Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17
Hating of Defense Dramatic
Preface to VitrioIic Attack
on Flying Colonel's Actions
by Maj. Gu|Iion. Prosecutor.
DISMISSAL OF AIRMAN
is ASKED IN ARGUMENT
Former Assistant Aviation Head
Sees No Purpose in Proceeding
Further Without Ruling on Ad-
instability of Evidence to Up
hold His Statements.

hold His Statements.
Col. William Mitchell today abrupt
Il halted all plans for his further
defense in the Army general court
martial proceedings and refused to
participate in the case any longer.
Dehantiy. the accused airman per-
soma " announced in open court just
after it convened today that his trial
-, the culminatjon OF the effort OF
the general staff OF the Army and
the general board OF the Navy to
GepreCate the value OF air power and
keep il in an auxiliary position
'-hich absolutely COMPROMISES our
whole system OF national defense
Furthermore, he declared, because
the court had refrained from ruling
whether the truth in the case con-
stitutes an absolute defense or not,
to proceed further would serve no
useful purpose. He, therefore, an
nounced that he had directed his
counsel to entirely c'ose his part of
the proceedings without argument.
Dramatic Preface to Argument.
The announcement of the accused
came as a dramatic preface 10 the
opening argument for the prosecution,
delivered by Maj. Allen W. Gullion, ir
which he Violently upbratded Col.
Mitchell. his chief counsel and defense
witnesses. and demanded 'in the name
of the American people. whose fears
he has played upon, whose hysteria he
has fomented, whose confidence he has
heguiIed and whose faith he has be-
trayed," that the accused officer be dis.
missed from the service.
Before Maj. Gullion began the de.
livery of his argument, Col. Mitchell
Jumped from his chair and declared In
loud voice: May 1t please the court,
] desire to make a statement as pro-
rided in the manual for courts-mar-
'ial.
Col. Blanton Winship, the law mem
her. assured Col. Mitchell it was within
his rights. and the airman read from a
paper as follows:
May it please the court: Nv trial
before this court-martial is the cul-
ntnation of the efforts of the general
staff of the Army and the general
board Of the Navy to deprecate the
value Of airpower and keep 1t in an
auxiliary position which absolutely
compromises our whole system of ma
ttonal defense.
Began When War Ended.
These efforts to keep down our air
power were begun as soon as the
sound of the cannon had ceased on
the western front in 1919. When we
sunk the battieships off the Virginia
fapes in 1921, and again IN 1928. and
proved to the world that airpower had
revolutionized all schemes of national
defense, these efforts were redoubled
md have continued to this day
The truth of every statement
which I have made has been proved
by good and sufficient evidence before
this court. not by men who gained
their knowledge of aviation by staying
on the ground and having their state
ments prepared by numerous stats to
bolster up their predetermined ideas,
but by actual flyers who have gained
their knowledge first-hand in war and
IN peace.
Il wish to invite particular atten-
tion to the letter Of former Secretary
Weeks to the President of the United
States. asking that l be not reap
pointed as assistant chief of the Air
Service on account of evidence given
hT me to 4 congressional committee.
Asks Case BE Closed.
Il testified that the Air Service
had only nine modern airplanes fit for
war and that all others were obsolete
and many dangerous The evidence
before this court bears out these facts
In their entirety. It has been shown
that at present we have only one
standard plane In the service.
Secretary Weeks and, indirectly,
The President of the United States
were wrongly and untruthfully in
aviation and our national defense by
persons furnishing the data on which
his letter was based.
This court has reflained from rul-
ing whether the truth IN this case
constitutes an absolute defense or not.
To proceed further With the case
would serve no useful purpose.
Il have therefore directed my coun-
sci TO entirely close our part of the
proceeding without argument.
After the statement was delivered
Maj. Gullion inquired if 1t was sworn
or unsworn and Col. Mitchell replied
it was the latter.
Tense silence reigned for a few mo-
ments and then President Howe d.
rected that the case proceed.
Begins Argument.
Maj. Gullion arose and began his
opening argument for the prosecution
but he had not made much headway
when Col. Sherman Moreland, the
trial judge advocate, interrupted and
announced:
IF the defense doesn't desire 10 ad-
dress the court, He won't take It's time
with our argument.
1T is the sense of the court shat
the proceedings go ahead. replied
President Howe.
Maj. Gulion then began his violent
assault on Col. Mitchell. his chief
counsel and defense witnesses.
Maj. Gullion's argument, confined
10 the Navy feature of the case, was
rhe second step in the day to lower
he curtain on what has been heralded
~ the 1court-martial of the age. All
.yidsnce the prosecution and defense
Tontinued on lage 3. Column -