The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-28

vice and the Government demand, in
their opinion. that those who demon
strate by their acts that their standards
OF conduct are low must he eliminated
rs soon thereafter as possible.
Above all, in their judgment, military
discipline must be preserved among the
midshipmen. as their entire future Is TO
be spent as members of an organization
which cannot survive without rigid dis
clpline. They hold that the efforts Of
Representatives Hay and Carlin In this
situation are falsely directed in that
they are placing the interests OF a few
individuals above the interests OF the
naval service and the mi%dshipman body
as "A whole.
Representatives Hay and Carlin have
not concealed the fact that they are
endeavoring to obtain an Indictment OF
the Naval Academy administration
through the proceedings OF the court.
They already contend that what has hap
pened demonstrated the need FOR a
thorough cleaning out OF the institution.
n change of personnel and an overhaul
ing of the system.
They have made countless charges
during the proceedings in support Of
their contentious that not their clients.
but the academy is to blame for what
has happened. They have accepted in
good faith all that certain midshipmer
have told them. though impartial in
vestigation leads TO the conclusion hat
many midshipmen often say things about
affairs at the academy which they do
not know OF their own knowledge and
canno; prove.
Outline Of the Defence.
The counsel for defendants charge that
ii has been the practice TO give athletes
advance copies OF examinations. that
some instructors CAV secret information
to students while other students. meet
Ing different instructors. did not enjoy
such tips that some Instructors markell
their classes before recitations were held
that unquestionably Midshipman Moss
got the examination papers In the
present case by mail from some friendly
professor and not through theft by some
person as yet unknown that the officers
OF the academy are brutal toward the
midshipmen. that the courses are too
hard. so that m~idshipmen had to re-
sort IN theft to pass. that the policy
OF the academy Is one OF repression and
suppre ssion that marks are withheld
20 that the boys had to resort to stealing
to learn how they stand. and finally.
that Admiral Fu.lam was determined TO
sacrifice the rigina seven defendants
in order to vindIcate his administration.
These charges have made the feeling
here toward Representatives Hay and
'dl an pHt W resentment. ~rieI |
with the belief hat political influence
represented in these gentlemen, was at
tempting to tell the navy how il should
bring up It's own.
But the situation has been made
worse by the fact that Representative
Carlin is alleged by those concerned to
have had n large part in the drafting
and circulation OF petitions alleging the
signers to consider themselves as guilty
as the accused. Midshipmen generally
to sign these petitions. many OF
them informing the writer that they did
regard the papers as inspired by
good faith. Academy authorities regard
these activities as nothing less thar at
teinpts to subvert discipline and weaken
the authority OF the midshipmen's COM
officers.
Personal investigation and inquiry
both officers and m~idshipmen,
some who are parties to the
present proceedings. satisfied THE Sun
representative that the counsel for the ;
defence rave been in many aspects mis-
Informed. The recognizedly capable
men among the midshipmen. particu-
larly tine upper class men. not only d,
confirm but emphatically deny the
against the academy oni- {
GERS and the system in vogue at the In
stitution. ,
II is positively maintained by these :
'Hdt IL II youIlRSteT comes l \
reasonably prepared and will apply >
himself faithfully to each days tasks he $
viii have no special difficulty in pass !,
They deny hat favoritism exists ,
IN regard to tips as 10 examinations
Though II was obvious to all witnesses
hat in the trst weeks Of the court a
Of the witnesses were telling only
4 part Of the truth, 1t was predicted that ,
he Influences predominant at Annapolis
would eventually triumph and that
confessions would begin to come.
The testimony Of Midshipman Reagle
with regard to his burglariike ,
into the academic buildings at .
llgAt To get marks and examination ,
has verified this prediction. '
All doubt that the examination papers I
we're stolen. and not sent by n professor. ,
vas removed when Reagle began -.
q give the full detail of the expedi- :
81 himself and others after ex- !
papers. 9
II is admitted by the midshipmen that .
hough the knowledge of actual burglar |
Eng and thievery was not generally dis
il was known that many paid
ecret Visits 10 the academic building
II is admitted further that for a year :.
" two the spirit which in the past =
las resulted in the upper classes taxi
the first action TO discourage de-
'artures from the principles supposed
% govern at Annapolis has been less
lctive. I
This is justified by the statement that c
here has been less to call IL forth q
nd also by the fact that nowadays y
he classes are so large that the class ]
pirit and class price Is not the same. %
he company n battalion system. II
5 declared. in which all classes are p
liNed, has done much to lessen the v
lass feeling. II
Six of the present defendants were in I,
he same company. though of different
lasses. II was admitted also that IA b
,iliarity with certain things going on q
ad dulled the senses to the danger of 4