New Britain herald., 1925-02-28
MITCHELL DID NOT
 OBEY PRESIDENT
Secretary Weeks So Tells Air.
 craft Committee
HAD BEEN CAUTIONED
Articles On A rcraft Were Not Sub- mitted For Departments Ap- proveal Dispite Orders To DO So

Washington, Feb. 2S.-Secretary Weeks today told the house aircraft committee that Brigadier General Mitchell, assistant army air chief, had directly disobeyed President Coolidge's order in writing maga- zine articles without obtaining the approval tasAe Ear5,epartment.
 The General, MT. Weeks said, had tho articles published without War Department approval, despite the fact that President Coolidge had written him cautioning him against it.
 After the 1921 tests MT. Weeks said the secretary of the navy ob- jected to several articles written by the general, and in crder to prevent further controversy with the navy, he was ordered to submit further articles for approval.
 Last fall the secretary continued, Mitchell went to the White House accompanied by representative of the Saturday Evening Post to dis cuss with the president some articles he proposed to write. The president informed Mitchell he had no obiec- tion to the articles provided they were passed upon by the War de- partment and later wrote Mitchell cautioning him against publishing the articles without permission. They subsequently, were published, Mr. Weeks said, without being sub mitted to the War department.
 Case of Muzzling?
 MT. Weeks explained he had is- sued the order regarding Mitchell after the secretary of the navy had objected to the articles on the 1921 tests as "refecting on the navy"
 "Then there was case of muz- zling?" asked Representative O'Sul- livan, democrat, Connection,
 "No, 1t was not" answered the secretary.
 What was it?"
 "He might have printed every thing he wrote if it had been sub mitted."
 "Then there is no muzzling?"
 "No."
 Didn't you tell General Mitchell you were going to remove him." asked Representative Prall, demo- crat, New York.
 q did not. l never told him any such thing as that"
 Didn't you threaten to order him away"
 q did not"
 The secretary then added that neither he nor the president had the authority to make General Mitchell resign.
 Secretary Weeks added that he wished to state "emphatically' the war department had not "muzzled' either General Mitchell or any other officer to keep them from telling the truth" to congressional commit tees. He read the war department order on that subject made public yesterday and said if any officer did not know he was permitted to give his personal views "he must be a timid soul"
 q wish to emphasize this point" he repeated, "as there is absolutely no basis for any charge of mug zling."
 The discussion shifted to the question of war department appro- priations and MT. Weeks testified the department had asked for ap- proximately s2S0,000,oo0 for the next fiscal year and had received $239, 100000. The air service allot- ment, he said, had been curtailed from s26,500, ,O00 to S1S.O00000. The ordnance bureau was reduced 1S per cent. more than the air service.
 How many first class planes have we?" asked Representative Prall.
 What is your definition of first class plane, one built this year ?" countered the secretary.
 Prall gave a long definition.