The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-15
,errgone throughout his four years

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES &fourAsyeaTss
[$at9AnnapoIis.
.But the boys responsiblesior@the
expensive &book%weregnot satisfied
with this 1ampooning and setting.
him apart from themselves.
They left the page number on
this page and perforated It along
might be torn out without leaving
a trace. The number that should
have been given it appears on the
page following The boys name.
Is not listed in the index Of BIZ
ographies. Complete arrangements
apparently were made to permit any
member who desired a year. book
minus Kap1an,s name to have such
a one.
THAT the youngster from West.
Virginia survived four years of
this treatment and came through
equipped for a commission in the
United States Navy is something of
a tribute to the stuff that is in him.
But that he had to do it is a a
commentary on the spirit of those
in the class who made it neces-
sary."
Deny Religious Prejudice.
Members OF the class of 1922
deny that what was done to Kap-
Ian in The Lucky Bag was because
he is a Jew They stoutIy main
tain that religion didn't enter into
it at all. They point to the fact
that there yer a number of Jews;
in this years class and that The
Lucky Bag shows in what high.
popular esteem they are held by.
their classmates.
They, however, expressed sincere;
regret over the incident and en-
phatic disapproval. They declare
that when news of what the editors
ofEThe Lucky Bag had done leaked
out to the class, the class held a
meeting and voted almost over
wa too late. The Lucky Bag was
off the press.
Every sketch in the book was
written by a friend of the subject
treated, except Kaplan's. He wrote
his own.
The editor of the 1922 Lucky Bag
was Olmstead. He and Kap1an
had a race. for highest scholastic
honors Olmstead won out by a few
points. In bestowing the diplomas,
Olmstead was called up and rel
ceived his first; then Kap1an. Afterl
that, the list of graduates was called
in alphabetical order and the diplo-
mas distributed in that manner.
Congressman Reed to Act.
Congressman Stuart F. Reed of
the third West Virginia district,
upon whose recommendation Leon
ard Kaplan was appointed to the
naval academy, made the following
comment today:
II have not all the facts in the
case, but I am at work trying toI
get them. The person or persons
guilty of this offense against young
kaplan should be punished. II
shall insist on it. |
81 am informed, but do not
know whether it is true or not, that
A dmira1 Wilson, superintendent of
the naval academy, has traced this
offense to one man, the honor man
of the class who was also editor
ln-chief of The Lucky Bag, and has
denied him the honor$of the formal
recognition he is supposed
to get. l commend this punishment
far as it goes, but l think that
severer punishment should be Wis
tied upon the guilty.
whoever committed this ~offense
against Kaplan was guilty of do
an act unbecoming in an officer
of the navy and a gentleman, and
such should be court-martai1ed.}
He or they are unworthy to hold
commissions.
'kaplan is a brainy young fell
low, a student of extraordinary at.
That is proven by the
fact that he stood second highest
in this years class of over 500
and only missed highest
by&a slight margin. SO slight
to require close figuring.
think he has been grossly insulted
and m~istreated, and the whole at
fair reflects more upon the class of
and the academy than it does
upon the innocent victim OF this
cruelty. Those who perpetrated it
will be the sufferers SO long as
they remain in the service. It will
figure as a blot in their record for
all time, and probably prove a serr-
Gus detriment to their advancement
and progress in the naval brancn
Of the SERVICE"