Evening star., 1925-11-23


most recent development in lighter
thun-air craft-their use as airplane
carriers.
Propeller Change Sought.
That special study he made of
prOpellerS with variable pitch, so that
aircraft can meet varied condiuons
of the atmosphere at certain attitudes
That the Government purchase
latest European planes so as to obtain
ideas in construction.
That inadequate data and poor COM
muniCationS be corrected so as to save
the lives of the personnel.
That every airplane be equipped
with a self-starter, to avoid the dan
ger of killing men performing the
present manual operations.
That quicker means of serViCing
1irplanes with gasoline be devised and
installed.
That aerial torpedoes be developed,
That new speed planes should be
built for the 1924 races. {The witness
expressed the opinion that If this
recommendation had been carried out
Capt. Skeel and Lieut.. Pearson would
not have been killed in those races)
That arrangements be made with
Canada for airways through that ter
ritory to Alaska.
Sought SltllS for Planes.
That skis be devised for Winter
work for all types of airplanes.
That all flight officers should be
made to fly over the airways.
That Winter flights should be made
by all personnel in the coldest weather.
That a definite system of air de-
fense be adopted for the Pacific.
That apparatus for use in flying
through fOgS be deyelOped
The questioning turned to the Cur
tiss Eagle plane crash in 1921 between
Langley and Boiling Fields with the
.cSS of six lives and which the proSecu-
ton several days ago endeayored to
hold Col. Mitchell responsible for on
the ground he was the highest rank
ing officer at the Virginia field when
the Eagle started on its fatal flight.
Were YOU in command of Langley
NO. Maj. Hensley was" replied
the witness.
Saw Plane Taking OFF.
did you have any connection with
this planes taking off"
Il would like to read the report of
the Eagle crash" said the colonel,
rising from his chair and going to
a mass of documents on the defense
table.
Where were you when the Eagle
took Off" interrupted Mr.. Reid.
Il was taking tea in the Officers
Club and saw the Eagle in the air
on it's way to Boiling Field. Now
the opinion of the board of inquiry
is" and her Col. Mitchell read:
The crash was due TO unusual
violence of winds accompanying a
storm which the plane encountered.
Neither blame nor cenSure is attached
to any Individual
The report was signed by four mem
bers, Lieut.. Col. James f. Fechet
being the chairman. Col Fechet now
is assistant chief of the Air Service
having succeeded Col. Mitchell.
The witness then told how he took
off in a single-seated plane about two
hours later and encountered a severe
storm near the mouth of the Wicomico
River. He saw he couldn't get
through and worked up into Virginia
His plane was accompanied by OH
flown by Capt. w. c. Ocker and these
two were the only ones TO get through
that day.
Describes Bomb Tests.
The witness then told of the bomb
ing tests on the Virginia Capes and
which were arranged so as to make
risks in flying more than 100 miles
over water. On another occa sion
when the airmen were ordered to
bomb from 10000 feet the witness said
it was his opinion that 1t was direct
attempt to interfere with the efficiency
and nullify the proceedings"
Mr.. Reid asked the witness if he
ever had ordered anybody to do any
thing he wouldn't do himself and the
colonel replied: Not to my knowl-
edge"
a brief story of how he and three
other Army piiOtS-Capt w. G. Ocker
Lieut.. Col. H. +. Hartney and Lieut..
Pat Logan had worked out an airway
between Washington and the Middle
West was given by the witness. Their
laborS showed that airplanes could go
anywhere in the Alleghenies and get
away with it." The successful opera
ton Of the airway also showed that
an air force could be shifted from one
side of the continent to the other in
short time and Col. Mitchell de-
clared was the forerunner of the air
mail lines, the Alaskan lines and the
world flight
Turned Over to Gullion.
Mr.. Reid then asked the witness to
name the major American and French
CitS"SCiiLcILS Ie udu participated IN
and when these We're enumerated he
was turned over to Maj. Gullion for
cross examination.
Colonel, have you any idea of the
estimated wealth of the United States. -
asked Maj. Gullion.
NO" replied the witness.
THE World Almanac of 1922, esti-
mates the wealth at $302, 500, ,S62. 900
Keep that in mind. The relevancy
will come later"
Mr.. Reid objected but the prosecu-
tion was allowed to continue its oues-
tioning.
I'm your statement of September s
you said in connection with the Pacific
fleet maneuvers, Let us see what
actually would have happened to this
fleet of circus vessels. Instantly on
leaving San Francisco, Pacific sub
marines would have planted mines at
all entrances What Pacific power
do you refer to?"
Japan"
HAS Japan the greatest number of
suhmarines2''
Il don't know"
Are there any other submarines in
the Pacific besides ours?"
Yes, Japan, Holland and Great
Britain has them
Has Japan more submarines than
Holland?"
Il don't know
Here it became evident both from