Evening star., 1925-09-17
A|RPROBE IS BEGUN;
MORROW IS NAMED
BOARDS CHAIRMAN
Organization Is First Work of
Body in Meeting at
White House.
CLOSED SESSION OPENS
INQUIRY ON U. S. POLICY
Coolidge Leaves Nine Experts to
Work Alone After Short
Conference.

The special board created by Presi
dent Coolidge to investigate the
potency of America s air power today
began the deliberation upon which
may rest the entire future policy OF
the administration and distribution of
the Nations air defenses.
In an atmosphere surCharged with
possibilities of the highest potential
tiles. the nine committeeman, each an
expert In some branch of aviation for
armed defense, met with the President
shortly before noon and after a 20
minute discussion in the presence OF
Mr.. Coolidge were excused to begin
inquiry alone.
The board occupied the entire noon
hour with the selection of perma-
nent chairman, finally agreeing upon
Dwight W. Morrow, prominent flnan-
cier connected with the firm of j. z.
Morgan & Co Judge Arthur c. Den
ison was elected vice chairman and
William F.. Durand secretary. 1mme-
diately after adjournment the board
had luncheon at the White House
with the President.
Statement Issued.
Just before leaving the executive
offices Mr.. Morrow issued this state
ment:
The board appointed by the Presi-
dent met with the President at IL
o'clock today. Thereafter the board
organized and selected officers. Fur
ther announcements will be made TO
the public after the board has had an
opportunity to fully discuss the scope
of their work and to adopt definite
plans. for the conduct OF the investi-
gation."
Vinson Silent on Meeting.
Representative Carl Vinson of Geor-
gia, member of the House committee
on naval affairs. was the first member
of/he committee to be announced at
the executive offices. He was Is min
uteS ahead of the meeting hour-11
o'clock-and while waiting to be ad
mitted to the Presidents private office
found himself surrounded by a score
of newspapefman.
Mr.. Ninson was quite willing to be
engaged in conversation on any sub
ject but aviation. AS a result he held
5-minute conference with the re-
porters on the illuminating subject of
the weather in Georgia. which he said
is very hot and very dry" just now.
Every effort to draw from Mr.. Vinson
any mention of the schedule to be
taken up at today's conference was
automatically rebuked.
Howard E. Coffin. consulting en-
gineer and expert on aeronautics, who
gave the newspapermen an audience
of nearly an hour only a week ago
when, as general manager of the Ma
tional Air Transport, Inc, he called
at the executive offices to interest the
President in a plan for private opera
tion of the air mails. stepped from his
automobile and walked with rapid
stride straight to Secretary Sanders
office.
Coolidge FavOrs Open Inquiry.
1t was evident that although much
has been said to indicate that the
President feels the committee should
conduct it's inquiry in full public
view at all times, with the possible
exception of those occasions when
confidential matters pertaining to the
national defense are touched, the
members of the board are not will
ing to assume such an attitude until
obtaining Mr.. Coolidge's views for
themselves.
The fact that the President wishes
the board to conduct its inquiry as
an autonomous committee. unham-
pered by any ideas he may have on
the method of procedure, made it
certain that at least all of today
would be occupied by details of Or
ganization. 1t is regarded as improb-
able that any headway will be made
along the road of actual investigation
for several days, in fact.
In the dizzy whirI of rumor and
conjecture that surrounded the
Presidents aircraft investigating
board as it assembled for its first
meeting there was one question that
stood forth with startling possibili-
ties. 1t was, Will William Mitchell,
flying hero of the Army and in a
measure regarded as the person re-
sponsibIe for the present inquiry. find
himself pitted against Comdr. John
Rodgers, flying hero of the Navy and
heroic commander of the recent at
tempt to link Hawaii with California
by air?
Mitchell Great Flyer.
1t Is conceded that Col. Mitchelrs
greatest strength lies in his record
an actual flyer. Those who under
stand the aviation controversy today
emphatically declare that the doughty
former assistant air chief of the Army
would never have commanded the at
tention he holds today had it not been
for his courageous exploits in the air
He is possibly recognized as the
greatest pilot of his time
But the one question that raced
from lip TO lip at the White House
today was: will the Navy counter
with Rodgers?" Comdr. Rodgers repu-
Iation in the Navy is scarcely less
heroic than that of Col. Mitchell in
the Army. He. too, is a flyer, and
the fact that he was recently offered
the post of assistant chief Of the Navy
Bureau of Aeronautics would lend
added Importance to any recommenda-
lions he might make to the board
There are possibilities of high DO
tentiality in such a situation, it Is
frankly admitted. Those in a posi-
ton to know believe it is inevitable
that both of these men will be called
before the investigating committee
Their statements may have over
whelming influence upon any conclu-
sions reached by the committee mem
hers. But the testimony of no two
men is being waited with keener in
terest today than that Of Col. Mitchell
and Comdr. Rodgers.
The White House photogra piers
won the first Interview with the
investigating board and the President
Immediately after Mr.. Coolidge had
welcomed the members and remained
Continued on Page 2, Column 81