Evening star., 1921-06-05
ACADEMY CRITICS
MISTAKEN, ISPLEA
Officials at Annapolis Institu-
tion Uncsncerned Regarding
Proposed Investigation.
Special Di.pa tch to The star,

SPeciai Dispatch TO The Star.
| ANNAPOLIS. June 4.-Naval
| OF ,uneasiness over the proposal that
congressional investigation shall be
made of conditions surrounding recent
| examinations of midshipmen and the re-
quests for the resignation of some of
snem. The subject is one which
but there is every reason to believe
| that they have no fear of what may
be disclosed.
There is no doubt that there is con-
| sioerable misunderstanding of the real
situation. and that officials of. the
Naval Academy are being criticised on
GROUNDS which are without founda-
| tlon In some cases, the midshipmen
whose designations have been asked
Ior on most satisfactory reasons.
| misrepresent the situation to their
parents or congressman and make
| themselves out martyrs when they are
| nothing Of the sort.
f. one case illustrating the inaccuracy,
OF the reports upon which public
CRITICISMS are based is given. A pro-
ieSsional man of Baltimore has pub
nciy championed the case of mid
shlpman whose resignation was asked
and declared that he was not given
siHlclent opportunity. The facts are
| that at the regular semi-annual exami-
nation the youth failed in every sub
oil extra instruction, and then was re-
examined. The second time he failed
| III all but one subject, and barely
pulled through in that. Another
| youth had very bad conduct record,
| as well as scholastic deficiencies, ,<but
| no is named as one of the maltreated
| r.idshipmen.
Omciai Statement Made.
At the time the official statement
/ ha iSik u, inn N,
asked to resign unless he had been
given from a month to six weeks spe-
cial instruction after failing at the
regular examination. and had then
neen given a. discrimination and
| again failed. Two hundred and
I'seventy -eix failed at the regular cx-
animation. and all but 10 were able
to pass the REORGANIZATION and re-
main in the academy. = 49,,
|. AS 10 the naval officers. who are
! assigned as teachers, it may be said
that the number of naval and civilian
professors and instructors is fixed by
| act of Congress. and cannot be
| changed by the Naval Academy or
the Navy Department. 1t is quite pos
sible, however. that a better system
| for the selection of naval officers
| for this duty might be devised.
! All the professors and instructors
in the department of English are
civilians. and all except the heads of
the departments of mathematics and
modern languages. it is stated. have
the same status. Naturally. the pro-
fessioral subjects. Scama nShip. navi-
CATION and ordnance and gunnery. are
Taught by naval officers. They also
form most of the Instructors in the
! departments of marine engineering
and naval construction and in cleo
! tricit!.
Regarding Assignments.
structors through their own manipu-
! il is declared. Shore duty Of any kind
! can only be obtained after the re-
quircd amount OF sea duty has been
| performed. The Naval Academy sta
! tion is liked by some. bu. it is no,
| altogether desirable. The government
| provides quartes in the academy for
only small portion of the officers
| assigned TO il. and the others have to
seek homes in Annapolis where
| rents are high.
| While there is no fear of any kim
Of an investigation which may be
| ordered. it is pointed out that the
! proper and natural bodies look into
| the affairs of the academy and make
! recommendations as . to needed
| changes are the board OF visitors
| appointed by the President and the
| two branches of Congress, and the
naval committees of both branches
of the latter body. These bodies do
| inspect the academy from time to
time. and have the power to do so at
any time. and may and should make
their reports to Congress.