New Britain herald., 1925-06-04
BINGHAM INSISTS !. MITCHELL ERRED
Ends Tour Of Inspection ln Flight From Washington, D, (.
DUE IN HOME STATE TODAY
Connecticut Senator Convinced Army And Navy Should Maintain sepa- rate Aviation Organizations And VIII Present Views to Congress
BY GEORGE H. MANNING

wm Present Views to Congress.
 YY GEORGE H. MANNING
 twashington Bureau of N. B. Herald.)
 Washington, D. C., June 4.--sen- ator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut made a flying visit of the real kind to Washington today. He flew Tn aboard navy seaplane from Hamp- ton Roads and flew out in a navy land plane for Bethany, Conn.,, where he is scheduled to land at 4:S0 this afternoon, standard time.
 Last month Senator Bingham made a tour of inspection of the army flying fields at Dayton, Chica- go, San Diego and other points in the west in search of information for his guidance in dealing with army air service legislation which will come before the senate military committee of which he is a member next congress session.
 While at the White House about two weeks ago Senator Bingham met Secretary of the Navy Wilbur who invited the Connecticut senator to make tour of inspection of the navy air bases. Secretary Wilbur urged Senator Bingham to make the trip at his convenience. stating that he would be pleased to furnish the transportation.
 Flew to Washington Monday
 Senator Bingham accepted the in- vitation and started on the trip last Monday morning from New Haven on one of two airplanes sent there by Secretary Wilbur. They flew from New Haven to Philadelphia where the navy has a large flying establishment and builds number of airships.
 Senator Bingham and his com panions reached Philadelphia from New Haven shortly after noon Mon- ough survey of the navy's aviation project there.
 Late Monday afternoon Senator Bingham "hopped off" from Phila- deIphia in another navy plane for Lakehurst, N. J., where the navy has its dirigible headquarters and where Is located the home port of the giant drigibe, Los Angeles.
 There he was met my Captain Steele, the conmandant of the Lake hurst station.
 Likes Dirigible Flying
 There was a rather heavy wind blowing that afternoon and the Los Angeles was not taken out of her hangar until about | o'clock that night" said Senator Bingham today in telling of his experience. T learned a great deal about the diri- gtbles at Lakehurst saw the Los Angeles taken out of the hangar at night but with light conditions al- most equal to those in daytime. I learned of the possibilities of the di rigibles, what can be done with them and what cant. I went aboard the Los Angeles at midnight after she was tied up to the big mooring mast and spent the night aboard.
 The next morning the Los An- geles sailed for Annapolis and tied up to the mast of the Patoaka about 1 o'clock. The air voyage on the Los Angeles from Lakehurst to An- napoiis was very comfortable-the most comfortable air voyage I have ever taken--so different from flying In heavier than air plane.
 '1 hopped off from Annapolis Tuesday afternoon in a big navy seaplane for the Hampton Roads air base, arriving a little before dark" continued Senator Bingham. There l was greeted by Rear Admiral Rog- CT Wells, of the we'll known Wells family of Connecticut. Admiral Wells is commandant of the naval base at Hampton Roads, including aviation branch and all other activi- ties"
 Life One Plane After Another
 "I spent Wednesday at Hampton Roads flying about the base and in specting ths land establishment. Yesterday afternoon boarded an- other navy seaplane and flew to Washington, arriving at the navy sir base at Anacostia field just be- fore dark last night.
 'Commander Bartlett. a Connecti- cut man and one of the navy's old est and best flyers, was the pilot of the plane that brought me up to Washington from Hampton Roads. Commander Bartlett belongs to the Bartlett family of Old Lyme, Conn.
 My journey has been very pleas ant, enjoyable and highly instructive and I shall be able to face the avia- ton problems that come before con- gress at the next session with first hand knowledge of aviation condi- tions in both the army and navy"
 Still Opposes Mitchell
 Senator Bingham, following his intensive study of both the army and navy aviation organizations, is more than ever convinced that 1t would be very foolish to have combined air service as urged by Major Gen. eral Mitchell. This Is the question over which there was such spirited controversy before congress al the last session. when General Mitchell appeared a number of times before committees Of congress and opposed the position taken by Secretary of War Weeks and Secretary of the Navy Wilbur and the high officials of both the army and navy who stood for separate ar services for the two military branches The con- troversy resulted in General Mitchell being transferred from his position as assistant chief of the army avia- tion service and his being sent to Texas for duty with the rank of colonel.