Evening star., 1951-08-07
80 Of 9OCadets
|Swore 10 Guilt,
Army Reveals
All Were Warned Of
Incriminotion; Boord
Reviewing Cases
By John A. Giles

OdGlA GlIdI GllCy NIO1dGCQ GIl6 MILL.
tary. Academy's honor code, the
Army said today.
The department issued a state
ment saying that those who ad-
--~-~---------~
Parents Of Accused codets Wire Appeal
to Trumon. Pose Al
ID. c. Colleges Bolk Cheating by Watching
Students at Exoms. Poee A-3
mitted guilt did so before an orig
inal board of investigation.
The statement declared the
cadets were informed that they
did not have to make any state
ment that could incriminate them,
and that any statement they made
could be used against them.
Several Courses Open.
A final screening board now is
going over the cases. None of the
cadets has yet been discharged.
Final action may take one of the
following forms, the Army said:
l. Those who have admitted
guilt under oath will be given an
opportunity to resign with clean
record.
! 2. Those, who have admitted
guilt but refuse to resign will be
discharged.
3. In other cases cadets may be
discharged administratively or. at
the discretion of the superintend-
ent, may be tried by courts mar
tial depending on the evidence.
| 4. In cases where insufficient
evidence to support charges of
guilt, the charges will be dropped.
Procedure Used Previously.
In the latest Qualification Of
the cheating scandal, the Army
said, the cadets who may be dis
charged would be ousted by ad-
miniStrative order without speci-
flcation as to character. This
would mean a discharge with
a clean slate. 1t added that this
procedure had beer used in honor
code cases in the past.
The Army. which had shown
signs of modifying its original an
nouncement last Friday as to the
discharge" of the 80 cadets in
the wake of increasing Congress
sional pressure. said however that
the authorities were still trying to
bring out further evidence.
Although an Army Spokesman
previously had said that cadets
who had graduated and were sus-
pected of having been involved in
the cheating procedure would be
regarded as having made a fresh
start in life, the Army said today:
THE evidence which involves
cadets who have already gradu-
ated will be developed and appro.
pirate action will be taken"
Counsel Will Be Permitted.
A spokesman said the cadets
who requested legal counsel would
be given it.
He explained that the purpose
Iof the final screening board, now
in session at West Point, was
to recall each cadet involved to
give him full opportunity to sub
NIT anything he may have by
way of explanation, mitigation.
new or, additional evidence or ex-
tenuatiop of his case"
Any new substantial evidence
developed will be investigated
fully by the screening board.
which will then make appropriate
recommendations, the Army said.
The original board of investi-
cation questioned about 80 cadets,
the Army said. It turned the
evidence over to Maj. Gen. Fred
erlck Irving. academy superin-
tendent. who in turn forwarded
the information to the Pentagon
with the recommendation that
drastic action be taken.
General Authority" Given.
| Army Secretary Pace then ap-
pointed a review board headed by
Judge Learned Hand and when the
Army made it's announcement Fri
day, it was stated that 80 cadets
were being discharged" on the
basis of the Hand boards recon-
mendation.
But the Army said today that
the Friday announcement only
gave Gen. Irving general author
Iity" to proceed with the final
screening.
The Army denied that there had
been any coercion, promises or
illegal methods in dealing with the
cadets before the original board.
and added that all cadets now
have an opportunity to present
evidence of coercion or false
promises during their appearances
before the screening group.
That board is headed by Col.
H. c. Jones.
Meanwhile. Senator Hoey, DEM
(See WEST POINT paoe A2\