Evening star., 1925-02-17

The controversy over the fitness or
unfitness OF the flying service, the
question whether the Navy with its
present equipment Is rapidly growing
obsolete, has been stirred and the
country stirred with 1t by the points
brought out before the congressional
committee preparing the Army ap-
preparation bill in the testimony of
Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, assistant
chief OF the Air Service. Editors have
taken decided stands on both sides of
the question, and Gen. Mitchell comes
In for a lot of praise and about an
equal amount Of condemn alton at the
hands of editors. Some reflect that
tho country Is entitled to know ex-
actly what the truth of the situation
Is, regardless Of the differences be-
tween Government officials, military
or civil.
Gen. Mitchell" says the Bangor
Commercial, may be right, or he may
be wrong, but he is doing the coun-
try a service by his free speaking"
And the Detroit News declares: Gen.
Mitchell deserves the Nations thanks"
An officer, observes the Wichita Eagle.
cant go around criticixing the Army
or Navy whenever he feels like It:
but. on the other hand, II Congress
wants facts and opinions from OFF,
GERS for Intelligent legislation it cer-
tainly ought to have them" There
has been intimatton that the heads of
military or naval departments have
suppressed the views Of officers. OF
this the Eagle says: "Gagging is a
process that must be handled with
care. And the average citizen won't
be able to shake of the feeling that
no institution was ever hurt by hon.
est criticism at the proper time and
in the proper place" The Oakland
Tribune adds: THE files Of the news.
papers for the past two months show
that the Army and Navy men have
been setting forth their opinions, Just
vtgor at their command. II there are
any muzzles they seem to have been
pretty well concealed"
There has been much criticism Of
Gen. Mitchell" says the Pittsburgh
Gazette-Times, ION the score of his
impetuosity and disregard Of his
superior officers. with talk of dis
ciplining him for his indiscretions.
but what the country wants to know
Is whether he IL right in his asser-
tions that the present system or lack
of system is inviting disaster" In
the opinion Of the Houston Chronicle.
what Sims did for the Navy years
ago Mitchell may be doing for the
Army today. IL is not quito safe to
assume that a young ofIicer working
for betterment and modern ideas is
only fit for the disciplinary barrack.
1t was we'll for us we gave Sims his
head, and 1t may be just as we'll to
listen to Gen. Mitchell"
''It is a clash between two schools
Of thought" says the Ell Paso Her
aid, '-and 1t 10 not likely to be settled
authoritatively by tho punishment. Of
officers for expressing the conclusions
they have drawn from their own OBJ
servations." Secretary Of War Weeks.
observes the Reno Gazette, asked
the country to remember the oppo-
nents OF Mtchell's air policies In
cluded Gen. Pershing and many Of
the other great figures OF the Amer
ican war Army" To this the Ca
zette replies 1T IL OF no particular
moment what Gen. Pershing and
many Of the other great figures of
the American war Army think about
the subject unless they can be shown
to be aviation experts"
There Is unfortunately another
great and good need arrayed on the
side Of this controversy opposite to
that Of Gen. Mitchell" thinks the
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
ls1Ais II The Ase4 sf discipline, We