaged.