Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-02-02
HAZ|NG At END
At WEST POINT
Word Goes to Washington
That Newcomers Are
Now UnmOlested

Washington, u. G Web. Word
has come TO Pe wsr Department
from West PpiHi that. notwithstand-
ing the fact hal it holds the largest
class OF new cadets which has re-
ported to the institution, the mem
bers have not been hazed, either in
camp or in the barracks For some
months there havJbeen no develop
ed cases OF haz!ni Of the ncwcom.
ers. Recently Brig Gen. Albert Mills
was ordered 10 take command Of the
Department OF the Gulf with head
quarters at Fort Mcpherson, Geor.
sia Il is probable that the news
that there has been no hazlng at
West Point is OF particular interest 10
General Mills.
Whenever hazing Is mentioned ir
TIE war department. somebody speaks
Mills name The other day a mum.
Der Of officers were ordered 20 report
before The medical board 10 have II
determined whether or not they we're
physically capable Of continuing In the
service. Some OF these officers whose
retirement IS contemplated were
wounded, and their injuries have been
giving them trouble There were those
who thought that General Mills. who Is
one OF the younger of the brlgadlers
OF the army long before this would
have 20 apply for retirement or would
De ordered into Il, because OF disabiu.
ties arising from wounds. but he ia
one OF the living examples Of how a
man can be shot almost 10 death. and
yet recover
His Heroism at Santiago.
When tho Spanish war broke out
Mills was a first lieutenant in the
First cavalry He was given the rank
OF captain as an assistant adjutant
general u volunteers. While on this
stat duty he was in the thick OF the
fight 10 front Of Santiago He showed
heroism that day that won him med.
al OF honor. an appointment TO West
Point as superintendent with the rank /.
OF colonel, and later promotion TO the 7.
grade OF brigadler general. a promo
ton that advanced him over the heads
OF several hundred senior officers.
Brig Gen Albert l. Mills Is the man
who broke up hazlng at West Point. F.
The system passed bewailed by every
graduate OF the academy. except the
man who gave II It's death blow Pos
sibly way down In his heart General
Mills was sorry that he was able 20
do what many soldier before him
had failed TO do. but Il WAS a matter
OF duty, and hazing was drum.headed /.
and driven out OF the camp
The scars Of war are on .eneral /
Mills. but conspicuous as was his field
service. II is probable that the fight
against the time recognized. II not
"plebe devlling" institu.
ton. will outliye the other service in
the memory Of the army and the coun.
try "Braclng' has succeeded hazing
=, West Point A plebe Is no longer
asked TO recite the Psalm OF Lie"
With appropriate gestures. 10 his hu-
initiation. and to the delight OF a
host Of uncomfortable yearlings, but
be gets the military end OF the siren
nous lie as no plebe ever got Il be-
lore, and The perfunctory soldier du.
les al the academy were always soul.
rying and body.racking
Others Failed 10 Stop Hazins.
When Alhcr, /. Mills went to me
Military Academy as IFS superintend.
M he was only a captain. though the
POSITION OF chief Of the school car.
led with 90 the temporary rank OF colo
vel The lis. OF bis predecessors at
West Point carried he name OF some
II the most distinguished soldiers ~
be American army Lee, Schofield.
Toward and Merritt are four OF the
Ioue. .hai come 90 the memory Lee
.ou'l not nr dI not stop hazug Tn
.er Schuhs,t six cadets were dismissed
or Ha.r- ua single summer. but haz
ne VeF" an Merritt tried his hand al
oot.ug our 'he practice lie dismissed
CbOa-. boy summarly on the
.harge ot doy.lug plebe sentinel. but
laz'ug went 90
General Howard was probably the
,nly superintendent that the military
academy ever had who DID not believe
. Mt, heart that certain kind OF
ihzing was a good thing for the hazed
Rich mems sons came to West Point
ne most democratic school on the
ooistool. and gave evidence that they
aought they were better than the
ons Of poor men II didn't take long
% induce them 10 change their view.
,oint The yearIings changed II for
mem There never was the brutal haz.
~ at Yves, point that there was AZ
annapolis. The sea school brand vas
ntsf,nsible Howard tried TO kin all
orms - haziug and failed
Before General Mills had been in The
c. Icny long there were several cases
4 svere hazing and. mindful of his
.f.s. 80 r1rrv1frrIad .s4frts. M, -.