Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-22

ed to appear before the court and
throw what light he could upon the
Shenandoah case.
The general situation surrounding
Colonel Mitchell developed during
the day additional expressions of
views at the Capitol. both Repre-
sentative Garrett of Tennessee, the
Democratic house leader, and Rep
resentative Blanton, Democrat. Tex
as, denounciug the outcome of the
courtmartial.
The sentence of suspension for five
years without rank, duty or pay
Representative Garrett declared on
the floor of the house. was "cruel
and unreasonable" and he charged
that Colonel Mitchell was being pun
ished for the aviation shortcomings
of the Republican administration
He described Colonel Mitchell as one
of the country's ablest officers.
Representative Blanton called for
the abolition of all courtsmartial in
peace time ard declared the Mitchell
court had "shanghaied" the aviation
officer.
Meanwhile, the Shenandoah court
proceeded to final arguments, with
Major Leonard and William Hav-
gard, Of the Massachusetts, Institute
OF Technology. technical aid 20 the
judge advocate. presenting their
summaries while Major Leonard
spoke briefly, presenting the case TO
the court without summation. with
out argument, without comment"
Professor Havgaard went into tech
nical details at length. asserting that
it appeared the Shenandoah broke
up primarily because of an excess
sive sagging movement caused by a
violent upward gust. Other con-
tributing causes, he said, might have
been factors in the disaster. He ex-
pressed belief that no excessive gas
pressure was experienced, although
some of the automatic gas valves
apparently did not function properly,
permitting an uneven condition 20
develop in several of the cells.
Lieutenant Commander Charles f.
Rosendahl is to present the sum-
ming up argument for the survivors
tomorrow. with representatives also
speaking for the Commanding officer
OF the naval air station at Lakehurst.
N. j., and for the navy bureau of
aeronautics, after which the court
Will take the case under advisement.
Major Leonard came into the case
only recently after Captain Paul
Foley had been relieved at his own
request as judge advocate when his
motives had been questioned in in
terv1ewlng Mrs. Zachary Lansdowne
Wldow OF the Shenandoahs comman-
der, previous to her appearance as
witness. Captain Foley was subse-
quently exoperated by the court.
After asserting thu there are
those who will decry the results of
your labors," Major Leonard told the
court that he had "labored to Law he
Tore you all the facts as thew have
come to my knowledge" The govern
ment he asserted, "has no one ASPECT
OF this case which it seeks to estab-
iish; no state of facts as contra dis
tinguished from any other state of
facts which 1t desires to set up; no
phase of the testimony upon which it
specially relies or places emphasis;
no person or persons whom it desires
to inculpate or exculpate"
Small glory to him, il any there
De-, ne said, who for selfish or ul-
terror purpose shall traduce those
(the Systematically dead or subtract
from the honor accruing to those
who survive
I'm the language of regulation" he
said, this is truly a case where the
facts are various and complicated.
A great airship of the navy set out
from her base in New Jersey on a
mission to the west. In a few short
hours she lay on the ground a
tangled mass wreckage with IA of
her crew, including her gali--t COM
mander cold in death and the re-
naming 20 saved for careers of fur
theer usefulness in their chosen pro-
fession by that daring, skill and de-
votion to duty which have ever char
acterized men of the navy in hour of
peril. -
To your lot has fallen the onerous
task of "o-~~~'ining the causes of
this tragic event and of assessing
and apportioninE the blame, IL any.