Evening star., 1915-12-07
DENIES WEST POINT
0STRAc|SES JEWS
Secretary Garrison Says
There Is No Discrimination
at Military Academy.
OFFICIAL Determined
TO BAR ALL DISTINCTIONS
Cadets Of Jewish Faith Are Treated
Without Prejudice by Their
Classmates.

denial of the charge that there Is
discrimination against young men of
Jewish faith at the Military Academy
at West Point is made in a letter from
Secretary of War Garrison to Repre-
sentative Chandler OF New York, pub
lished in the first number of the Con-
gressiona1 Record today. Representa-
tive Chandler states in letter to the
Secretary that there is belief in his
district. which has many Jews, that
discrimination exists at West Point.
In reply, Secretary Garrison says, in
part:
THE candidates selected first come
under the Jurisdiction of the military
authorities at the time of their admis-
sion to the academy, after having
passed successfully the regular en-
trance examinations, and as the super
intendent of that institution is cogniz-
ant of conditions there he was called
upon to furnish a report with regard to
the matter to which you refer. In
compliance he states, under date of the
LIST instant, as follows:
No consideration of any kind is
given at West Point regarding relig-
ious faith or belief of any candidate
for the academy, nor is any such con-
alteration given in acting on the case
of any cadet at the academy. In my
more than ten years personal connec-
tion with the academy l have never
observed or heard of case of social
ostracism at West Point because
cadet was Jew or of any other re-
ligious faith. No record of any kind is
made at these headquarters as to the
religious ia tn of any cadet, and l cam
not say whether or not there is one
Jew or many Jews in the corps of
cadets.
I'm the social relation between
cadets l do not believe that the Ques-
tion of religious faith ever enters in
the slightest degree. 1t is purely
question of personal character and the
elements of agreeable fellowship that |
social relations are intimate, cordial or
unfriendly.
Represents Conditions.
81 am satisfied that the report of the |
superintendent quoted above may be
accepted as representing fairly the con- !
ditions as they now exist in the Mill
tary Academy at West Point 1 am not |
advised concerning the conditions with
respect to matters as they exist in the
Naval Academy at Annapolis, which |
institution is under the jurisdiction of
the Secretary of the Navy.
In the summer of the year 1899 ar
ticles appeared in the public press al
lesing persecution. hazing and ostra-
cism of cadets of the Jewish faith at
West Point. The matter was promptly
brought to the attention of the acting
superintendent of that institution. who
reported, under date of August is. 1899.
as follows:
All statements which have appeared
in the press alleging persecution. haz-
ing, or ostracism of any cadet at the
Military Academy on account Of relig-
ious faith. whether Jew or Christian,
dation in fact. There are at
present two cadets of the Jewish faith
at the Military Academy. whose rela-
tions with their classmates and upper
classmen are of friendly character
and absolutely uninfiuenced by reason
of their faith; and / have yet to learn
Of any prejudice against a cadet or
being of the Jewish faith |
Statement of a Jew.
Accompanying the foregoing report |
was a statement by cadet at the |
academy, of which the following is |
pertinent extract:
II am of the Jewish faith, and my |
relations with my classmates and the |
members of other classes Indicate that |
this fact has nothing whatever to do |
with cadets standing in the eyes Of |
other cadets |
The Jewish race has undoubtedly |
furnished many able officers and many |
brave soldiers to all the armies of the |
world, and l am satisfied that many |
such are now in our army. In Justice |
10 them and to the military service OF |
our country generally it will be a mat |
ter Of qualification to me IL you will
take some means to dispel and discour-
age the erroneous impression to which
you refer. for l assure you that SO far
rcI 1{as., -,v,,tv kE1,,
or ostracism now exists in the army
and that while | am the Secretary of
War no such discrimination or ostra-
cism will be permitted"