Tucson Daily Citizen from Tucson, Arizona • Page 31

PAGE 32 SATURDAY EVENING, JAN. 3, 1959 INQUIRING REPORTER Enforcement Seen As Greatest Need Weaver Zeigler Duncklee THE QUESTION: What would you suggest to cut the highway traffic death toll in Arizona? THE LOCATION: N. Stone Ave. and Alameda St. THE ANSWERS: Mrs.

Sue Weaver, 1030 E. Gifford secretary I think there should be more strict enforcement of the traffic laws we have now rather than make a lot of new ones. I think they're too lax now. There's a law against drunk driving, but it doesn't stop drunk drivers. Miss Miriam Zeigler, 2544 E.

Seneca airlines ticket agent Everyone should fly in the first place. It seems to be a i patrolled, the roads I mean. It's strictly up to the individuals. You can't line the roads with policemen. John Duncklee, Rte.

7, Box 389, cattleman -Stricter license requirements and put less horse- ART BUCHWALD Revnolds ray power in the cars, I guess. Right now we could do with more road patrols. Clarence Houston, 120 N. Longfellow attorney--I think the governor is exactly right. I'm a Democrat, but 1 think he's right even if he is a Republican.

He's called for stricter law enforcement and a study. It's time a top-level man became concerned and now a top-level man has acted. Frederick D. Reynolds, Devon Air Force captain--I don't want to sound prejudiced, but drinking is the main cause of accidents. I'm a former enforcement officer from El Paso and I know.

The second is recklessness on the part of the motorist in getting where he's going. Miss Nella F. Bray, 616 E. 3rd letter shop a I would suggest that, in the city and the county parking not be allowed so close to the intersections. It's worse.in the city.

Everyone should slow down at intersections. Cartoonist Bemoans Children's Ascendancy There are many different attitudes on how to treat American youth. One we heard recently comes from Al Capp, the cartoonist, who was once a boy himself. Mr. Capp, father of three, told us in what might be his last interview: "When I was six years old my parents put me in a clean shirt, pointed out the direction of school and told me not to come back for eight years.

They never expected to see my teachers and the teachers never expected to see my parents. Each one had a function. My parents were supposed to feed and clothe me; my teacher was supposed to teach me how to read and write. Neither group had any effect on the other. The only thing my parents knew about my teacher was 'she was always picking on me.

1 "My teachers graded me on arithmetic, English, history and geography. Since I failed all of them, it was obvious I was go- ing to be a cartoonist. But we never were graded for adjustment, emotional stability or 'Does he get along with the other My parents knew I got along with other children just by virtue of ths fact I came home every afternoon with a bloody nose or a black eye. We didn't worry about emotional stability in those days. All children were emotionally unstable.

They were full of hatreds and frustrations. Who wouldn't be if you were half the size of the rest of the world and didn't have a nickel to your name? "In my day, it wasn't a question of which was school to send a kid to; it was which was the nearest one. All schools were good just as all churches were good and all teachers were good. "We never heard of words like adjustment, environment, rejection and 'community of Sure we were unloved. DENNIS THE MENACE I SHOULOA K5H A (Eituen A I 1870 PUBLISHED BY THE CITIZEN PUBLISHING CO MEMBER OF THE A I A PRESS i A i a is entitled i to the use Of all the local news i in this as well all AP i a MEMBER OF UNITED PRESS I A I A MEMBER OF THE AUDIT BUREAU OF I A I flatfts; Delivered in Tucion 4Cc Per Home Delivered Outside of Tucson AGc Per Week PuhhOiert Daily a Annual iption.

a i J20. Annual Subscription. Mail. We took it for granted it was natural for everyone to hate us. No one paid any attention to us.

in turn, didn't pick up our father's shotgun and wipe out the whole family. "The child today is wise to the adult jargon and as soon as he thinks his parents are paying any attention to him, the monster swells up in him. The child who is held in proper contempt by his family is grateful for anything he gets. All he needs is food and shelter. If he's loved, he gets drunk with power, flexes his muscles and takes over, Those parents who concern themselves with their children's i problems are crazy.

