New Britain herald., 1925-12-16
Court Martial Draws To End As Weeks Reasons For Not Pro- noting Air Officer Are Made Public.
His Desire for Publicity at Expense of Others Great Drawback - Misstate- ments Made Knowingly, Is Claim.

Washington. Dec. 16 LP,-A letter written by John w. Weeks sS rac- Fglary Of war describing Colonel William Mitchell as "lawless," unft for high administrative position and possessed Of desire for publicity Ut the expense Of others, was nre. sented ln evidence today at the Mitchell court-martiaI.
 Writing to President Coolidge. ths then secretary gave these as his sea sons for refusing to recommend that Mltchell be reappointed assistant chlet of the army air service with rank or brigadier general.
 War Dept's Side.
 The letter was presented to tha court by Major General Denni, F. Nolan, assistant chief of staff tha last prosecution witness in the trial of the air officer on charges result. Ing from his public attacks on tho government aviation policies It gave for the first time the war de. partment's side of the story ot Mitchell's transfer last spring from Washington to an army post in Texas.
 General NIitchelrs whole conrse has been so lawless, so contrary in the building ID of an efficient organ lzailon, so lacking n team work. so Indicative of desire for publicity at the expense of everyone with whom he S associated" wrote Mr Weeks, that his actions make him unfit Tor high administrative posi-. tion such as he now holds" l t.egreitcd Need Of Action. The secretary said he wrote ths .etter with great regret because h. IS a gallant officer with an excellent l war record" but he added: 1 His record since the war has been such that he has forfeited the good opinion Of those who are fa- miliar with the facts, and who de i sire 10 promote the best interests of national defense"
 Mr. Weeks continued that General Mitchell had testified before the house aircraft committee early this year that i've had but 19 planes fit Tor war service" when there were "as matter of fact' S29 airplanes actually in use and 76S in storage Tried To Startle Country.
 "All this" the letter said. twas well known to General Mitchell when he apparently endeavored to s;artle the country by testifying that we had but 19 planes fit for war service, at the same time making no reasonable explanation of the num- hor of planes on hand and their con- { dition."
 The war secretary told the prest- dent that Mitchell knew that the goal of the war departemnt was to seek an appropriation of S60. .0OO. .OOo a year for ten years for air construc. ton and pay of 4,Oo0 officers, includ- ing reserves, and 25,00O enlisted men.
 "I think I ought to add" Mr. Weeks said, that in my judgment tho organization of the air service as provided in war department plans and policies Is sound"
 After saying that the air officer had given the country the impress sion that officers of the army are muzzIed," the secretary cited his instructions in this connection as follows:
 Denies "SmugCling Charge" 'liccognlzing the undetermined value of aviation in warfare and wishing to obtain the judgment Of anybody and everybody whose iudr- mont is entitled to consideration, the best interest of the nation will be served by encouraging officers in an unrestricted and full discussion of all , points relating to aviation. In testi- tyins before congressional commit tees, if their views are contrary 10 the views of the war department 'hoy will state to the committee that they are not sppaking for the de partment policy but are expressing their own personal views, and should to so without reservation"
 Many of Mitchel's charges against those in charge of the nations air
 delcuses were denied directly by | General PcrshinE as chief of stan including the following: The air service on land should remain an auxiliary arm and very important one in our service, avail.
 able as now for independent use il mass or otherwise, wherever neces, sary, but always under the order, of the commander-in-chief of th, l armies. Our air service should h, ] developed to every reasonable ex ! tent both as 10 personnel and ma 1 terial, and it is especially necessar! ] that aircraft production he estah | lished and maintained on such | 1 basis as to be easily expanded il | time Of emergency"
 ] The Weeks letter. General Nolal , said. was dictated hy the secretar, i himself. and the general staff had n ] ibility for it. Defense coun
 sel then pointed out that the lette ! had the symbols "O. f. S" and "D l L, N" These. the general said, wer
 his initials and the initials of tn ! office of the chief Of stan, but h 1 insisted they did not mean ths
 either he or the staff had the lette J lprepared or wrote it.