The Washington times., 1922-06-14
insult TO JEW
IAT ANNAPOLIS
W|L[BEPRObED
Senator Sutherland. Indignant
Over Humiliation Of Student.
Demands Explanation.
~ Universal Service.

~ OntNUSe8A p0HvsTN'
A studied affront to q Jewish boy
among the recent graduates from
Annapolis has been called to the at.
tention of the Senate by Senator
Sutherland Of West Virginia. He
announces he will demand full ex-
PLANTATION from the naval authorities.
Echoes Of the incident probably will
be heard when the naval approprta-
ton bill making provision for main
tenance OF the academy comes be-
fore the Senate.
The incident arose out Of the pub
iication of the ysar.book by the
graduating class and the treatment
accorded In the book to Leonard
Kapian, one OF the graduates. His
biographical note was printed on the
last page Of the book, the page was
left unnumbered and was perforated
along the edge, so that other men,
bers of the class who wished to pre-
serve the class history without hay-
Ing his name in II could very easily
tear out the page devoted to him
without mutilating the book. y
Sutherland Indignant.
After describing the book, suther'
land said that kaplsn comes from
his State and declared he could not
too strongly characterize the cir
cumstances Of the publication OF the
book. He said that throughout the
four years OF Kaplan's term at the
Naval Academy he maintained
very high standing. and was very
near the head Of his class.
But because Of his nationality"
the Senator said. he has been sub
5ected to @ refinement Of cruelty
such as has been Get forth"
Asked by Senator Pomerene
whether the book was published by
the class or by the academy au:
he understood the midshtpmen
themselves published 1t, but that "a
course Of training that will permit
such a condition of affairs to exist
In one Of our Governmental schools,
indeed, In any school In the country,
discriminating against man who
has maintained such high standing
and subjecting him to such treat.
ment, 10 utterly un-American and
cannot be too scathingly con-
demned."
- Sutherland said he intended to
find out whether any action has been
taken by officials Of the academy TO
discipline those responsible for the
publica tion, and Senator King said
he could not understand how such
book could be issued without the
knowledge Of the authorities, who
must assume responsibility for It,
Officials Criticized.
Sutherland called attention to the
case Of four Of five boys at the
Naval Academy who were set back
an entire year for some boyish
pranks influenced by indulgence in
fiauor. He said that while their
actions were contrary to-sthe rules
Of the academy and possibly In viola
ton Of law. they were of q minor
character compared to the offense
Of those responsible for "stigmatiz-
Ing the young midshipman Of Jew
ish birth" Such conduct. he de-
ciared, evidences spirit which
should not be manifested at any
institution and certainly not at an
institution under the control OF the
Government"
"If such Isl to be the attitude Of
our Naval Academy, or of any Other
governmental institution, then we
have come to a sad pass. In my
opinion, we should not allow such
an offense as this to pass by un-
noticed and uncorrected. nor should
we allow those guilty OF II to go un.
punished. II such incidents are to
continue to occur and to pass by
unnoticed. then IL 10 better that our
navy should be scrapped, because
they show how far we have departed
from the tenets and principles which
have made this country great and
powerful. Regardless Of nationality.
regardless of race. in this country
every man should stand on an
equality before the law.
1T may have been an act Of
thoughtlessness, but 1t goes beyond
that. II shows q lack OF considera.
ton for an American born boy, who
was reared in the State Of West
Virginia. where he went through the
public schools and acquitted himself
well, going then to Pittsburgh and
preparing himself for entrance to
the Naval Academy. was not
willing to let the incident pass with.
out calling attention to II.
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