Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-02

letter written to and published in
the New York Evening Post by Rob
| ert Mears Thompson on the Naval
| Academy scandal will be of interest
| Mr. Thompson was a graduate of the
| academy in 1865, but resigned from
the service in 1871. He has always
kept in close touch with Naval
| the Thompson cup. for which the
academy and West Point contest an
nually on the football field.
The letter follows:
Tho reports published in the papers
| of the investigation of the midship-
men accused OF 'souging' at the Naval
Academy have not clearly and fully
stated the facts. Will you permit me
TO do so?
1T has long been the custom of in
structors at the Naval Academy. and
believe at West Point, from time 10
time 10 call the attention OF the pupils
to certain parts of their course deemed
TO be OF special Importance. From time
to time they have prepared papers
which have been given to the mdship-
men, and which the mdshipmen call
dope sheets. The object of their
teaching Is. Of course, to impress upon
the minds OF the pupils such points as
they consider especially important. In
the nature of things. when the time
for the examination comes, many Of
tH'sE HHuSN nc inCibuen IN the
examination papers If the result Of
the teaching, including the method just
referred to. has been to give The pupils
clear idea of these points, they viii
be able to pass the examination with
good record. or course, to such
practice as this there is not only no
objection. but, on the contrary. it
should, and does. meet with the APP
proYal OF every one. When, however,
the midshipmcn obtain actual advance
copies OF the examination papers them
selves, which they can do only through
some unfair or undetermined method, tn c
situation is entirely diffcrent--it is
dishonorabie in the extreme.
I'm the cases now under discussion
one Of the nidshipmen did obtain. by
some means. ccpics OF the c%amiua-
ton pa pcrs for all classes in modern
languages. Seven m!dsh!pmen were
known to have seen the originals, and
any one familiar with the cXamina-
ton papers at the Naval Academy
could not be mistaken rs TO their ma
ture. Copies Of these papers or parts
of them. in pencil or with pen, were
prepared and circulated among the
other mid shi pmen, and there is no way
OF proving that the midshipmen who
had these copies or fragments, in pen
pencil knew that they were other
than the regular dope sheets which
they were in the habit Of receiving.
When. in due course, they received the
examination papers. they must have
seen that their supposed dope sheet
was copy OF the examination paper.
II is greatly TO be regretted that in
making this discovery they did not at
once inform their instructors of the
fact, although they came into the pos
session Of this information innocently.
But there is broad distinction be-
tween the cases OF the ones who saw
the original papers tand they knew
ND stn
| the copies in pencil or fragments, and
! had no means OF knowing that they
were copies of fraudulcntly obtained
! papers That the offcnsc OF obtain
| ing examination papers by unfair
| means was known to be punishable
by dismissal was well understood
| Three midshipmen had been dismissed
| during the year for a like offense.
UNFORTUNATELY for the morale of the
Naval Academy, certain Of the midship-
men were backed by influential poll
ticians, who at once demanded i'm
munity fer their protcges. Certain
Congressman and Senator'S believe that
they stand In q position different from
that Of ordinary citizens of the United
States, and that the midshipmen sup
ported by their influence should have
privileges not accorded to others
Although Congressman pass laws which
make it the duly of officers at the Naval
Academy to recommend for dismissal
any midshiDmen who are guilty OF
fraud, these same congressman resist
| the verdict when 1t concerns their own
| political interest to do so. attack the
| officers who are doing their duty under
the laws Of Congress, and try to free
| the culprits. more inconsistent po-
| sition for men high In Office to take
| cannot be imagined
"And 1t must be apparent that to
! free these particular midshipmen who
| have powerful influence. and not re-
scind the punishment of others who
have already been dismissed for like
! offense. would be unfair. and would
| establish the precedent that MID
| shipman without Influence must be
| dismissed while another with powerful
| backing can remain. Can the people
| stand for such a condition!
! with my knowledge of the Nava
| Academy extending over fifty years
| know that every officer, from the
| superintendent down, is deeply inter
| ested in tho welfare Of each and every
midshipman. 1t is the duty of the su'
| perintendent, when convinced that 6
boy is not up to the standard REQUIRED
i'm the navy. to recommend that he bt
dismissed. While the standard IL
studies is high, the standard in honor
| is higher still. The 200 or 800 midship
| men sent each year to the Naval Acade
my are selected out Of 100000 OIL
100000 boys of the eligible age, ant
IL they are not UP to the STANDARD
attempt to keep them there, becaus,
they are keeping out other boys wht
might be making good use of tn,
| academy for the future benefit of tn,
United States Navy.
Let me repeat that the seven boy.
were recommended for dismissal be
cause 1t was known that they had see,
INA lob