The problems of a 9-year-old kid cannot be solved in anv wav except by becoming 10. The problems of a 16-year-old will only be solved by turning 17." Mr. Capp believes that the emphasis on teen-agers has been damaging. "Teen-agers are repulsive to everybody except each other. We all know that children pass through various stages of insanity, so why try to understand them?" "But aren't teen-agers unhappy?" "Sure they are.

Let them stay- that way. We've put too much emphasis on security. The teenagers today have been told they have rights. Why should they have rights? "In Europe kids a no rights. If they ever asked for any they'd get belted by (heir fathers.

But in America things have been all switched around. Children used tn try to please their parents--now the parents try to please the children." "What is your solution?" "It is my belief a we should give American children i i they desperately and crave a i 'Ve must a them feel nrg- Tted. insecure, a and mlnved. In we'll set obedience, gond scho- 'astic records. They'll be so eager to be wanted a I I do everything in the world to pirase us." "Is a i else'?" "Yrs.

Don't bp a pal to vour son. Re i a What child ii'Tds -tO-vMr-olri. man for a i And forget ahoin teach- ins him thr a of i There is i a i a liny could discuss i his a a lit? couldn't discuss much more openly with hir. i i "Keep in i we owe i dren i supply food, i only bccausf we're a i a day these will i i i beings and possibly a reasonable and honest riiwns." fni me LOOKING AROUND From This Point Of View One sentence editorial: "1 never criticize a man i I have walked a mile in his Indian saying. in passing, a a good motto for everyone to adopt for the new year.

The Christmas trees are mostly gone, but may the spirit and happy memories of the season linger on. One carry-over influence of Tucson's Christmas trees will be a tangible one for months to come. The great majority of them were sold by youth work groups, like the YMCA, Salpointe Dads' Club, Boy Scouts and Boys' Chorus. Profits from tree sales will be used in the work of those organizations. It is a fine thing a the trees which symbolize Christmas spirit also symbolize the public's support of its youth activities.

The Christmas-New Year holiday season is a time when everyone wants to hear the voices of loved ones "back distance telephone lines were glutted. There's nothing quite like expressing "Happy New Year" and "how're all the folks?" in the first person. Hats off to the battery of telephone operators who kept plugging away through it all. Bell lab engineers are busy planning the telephones of tomorrow with all kinds of improvements like hi-fi voice transmission, push buttons instead of dials, and a screen on which talkers will be able to see each other. We hopefully suggest one other telephone innovation.

A device that permits us to shoot a stream of water into the eye of the New Year's Eve reveler who dials the wrong number at 2 a.m. and gets us out of bed to answer. A school teacher returned from two years in Timor, Indonesia, reported casually that she, "like everyone else, had servants." Household help is plentiful at a going wage of $4 a month. Interested schoolmarms, walk, don't run. to your nearest travel agent.

Progress report: "CHINESE WALL" year" is here. Now. what? UNITED COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN--Shortage in 1958 drive remains a challenge. ANNEXATION--Petitions will be circulated soon in northeast area. HOSPITALS --Tucson Medical Center expansion nearly half finished; St.

Mary's to call bids on new east side hospital. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT--Consultant's report to Chamber of Commerce due to be released next week. AUDITORIUM--Year of study ended, but practical proposal and means of financing remain to be devel- oped. DOWNTOWN--Half-million-dollar street improvement and lighting project to start immediately. AMERICAN HERITAGE CITIZEN CHARLIE'S CROSSWORD CLUES ACROSS A not A "Agitators" require "suooort" to carry them a a for the time beinp normally i the A however, implies ad- is strictly sneaking, thn "support" that is A but.

rather the supporters. A if A RUST not REST. RUST more i i a a i where "certain i a concerned. In SOLUTION TO PUZZLE 217 No person will BUCK "you up" unless they A "you up" or you about iome thing that will BUCK "you up." 23. FESTIVE not RESTIVE.

