Evening star., 1925-09-18
AIR INQUIRY BOARD
MAY QUIZ DAVIS
AS FIRST WITNESS
Probers Studying Reports of
Other Surveys of Fly
ing Services.
WILBUR TAKES SECRET
PAPERS INTO HEARING
Other Bodies Sitting Disaster to
Dirigible Shenandoah and Col.
Mitchells Conduct.

The Nations three-cornered investi.
cation into the problem of adequate
aerial defense today was sweeping
rapidly on to the conflict that is just
ahead
The Presidents special board Of in
quiry, quartered in it's permanent
rooms in the House Office Building.
completed organization this morning
and began the first chapters of its
actual probe by acquainting itself with
the work of previous aircraft investi-
eating bodies preparatory to calling
the first witnesses Monday.
Davis First Witness.
Acting Secretary of War Davis. it
is expected. will be the first witness
called. 1t was decided at today's
meeting of the board to hear officials
of the War Department first. Since
Mr.. Davis first proposed the present
inquiry, it is probable he will be the
first to present the War Departments
position. This would also be in ac-
cord with the previous announcement
of the board to hear officials first.
simultaneously the War Depart
ment was completing preparations for
the court-martial of Col. William
Mitchell, peppery instigator of the
present uproar over Americas air de-
fenses, while a Navy court of inquiry
made ready to convene at Lakehurst,
y. J., to investigate the cause of the
disaster to the Shenandoah, which
gave Col. Mitchell the target for his
broa dside of accusations.
Seek Other Reports.
President Coolidge's board of in
vestigation began it's work today by
calling upon the Navy Department
for the report of the special naval
board which was convened by Secre
tary Wilbur last Winter to inquire
into the comparative adequacy of sur
face. subsurface and air ships as
weapons of defense. The board, of
which Rear Admiral Eberle was chair
man, completed it's work last January.
Secretary Wilbur personally carried
six volumes of the testimony taken be-
fore the naval board and, the report OF
its conclusions to the presidential COM
mfttee. He was accompanied by Rear
Admiral Fletcher and Comdr. w. w.
Smythe of the general naval board.
The six volumes turned over to the
committee contained almost 1000
pages and the members were in.
formed there were 1000 additional
pages of information at their disposal
if they needed them.
Explains Secrecy.
Secretary Wilbur remained with the
committee only for a short time. Upon
emerging he explained to newspaper
men that he had accompanied the re-
port only for the purpose Of explaining
TO the committee that considerable of
it contained information OF the most
secret nature and of tremendous i'm
portance to the Navy. He asked that
none of these secret parts be permit
i'd to leave the committee room.
Much of this report, it was recalled,
was printed in the public press when
1t was issued last Winter. Secretary
Wilbur's statement gave the first in
timation that any of the report had
been withheld as secret, and 1t came
as a distinct surprise. Comdr. Smythe
returned to the House Office Building
after Secretary Wilbur had left to take
charge of the report after the commit 1
tee had finished with it.
Secretary Wilbur definitely con-
frmed that Comdr. John Rodgers,
commander of the recent attempted
flight from California to Hawaii,
would be in Washington in plenty
of time to testify before the Presi-
dents committee. if his presence is
desired. He will be assistant chief
of the Bureau of Aeronautics. and is
expected to report here around the
first of October. Comdr. Rodgers is
regarded as the Navy'S ace to be
played against Col. Mitchell.
House Officials Attend.
Shortly before noon officials of the
special House committee which in
vestigated the aircraft situation ap-
peared before the committee. a few
minutes after they had departed
roored messenger arrived, pushing
ahead of him a whole truckload of
carefully bound books containing the
testimony taken before that commit
Ae during its turbulent sessions. 1t
Vas quite evident that the board in
tended to acqUaint itself with every
thing of Importance that had gone,
before.
Todays session was, of course, pri-
vate Public sessions and hearings
will not begin until Monday morning
at 1890 o'clock. Members of the
board who left the special chamber.
from time to time declared, however,
that the committee was simply pro-
ceeding with the documents before it
and putting the final touches to it's
organization in preparation for the
ordeal that will begin on Monday.
Mitchell Trial Here.
Papers ordering the court-martial
OF Col Mitchell are said to be ready
for the approval of Acting Secretary
of War Davis. 1t is considered pos
sible that the trial will be held in
Washington instead of San Antonio
where Col. Mitchell Is stationed, in
order to give the accused officer the
fullest possible benefit from his as
sociates here.
High naval officers, it became
known today, frown on the sugges-
ton that Col. Mitchell might be
called to cestify before the Navy
court of inquiry into the Shenandoah
disaster. So far as can be learned
no orders against his appearance
have gone out, but it was declared
that Col. Mitchell knows nothing
about lighter-than-air craft and that
his summons could scarcely be inter
preted other than an effort to make
him appear foolish.
Ranking officers deprecate such an
impression as this. They honesty
hope to see some big, outstanding
Recommendation come Of the Lake
hurst inquiry and it is their inn
preston the calling of Col. Mitchell
would cheaper the court and detract
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