The Washington times., 1931-10-21
|IARvARD-ARMY GRID BREAK is BIT TOO LAT
CADET RIGHTS
:. BY LAW ARE
|NVEOL.ATE

Hw w~ @@W D ~
BY HARRY COSTELLO,
(GsorgetOwn BacEfield Star, 1S1O-1s1S)
West Point is a Government
school.
1t was established, and has
been sustained down through its
history, by the law Of the land.
The purpose of the United
States Military Academy always,
has been, and is, to graduate
military leaders charged with the
lofty duties Of training and
leading American armies called
upon to defend. this Nation
against attacks Of enemies.
The art Of killing the enemy
is the main subject at West
Point. All other subjects are
subordinate to that major motive.
AS a means to an end, football
has been accepted by Govern
ment authorities for West Point.
The game Of football is
accepted as an aid to education.
It is q developer Of character.
an incentive Of initiative, q
medium to bring out and enlarge
qualities Of courage and leader"
ship.
Eligible for Same HOnOrs
Cadets at west Point are paid
q montfly salary by the United
States Government. By law.
All cadets are governed by the
same rules, have the same rights
the same privileges, accept the
same discipline. BY law.
All cadets are eligible for the
same hOnOrs, rewards, activities,
recreatiOns and praises. BY law.
All cadets are amenabIe to the
same regulations, discipline,
treatment and atmosphere. By
law.
Constitutional rights of cadets
are respected by Government au-
thorities at West Point.
John Smith has the same right
to try for the football team as
Peter Jones. It is the law OF
the land.
Once John Smith is accepted
as q cadet at West Point, regard.
less Of his former position. social.
athletic or academic, he is on @
par with Peter Jones. 1t is the
daw Of the land.
Because John Smith was a star
football player at Louisiana State,
or Michigan State, or Oregon
State, is no reason why he should
be barred from trying for the
West Point football team. So
says the law.
will Not Change Laws
The breaking Of football rela-
tions, as suggested by q Harvard
publication, between Harvard ana
West Point will not change the
laws Of the United States.
The Harvard publication
should have consulted Harvard
athletic officials before sound
ing off so viCiOuSly and so ilIOg-
icaIIy against West Point and
all its officials and all is
sSU1deuts.
Fred DAILY went from Harvard
to West Point. Yale, Harvard,
Notre Dame, Leland Stanford,
Michigan State. Southern Meth
odist and many other football
teams played West Point after
DAILY became a cadet. and Subse-
quently an officer of the United
States Army. Isn't it a bit late
to squawk about football players
at West Point?
Anyway, SquaWk OF no Squawk,
what about the laws governing
West Point? Does the Harvard
SWampum, OF whatever it's name
is. delegate to itself the authority
to deny John Smith the right to
attend West Point because John
Smith played football at Kalama-
ZOO College? Who makes the laws
Of, this land? Certainly not the
officers of the u. s. Military Acad-
emy. Certainly not the Harvard
SWampum.
Laws Are Laws
The legal question involved,
turned into one Of football by the
Crimson publication, cannot be so
lightly dismissed as the Harvard
SWampum would do it.
Laws are laws.
Does the Harvard SwampunA
suggest that Major SaSSe throw
all those football playing cadets
right straight out Of West Point?
If it does 50 suggest, has Major
Sasse the legal right TO do It?
Suppose, for instance, that q
police officer Of South Boston
advocated by publication that all
members Of the Harvard Lounge
Lizard team should not be al
lowed in the same field Of en-
deavor with the Yales, or the
Chicagos or anywhere near those
dreadfully rough Princetons, who
leave their marks via the signet
ring route. could Governor Eli
do anything about it?
Who started this argument,
anyway?
II you are the guilty one write
the dean of the Harvard Law