FES- TlVE. yes. but "men whe arc in a RETST1VE mood" may ba in no state at all to enjoy themselves. CLUES DOWN 2. A not PORTS.

A for it will include the PORTS and any of the country inlAnd that he has 3. DONE not GONE. DONE is more literally correct. otd year is" DONE i i but it hasn't GONE a NONE that tend to become i a a i REST is not thr direct "cause" of "stiffness." Note also a i a REST ha.j no ill A nnt A a with on?" some of a A Further- the a a he is "an hunter" no thin a A He may be "an oenenr.ed" duck "hunter." for a A i not FLOWN. The i a a FLOWN, BLOWN.

by i by o' a i i FLOWN a nni a i "Ot rwer i i i a thr re may" or a "be a a 111 i i A 11 if a r- ti on" mi a a wfuj'rt nii-re to the ro.ni. nnt Why the nttM i a MJ wouirl hardly i a a a i "1 of 0 in i a no: i imp a a ,1 pn hand. i a nc. a i a C.e-if a i Inp tint ho, IT' in i i at a 1 rn 11 I' leM a 1 BOOM 1 i A no: a i i per. A up" i a 8 1 C.

i a i a 11. STOLE not STONE. STORE or STOVE. "A valuable" STOLE. yes: the clue a "as a rule." but there are countless precious STONES in their natural state.

which not particularly "beau- tiful." A for STONE, i i is a much mnre common i i term than "vai- liable." The edit is a i not Sj true of either STORE or STOVE, their value is not ured tn terms of beauty. 12. FUN not SUN. The c'uit impliei for FUN in a i look a to" having or a i a a i amount of" SUN the SUN of real to "neonl?" who to 'y plants, i rnmes. i it is shmina.

BUN, GUN, PUN Ti; and RUN are a H. FUMBLt nnt MUMBLE. RUM- 8LE or TUMBLE. "When rMc a hall." while lending i to is hardly for A Triplication i hat 1 mm hi a him" it "if wre to f. i a a am inert.

Tnpre is no i harm in "lAiighmQ," he to MUM- BLE o- 9 i.i too A i i not SHOOT. I "On ttree.t" ii i i he "alarniina" "un. or not. The "un- a i a SHOUT. not The a that hat been robhert" does a a ni'Mtipn LOCK be nq a rohber a a Ihe i a i Vcm i be unluf to a rohbert," hut "it'i -v, no 0 0 a ni i i LUCK.

A nnt CJOOd. New West Point Born Out Of Mutiny In 1818 By R. ERNEST DUPUY It was June 15. 1817, and up at West Point newly elected President a Monroe, staunch friend of the Military Academy, was in a towering rage. The place was in poor shape, its curriculum had unraveled, examinations were unknown, and discipline was nonexistent.

The acting superintendent. Captain Alden Partridge, Corps of Engineers, seemed to be running a "Dotheboys Hall" of sorts, where favoritism governed and cadets were being graduated without reference either to academic standing or military ability. The academic staff--Professors Mansfield. Elliott, Beard, Douglass and Crozet--had just presented the President with burning indictments of the existing, regime. In particular, Mansfield had written: Men, not principles, are intended to prevail this noble institution is calculated on as an instrument to gratify the capacity of individuals, in subserving the i of friends Con- nexions, in advancing favorites sycophants, instead of rewarding merit on fair honorable principles as designed by the laws." Previous charges of nepotism had been made against Partridge: that his uncle, Isaac Partridge, had run the cadet mess: that his nephew.

Lieutenant John Wright, was post adjutant; that another relative, "Major" James Barton, operated the cadet store, where uniforms were sold to cadets at prices exorbitant in comparison with those charged by New York tailors. OTHER COMPLAINTS of disciplinary laxness had made; that cadets wandered on and off the post at will; that they were selling their pay vouchers in advance to loan sharks to obtain money; and that officers who passed the barracks might be showered by missiles thrown from windows. It was these charges and complaints that had brought President Monroe to West Point. Now he had seen and heard enough. During his short tour as Secretary of War he had sent a brilliant young graduate, Brevet Major Sylvanus Thayer, abroad to study European'mili- tary pedagogy.

