Ike’s deep humanity — his respect for the dignity of all human
beings without regard to their social condition — developed early.
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Cadet Eisenhower
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An encounter with another cadet at West Point helped to build this
side of Ike’s character. A West Point tradition at the time was
upperclassmen “hazing” of first-year students, called “plebes.” New
plebes would be forced to answer silly or obnoxious questions like
the following: “What was your previous condition of servitude?” To
answer this question, a cadet would have to tell what he had done
before entering the academy.
One day a young plebe bumped into Ike and fell to the ground in disarray.
Ike seized the moment as an opportunity for hazing. Looking down
at the plebe, Ike bellowed, “Mister, what was your previous condition
of servitude? You look like . . . you look like” — Ike
searched for a profession quite detached from military grandeur — “You
look like a barber!”
“Sir,” replied the plebe, “I was a barber.”
Ike choked and walked away without a word. He confessed to his roommate
the same day that “I’ve just done something stupid and
unforgivable. I managed to make a man ashamed of what he did to earn
a living.”
Ike then made a vow that he would never again belittle other people
from humble circumstances.
His own humble beginnings helped him understand something that many
other people in positions of authority would never appreciate: that
everyone under your direction deserves your respect for their service.
For the rest of his career, as a soldier, commanding general, and as
president he never again lost his respect for the common man.
