Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-06
MITCHELL DEF|ES
SUPER|ORS AS He
REVIEWS CHARGES
Makes Public Answer to
Weeks, Declaring Change
of Stand Impossible.
INSISTS DELIBERATE
CLASSIFICATION SHOWN
Tells House Committee Probe of
Air Service Should Include
Entire National Defense.

Apparently undisturbed by indica-
tions that he will lose his rank and
position as assistant chief of the
Army Air Service, Brig. Gen. William
Mitchell today reaffirmed those dec
larations about the Governments air
policy which have brought down upon
him the displeasure of his superiors
in the War Department.
Making public his reply to Secre-
tary Weeks demand for an explana-
ton. the general told the House air
craft committee that If he had given
offense by his advocacy OF reor-
ganization of the air forces "it is a
matter which l cannot change; they
are my firm and unalterable convic-
tions."
Charges Deliberate FaIsifying.
Gen. Mitchell told the committee
that it's investigation should be ex-
tended to cover all of "our national
defense, land, sea. and water" Some
of the testimony presented, he as
serted, had shown display of woe
full ignorance, and in some cases a
classification with an intent to de-
ceive Congress" If these charges
could be proved, he added. civil
officers should be impeached and
military officers tried
The letter itself repeated some of
the statements which Secretary Weeks
has declared served to discredit the
War Department.; accused the Navy
Department of giving incorrect testi-
mony about the relative value of air
craft and battleships, and declared no
adequate development of a national
air policy is possible under the pres
ent system.
Directly opposite views had just
been given the committee by Brig.
Gen. Drum of the General Staff, who
said he was authorized to speak for
mally for the War Department.
Gives Answer to Weeks.
Cen Mitchell adopted the unusual
course of reading a copy OF his reply
to the War Secretary at a public ses-
sion of the House committee before
the original had reached Mr.. Weeks.
At the same time it was learned
that because of his utterances on
aviation the general had been ordered
verbally to submit future statements
of that nature for Mr.. Weeks Pc
rusal in advance, but that he recently
had gone over the Secretary's head
by seeking direct sanction from Pres
ident Coolidge for a series of maga-
zine articles. So far the War De-
partment is informed, the presidential
approval sought was not given.
Mr.. Weeks maintained silence to-
day. but indicated that he would not
be long in making a decision on Gen.
Mitchelrs future status once all the
papers are before him.
In his letter replying to request
| from the War Secretary for all facts
upon which the assistant Army Air
| chief based his recent statements
| seriously rejecting on the Army's
| Air arm, Gen. Mitchell said he was
convinced the system of aircraft man
agement in operation in the United
States 'is detrimental to the coun-
trys good and will seriously compro-
mise our national defense should an
! emergency arise"
| Says Navy Claim Wrong.
1.-THE general view of the War De-
I partment," Gen. Mitchell wrote, rs to
| limit the ability of aviation in mill
! tary way, and in spite of the findings
of the Joint Army and Navy Board,
| in spite of the most conclusive evil
| dence of every country in the world
! the Navy Department still appears
| before Congress and still testines IT
| correctly and gives the impression
that aircraft are of limited power
! against battleships.
| The resistance of the War Depart
ment to the creation of an independ-
ent aeronautical personnel is insistent
and constant.
"I have fully criticized the system
now in operation, which L am con-
yinced is detrimental to the country
/ good and which will seriously com
promise our national defense shoulo
an emergency arise"
| Gen. Mitchell said since the war
s433.OOO, 900 'has been put into avia-
ton" but that he did not believe the
| appropriations are economically ad-
! iministered on account of the duplica-
tion of land bases between the Army
and Navy" He declared that Maj.
Gen. Patrick, chief >of the Army Air
! Service, had, like himself, indorsed
united air force" although such
move is opposed by Secretary Weeks
as well as Secretary Wilbur.
Quotes Pershing Report.
The report of the joint Army and
Navy Department board in 1921, OF
which Gen. Pershing was senior
member, and which bore the approval
of Secretary Weeks and Acting Sec
iretary of Navy Roosevelt, Gen.
l
Aircraft carrying high-capacity,
high-explosive bombs Of sufficient size
have adequate offensive power to sink
or seriously damage any naval vessel
at present constructed. provided sucn
projectile can be placed in the water
close alongside the vessel
Despite opposition in other quarters,
Gen. Mitchell said, the Army Air Serv-
ice had accomplished as much as 1t has
due very largely to the sympathetic
attitude of the Secretary of War toward
aviation" and the personal ability OF
the present chief of the Air Service"
Gen. Mitchell took up in detail those
statements of his congressional testi-
mony objected to by Secretary Weeks.
Explaining his assertion that "all the
organization we have in this country
really now is for the protection of vest
ed interests against aviation" he de-
clared the War, Navy, Post Office and
other departments concerned with avia-
ton resist any change which in any
way curtail or modify their authority
either over aviation, it's development to
a position of equality with these de-
parts, or it's extension or development
beyond its being mere auxiliary to
their activities"
Belief that any officer appearing
before the Lampert select committed
for inquiring into the Air Services
|