New Britain herald., 1925-10-07
SHENANDOAH PROBE COMMITTEE CALLS
 ON COL. MITCHELL
Is Asked to Appear Before In. Vestigation Board at Wash-
 inston Tomorrow
ADMIRAL MOFFETT TAKES
 ISSUE WITH STATEMENTS

Contradicts Charge That Failures
 Are Fault of Navy Dept. -- Says
 Lost Dirigible Should Be Replaced
 With New Graft About Three
 Times As Large-Makes Other
 Recommendations.
 Washington. Oct. [ Rl-Colonel William Mitchell, former assistant chief Of the army air service, has been summoned to appear tomorrow petore the naval court inquiring into the Shenandoah disaster.
 Moffett Testiiies Today
 Rear Admiral William A. Moffett. chief of the naval bureau of aero. nautlcs' told the presidents air board today that the Shenandoah should be replaced with a rigid air. ship built in the Unitd States and Of at least 6,00O,OO0 cubic feet ca- pacity as compared with the 2,115,- 900 cubic feet capacity of inc wrecked ship.
 He took sharp Issue with Colonel Mitchell, who had declared "bungling" of the navy had caused failure of the Shenandoah. Hawaiian and North Polar projects in which navy aircraft participated.
 Takes Issue With Mitchell
 Although not mentioning Colonel Mitchell by name Admiral Moffe,t declared that the Hawaiian flight was undertaken with every reason for belief of a successful outcome. as the planes had been thoroughly tested.
 Parachutes were not carried on the shenandoah, lie said, as experi- ence had shown that if the ship fell suddenly. they would be of but little value, while if the descent were slow the dirigible would serve as it's own parachute. Mitchell charged failure to equip the air liner with para chutHs was like sending "a vessel to sea without lifeboats.". s
 The purpose of navy planes with the MacMillan Arctic expedition. he declared. was exploration and inc collection of data, and his was done.
 Recalled for further examination after his appearance about two weeks ago, Admiral Morett sub- nltted number of recommenda- lions for division of the air forces of the army and navy,
 Other Suggestions Made.
 Among other recommendation made by Admiral Moffett were these:
 Leave the division of functions between army and navy air forces to the joint board, as now provided.
 Remove limitation on the number or naval shore stations to be devoted to heavier than air activities.
 Do not reduce the number of mid 'hipmen at Annapolis, the best source of pilot material.
 Establish a definite tive-year oro. gram Of air construction.
 Put the navy yard development board program with reference to avi. ltlon into effect, especially for the air stations at Coco Solo and Pearl Harbor.
 Appropriate more for a naval ay- atlon reserve; settle the flight pay question; give the secretary of the navy more latitude In making con. racts and protect the interests of naval aviators who entered the serv. ce during the world war.
 Heltum a Handicap,
 Admiral Moffett said the use of nelidm handicapped the Shenandoah rom S5 to 70 per cent. because she vas built in 1915 for imitation with lydrogcn.
 He discussed in detail the reason or non-equipment et the Shenan- loah with parachuteE.S Personnel of he air liner, he said, had to travel apidly over long distances in the hip and crawl through narrow latches. all of which made a para hute impractical to wear.
 Returning to the Hawaiian flight, ioffett asserted the PN-9 No. i was ested last spring at Philadelphia nd remained in the air 2s hours nd S5 minutes, a time sufficient to each Honolulu.
 He opposed a plan by Commander ohn Rodgers, Hawaiian flight lead r, to create department of na- ional defense in which the army and