The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-17
<pulsion From Army of
'Egotistical, FIamboyant,
Untruthful and Destruc-
i've Flying Colonel Asked
by Prosecutor.
CCUSED MAN DEFENDS
SELF BEFORE GENERALS
rial Judge Advocate in I'm
passioned Grafton Says
Evidence Proves De-
fendant Guilty of Mis-
conduct as Charged.

~ United Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. IT,
dismissal &C Col. William
iitchell from the Army in the
anne of the American people"
as asked today by the War
department. prosecution in
losing arguments Of the flying
olonel's court-martial.
Mitchell was characterized as
egotistical, famboyant, un-
"uthful and destructive"
Summing up all the evidence pro.
iuced in the eight weeks trial, Col.
then Gullion, assistant judge ad-
vocate, in an impassioned grafton,
declared the evidence had proven
Mitchell guilty of conduct prejudiciai
0 good order and discipline as
.harged, which is punishable under
he NinetySixth Article of War.
Mitchell made a brief plea in his
'wn defense. He declared the case
vas ''the elimination of the effort
f the general staff to depreciate the
alue of air power" said he saw no
lse in proceeding further and asked
hat argument be dispensed with.
The prosecution refused.
In the Name of Truth
Gullion demanded he be dismissed
for the sake of the Army, whose
iiscipline he has endangered and
Yhose fair name he has attempted
discredit
1--WE ask his dismissal for the sake
f those young officers of the Army
Air Service whose ideals he has shat
cred and whose loyalty he has cor
upted.
1--WE ask his dismissal in the name
truth, under whose aegis he has
ought protection but whose face he
oes not know.
Finally, we ask it in the name
the American people, whose fears
has played upon, whose hysteria
Q has fomented, whose confidence
has beguiled and whose faith he
IS betrayed"
Sims Denounced
What punishment would, under
ne custom Of our service, be meted
)ut to a soldier with only a sixth
;rade education who committed the
)ffenses of which the accused has
peen proved guilty?" Gullion asked,
nd then answered his own ques-
on:
Confinement at hard labor, most
,rtainly."
How, then, can this unrepentant
lccused, with all his advantages Of
education and position, be let off
with less than dismissal?"
Gullion denounced Mitchell's wit
nesses and labeled Admiral William
S. Sims as "opinionated, narrow
minded, hobby-ridder and egomani.
acal."
MY trial." the deposed brigadier
general said in his statement, sis
the elimination of the efforts Of the
General staff Of the Army and the
General board Of the Navy to de-
preciate the value Of air power and
;eep it in auxiliary position which
absolutely compromises our whole
stem Of national defense.
Coolidge Misinformed"
ITO proceed further with the case
Duld serve no useful purpose"
Secretary Weeks and indirectly
e President were wrongly and un-
uthfully informed as to the condi-
on of our aviation and our national
tense by the persons furnishing
70 data on which Weeks letter ito
resident Coolidge, explaining
itchell's demotion as assistant chief
the army air service) was Based"
"The efforts to keep down our
r power" said Mitchell, were be-
IN as soon as the sound of the
lnnon had ceased on the western
ront in 1918. When we sunk the
battleships off the Virginia Capes
in 1921 and again in 1923 and proved
to the world that air power had
revolutionized all schemes Of ma
tional defenses, these efforts were
redoubled and have continued to this
day.
my Charges Proved"
II wish to invite the particular at
tention to the letter of former Sec-