Evening star., 1925-11-24
MITCHELL ENDURES
BITTER CROSS-F|RE
War Department Examina-
tion Precipitates Charges
and Counter Charges.

A general melee of fast-fying ac-
cusations and recriminations, charges
and counter-Charges furnished an aft
ernoon of unprecedented activity for
the spectators in the courtroom OF the
Mitchell trial yesterday, when Col.
Mitchell was subjected to bitter cross
examination by the War Department.
The excitement was enhanced by
the occasional mixing in OF REPRE-
sentative Frank +. Reid, chief counsel
for the accused, and Col. Wlnshlp. law
member of the court The latter made
valiant efforts to serve in the role OF
arbiter, and by sheer force o: legal
opinion managed to break up threat
ening verbal encounters between
counsel.
The court itself developed case of
nerves and Brig. Gen. Edward l.. King,
the most nervous member of the court,
displayed his frayed condition on two
occasions during the day, when he
ordered news photographers elected
from the room. 1t was the third time
since the trial started that Gen. King
had manifested his strong dislike for
photographers, and he made known
his animosity in no uncertain tones.
Effort to Discredit Witness.
A major part of the cross eXamina-
ton of Col. Mitchell yesterday after
noon was devoted to an attempt to
discredit the credibility Of the witness
before the court. Maj. Allen Gullion
and Maj. Francis B. Wilby, the two
big guns" rushed to the front OF
the prosecution by the general staff
when 1t appeared Col. Sherman More
land, the trial judge advocate, was
in need of immediate assistance.
They conferred time and again before
the assaults on the good faith of the
accused were launched. Maj. Gull!on
came out openly and announced to
the court that it was his intention to
show that Col. Mitchell, who has
charged that high-ranking officers of
the Army and Navy have given false
and misleading information to COM
mittees of Congress, himself has COM
mitted the same offense.
Mai. Gullion declared the accused
had made charges against honorable
officers, had maligned their motives
and attributed to them unworthy
ends. I'VE intend to prove" he eX-
planned, that he has made inaccu-
rate statements TO committees of Con-
gress, but we are not going TO attack
his veracity at this ttme-only his
credibility."
Statement Is Disclaimed.
An effort was made to draw from
the witness the admission that. after
viewing an exhibition flight at Boil
ing Field of the Looming emphibian
plane of the type taken TO the Arctic
by the Navy. he had complimented
Grover Looming, the designer and
builder. and had declared 1t would be
excellent for exploration work. Col.
Mitchell disclaimed any knowledge of
such a conversation and added: Il
didn't consider the ship adequate for
any service duty. as 1t had not been
thoroughly service tested. I don't see
how It could have been possible for
me to have told Looming it was a
good plane for the Arctic
Now, colonel continued Maj
Gullion, there are a great many Of
ficers in other arms of the service for
whose Judgment YOU have great re-
spect Suppose all had ideals on the
Improvement of their services, do you
realize how much 1t would cost TO
carry them out?"
That has nothing to do with air
power. l can't answer question of
that kind" he replied.
Line of Questioning Shifted.
The questioning shifted to the
phrases criminal negligence" and
"almost reasonable administration"
which We're employed in the Septcm-
Der statements. What is treason?'
asked Maj. Gullion.
There are two definitions" respond
ed the witness. zone is the ConSti-
tuition definition about giving aid and
comfort to the enemy during war and
the other is to give up or betray the
Nation. l believe the departments
system Is almost reasonable in that
they don't give the proper place to
air power in the development Of the
national defense
you've used the words almost
reasonable administration Do you
think fair Interpretation would be
that you meant the criminal offense Of
treason?"
Yes"
The witness then was called upon
to explain the phrase ashamed of the
cloth he wears which appeared in
the San Antonio statement. Col.
Mitchell declared it referred to Off
GERS of the Air Service "and not Of
the Army" They are subjected to
the worst example of command ever
known to any nation" he declared,
adding, High ranking officers make
inspections, ask foolish questions and
show they know nothing about the
subject