Thayer, now just returned, would be just the man to rectify matters. Turning to General Joseph G. Swift, chief of engineers, who after all was responsible for the Military Academy, and who had 'accompanied him on this hurried tour of inspection, the President ordered a new deal. Partridge must later he should be court martialed. Thayer should immediately be appointed to the superintendence to bring order out of chaos.

An austere introvert from Vermont and a mathematician of. parts, Partridge appears to have lacked any administrative or command ability. Filled with good intentions, he set forth again and again plans for revision of rules and for regularity in instruction and promotion, yet he personally violated all of them. A martinet whose excessive severity at times made life miserable for some of the cadets, he was also weak. Certain strong-willed youths who had solved his character curried his favor, and as a result this clique could do no wrong.

"OLD PEWT" was Partridge's nickname. Stiff and ungainly, he strutted about clad in an ancient blue uniform coat overladen with buttons and lace, and with such unusually widespread tails that it became known as the Peacock. He could delegate no authority, tried to do everything himself, and was at continual loggerheads with the faculty. A far different man from Partridge was Sylvanus Thayer. A graduate of Dartmouth College previous to his short career at West Point he was graduated in 180R.

a year a his admission--he was an ardent admirer of Napolpon's military virtues, and a close student of the Little Corporal's During the War of 1812 'he had distinguished himself and had become personally Monroe. Slim, erect, a soldier every inch of his five- foot-ten a Thayer arrived at West Point on July 28. 1817, hearing orders for the relief of Partridge. Nobody it at the moment, hut when Sylvanus Thayer stepped across the parade ground and walked tn the superintendent's house. the modern West Point had arrived.

The old happy-po-lucky days were over; now "vomit; gentlemen" who rejoiced in the i of cadet? were going to he soldiers, and ii would he like a forever after. THAYER REGAN by a i the dismissal orders to Partridge, Accepting the orders in grim silence. a i slipped away from thr post next day and Thayer set about a i house. For instance, on the departure of President Monroe. Partridge had put i family in arrest as revenge (or their com- 'PEACOCK' PARTRIDGE plaints, and that legal tangle had to be snipped.

Then the corps had to be called to return, for more than half of the 213 on the rolls were on "vacation." On Aug. 29, Thayer was interrupted by a long roll of drums, followed by tumultuous cheers. Outside his office the corps of cadets was being paraded, under arms. By whose order? By none other a Aldcn Partridge! "Old Pewt" had returned. Clad in the "Peacock," he was.

reading out an order he himself had written, reassuming command of West Point. Thayer quietly left the post, after writing a letter to the Secretary of War: "I have the honor to inform you that Captain A. Partridge of the Corps of Engineers has returned to this post and has, this day, forcibly assumed the command and the superintendency of the Academy. I shall therefore proceed to New York and wait your orders." Why did Thayer so meekly acquiesce? We lack certain knowledge, for Thayer never discussed the matter directly, and his evidence in the later trial of Partridge gives no inkling of his motives. One can only speculate, dismissing immediately any thought of vacillation or weakness on Thayer's part; his record both before and after belies that.

In New York Thayer reported to Swift. Forty-eight hours later came the aide-de-camp of the chief of engineers, saber clanking, to place Partridge in arrest and reinstate Thayer. "Old Pewt" was to be court-mar- tialed, charged with mutiny. He was permitted to go to New York to prepare his defense, and the corps of cadets made plain their opinion when he departed. They accompanied him to the steamboat dock in riotous ovation, while the band played him off "with honors of musick." UP TO WEST POINT came an imposing array of rank for Partridge's trial, with General Winfield Scott.

