Evening star., 1925-11-09
Continued from First Page)

the Navy Department endeavored to
get Mrs. Lansdowne, the widow of
Comdr. LanSdowne, to give false teSti-
mony retracting her former statement
that Comdr. Lansdowne was ordered
to take the Shenandoah on her fatal
flight to the Middle West over his
protest;
That there We're not sufficient para
chutes on board the Shenandoah for
the men;
That reliable parachutes are vail
able to safeguard the lives of the fly
ing personnel in the Navy, and
THAT the sending of an airship
over land without providing para
chutes for her personnel. to be used
in case of an emergency, constitutes
criminal negligence, in that lack of
these parachutes deprived the Off
GERS and men aboard of their only
chance for life i'll case of accident:
THAT no adequate meteorological
arrangements are available in the
United States for operation of air
craft;
THAT there We're no proper wealth
er reports and that these might have
prevented the wreck of the Shenan-
doah'
That. relying upon weather reports
available, a large number of airplanes
left Boiling Field on one occasion and
We're forced down by bad weather
when a plane was wrecked in the
storm and the pilot and passengers
killed.
THAT the information secured by
the Weather Bureau at the present
time is not sufficiently complete for
aeronautical purposes.
THAT insufficient attention is given
to wind-aloft reports and other re-
ports on atmospheric conditions which
are of primary Importance to avia-
ton, and that accurate forecasts of
meteorological conditions by the
Weather Bureau are absolutely essen
tial to the safe operation of aircraft.
THAT other countries have proper
arrangements for supplying me-
neurological information for aviation
purposes.
THAT such arrangements should be
made in the United States.
That the present means of dis
tributing meteorological data are too
slow for the use of aircraft.
THAT the Signal Corps of the Army
offered to supply men to be stationed
in the mountains to report on
weather conditions, but the War De-
partment refused to pay their sub
sistence. which would have been
about S1.90 per day per man"
Charges Propaganda Bureaus.
The War and Navy Departments,
the defense will prove, he went on,
maintin public propaganda agencies,
a number of officers and civilians be-
ing employed In publicity and propa-
ganda work. and that their salaries
are paid out of funds appropriated by
Congress for national defense.
He then goes into the publicity
of Mitchell trial, adding: "A press
report was issued by the War De-
partment headed, Trial of Col. Mitch
ELL which showed the names and
military record of the members of
the court martial, the trial judge
advocate, including Col. White, mill
tary defense counsel. but no state
ment as to the distinguished record
and many decorations and citations
of the accused.
He charges that the Air Service
news is changed, altered and sup
pressed and says that the War De-
partment, in q press handout, en-
deavors to influence public opinion,
and perhaps the Mitchell court.
Getting down to again to the Navy,
Mr.. Reid said the defense will prove
that:
A large number of press representa-
tives We're invited and did attend the
Hawaiian maneuvers on board naval
vessels at Government expense.
Cites Hawaiian Flight.
Jumping then to the Hawaiian
that the rescue or station ships were
placed at intervals too far apart; that
other vessels from the Pacific feet
could have been used as station ships,
reducing the risk.
That there was no adequate radio
transmitting apparatus on the Pms;
that the airplanes used for the
Hawaiian flight were not sufficiently
tried for such a flight; that the ar
rangementS made for the Hawaiian
flight were not entirely adequate for
such an enterprise; that the flight was
made to test equipment, which could
have been tested just as well on land,
or near the seashore; that the cost
Of such a flight was not commensurate
with the results to be obtained.
Says Protest Ignored.
I'VE Will prove Mr.. Reid con.
tinued, that the War Department
has been guilty Of almost reasonable
administration in not forestalling the
attempt of a foreign flight organiza-
ton to secure a foothold in Central
America, within striking distance of
the Panama Canal, and though often
requested to do SO by the chief of
the Air Service it ignored this
menace.
He then indicated he would attach
certain statements of high ranking
Army and Navy officers made before
congressional committees dealing with
unified air service of other countries
| inability to sink a battleship: false
statements regarding naval reorgan.
| ization; false and misleading state.
ments regarding the bombing of the
| Washington; misleading statements OF
| a naval officer regarding the Agamem
non tests; false and misleading state
| ments to Congress by an Army officer
that the United States was well of
from an air defense standpoint.
Attacks Training Of Reserves.
| He also expects to prove that the
! system Of training reserve officers is
/ ineffective and will never guarantee
the maximum possible flying person
! nel There has been no meeting fol
| over two years of pursuit group OF
| Air Service Reserve officers in the
| Sd Corps Area, which includes the
| Washington district: only about 10 pei
cent of Air Service Reserve Corps Off
/ GERS are capable of plotting airplanes
in the event of a war only about 25 pei
cent Of the Air Service Reserve Corps
officers would be of any value what
| ever within 80 days; the statement
made by high ranking officer of the
| General Staff that there are 5000
regular flyers in the present Air Serv
ice Reserve Corps of 1885 officers Is
absolutely incorrect, false and mislead
| ing.
| Declares Guard Neglected.