"Old Fuss and Feathers," presiding. "Old Pewt" was found guilty of disobedience of orders and of assuming command without authority. He was. however, cleared of the specific charge of mutiny, and the court, while sentencing him to be cashiered, accompanied it with a plea for clemency on the grouds of previous "zeal and perseverence." President Monroe permitted Partridge to resign. Thayer now went seriously about the business of an institution based upon character, its foundation the premise that "a cadet does not lie, cheat or steal" the substance of West Point's well-known honor code.

The academy was to become a kind of secular novitiate under Spartan discipline, in which each cadet suffered, equl- ly and was rewarded equally, striving to a common goal under impartial command. The housecleaning was a thorough one. A careful screening of the corps disposed of some hardy perennials who, through favoritism, had been permitted to stay at the place for years. Tradition has it that one 40-year-old cadet was unearthed, with a wife and family living in Orange County. Another cadet, so the story goes, had but one arm.

But the majority -of the misfits, in Thayer's own language, were just "nuisances and should be removed." They were. Vacations were abolished. The academy was placed on a 12- month cycle. Incomers were screened by a thorough examination before acceptance. Pedagogical methods adapted from Ecole Polytechnique in France were instituted.

To ensure democracy, individual cadets were prohibited any outside financial assistance; each had to depend upon his government pay. Actually, no cadet now touched money; all his financial transactions were upon a checking system. Were a cadet in debt, he got along as best he could with what he had, until such time as his pay re-established his credit. THE PARTRIDGE CLIQUE amongst the cadets took these changes hard, as might be expected from unruly youngsters accustomed to selling their pay vouchers for ready cash at tremendous discount. But worst of all.

for their view point, was the new i i i a setup. Captain KKPORMER THAYER John Bliss. 6th Infantry, had been appointed by Thayer as commandant of cadets, to supervise his Spartan rule. Bliss, Thayer felt, was "peculiarly well qualified." Actually, as it turned out, the choice was not a good one; the new commandant had a most violent temper. The storm, clouds rose; and finally they burst on Sunday afternoon, Nov.

22, 1818, with reverberations which would not cease until they had reached the halls of Congress, and which would settle once and for all the heretofore moot status of the Corps of Cadets in the military hierarchy. That afternoon, Captain Bliss's temper cracked. Laying hands on a cadet misbehaving on parade, Bliss threw him bodily out of ranks. Two days later, five cadets presented themselves before Thayer at his quarters. The quintet announced themselves to be a committee representing the.

entire cadet corps and presented a round robin signed by more than 150 men, demanding the removal of Captain Bliss. The superintendent sent them back to their quarters, after informing them that, although any cadet feeling himself aggrieved would have a hearing, such collective action was unmilitary. But they returned shortly, this time bearing a set of charges of "unofficeriike conduct" against Bliss. Presenting this paper, the truculent five now announced that noncompliance with their demand would mean the rebellion of the.entire corps. Thayer's reaction was prompt.

The five committeemen were ordered off the post. An inspector came and supported the superintendent's action. President Monroe upheld Thayer. Captain Bliss, however, was relieved as commandant, since "he does not appear to have sufficient command of his temper THE RUMPUS WENT ON for more than a year. A court- martial declared itself to be without jurisdiction, on the ground that the cadets were not under military law.

Here, of course, lay the crux of the whole situation. Thayer had pointed this out in his original report of the incident, noting a radical cause of the disturbance In which the Mil. Acad'y. is i a is the 'erroneous and un- i i a impressions of the cadets imbibed at an ii.auspicious period nf the institution when they were allowed to intrude i views and opinions with rcspecl to the conduct of the Acad'y. So long as these impressions shall remain the Acad'y.

will he liable to combinations convulsions the reputation of the institution of the officers connected with it will he put in jeopardy." The isue was settled on Aug. 21, IS IS. when ihe attorney gene a of the i Stales, Will i Win. ruled that the "corps at West Point form a part of the land forces of the United States, and have been constitutionally subjected by Congress to the rules and articles of war, and to i a by Thayer had met second threat to his reorganization of West Point, and had won a i Th? Long Gray Line was on its cadencpd lor i i.