Evening star., 1925-11-09
MITCHELL COUNSEL BITTERLY
INDICTS ARMY AND NAVY HEADS
Presents Long List of Charges Against Conduct of
Air Service-May Ask Citing of War De-
partment for Contempt.


as follows; Army-Chief Of staff, Maj.
Gen. John l.. Hines; deputy chief of
staff, Maj. Gen. Dennis L. Nolan; as
sistant chief of staff, war claims d.
vision, Brig Gen. Harry A. Smith.
Navy-Chief of naval operations, Ad-
miral Edward w. Eberle; assistant
chief of naval operations. Rear Ad-
miral Richard II. jackson; director of
war claims division, office chief Of ma
val operations, Capt. w. Standley.
These officers, he says, constitute
the joint Army and Navy board, in
control of aviation, and their policies
must be approved by the Secretary of
War and the Secretary of the Navy,
none of whom are flyers, charging the
action of non-f1ying officer in i'm
properly and unnecessarily directing
the use and landing Of planes direct
ly caused the death OF one of the best
pilots in the service.
Says Flyers Used as Pawns.
Representative Reid said the defense
Will prove that the lives OF airmen are
used merely as pawns.
I'VE will prove" he continued, "and
the official records will show that
many of the fatal accidents to the per
sonnel of the Army Air Service be-
tween January l. 1924. and June 80,
1925, may be attributed directly or in
directly to faulty equipment or to lack
of proper weather information"
He then cited % crashes. giving the
names Of the pilots. types OF planes
and circumstances under which the
accidents occurred.
Representative Reid continued: I'VE
will prove by evidence that there has
been an enormous loss of life in the
Army and Navy Air Services" and
give figures.
We will prove by evidence that
money appropriated for aviation has
been reverted to the Treasury and
that with this condition existing it
was not necessary to send men to
their deaths in wartime built craft.
That airmen are bluffed and bull
dozed will be proved" he said.
Secretary Wilbur interjected him.
self into the proceedings before the
Presidents Aircraft Board to such an
extent that the board was forced to
call his attention to the fact that but
one witness was testifying.
Charges Witnesses Coached.
"a member of Congress during
hearings by this committee repri-
manded high official of the Navy De
partment for coaching witnesses
General Staff officers are present
at hearings before committees of Con-
gress, sometimes with their own ste
nographers to record any statement
made by officers of the Army before
the committees. which may be used
against the witness. if desired.
"A Marine Corps officer testified be-
fore the Presidents Aircraft Board
that to his positive knowledge flying
officers were afraid to testify and tell
the truth.
"Col. Mitchell was denoted and
transferred because he told the truth
before the Aircraft Committee of the
House of Representatives.
I'VE will prove by evidence that a
board OF officers studied the aviation
question in its broader aspect years
ago and recommended substantially
the things which Col. Mitchell recon-
mends today and the War Depart
ment refused to carry into effect the
recommendations of this board and
took no action whatever"
Coordination Declared Lacking.
Failure of the War and Navy De-
partments to secure co-ordina ton, as
| evidenced In the recent Hawaiian ma
| neuvers. will be gone into, as we'll as
the policy for aviation outlined sew.
eral years ago, which Mr.. Reid says
has been kicked about like a foot ball
".
two and one-half years later, neither
the proceedings of the board nor any
other definite plan has been put into
effect.
Cites Macmillan Expedition.
He said they would prove friction
between Comdr. Macmillan and the
personnel of the Navy Department by
showing that Comdr. Macmillan and
agreement as to the type of radio sets
to be used. and that this disagreement
between Comdr. Macmillan and the
Navy Department cost the Govern.
ment large amount Of money for the
maintenance and operation cost of the
destroyers which were ordered to de.
liver the radio sets to the MacMillan n
expositions then on the way to the
Arctic"
By evidence he will attempt to GO
at length into battleship bombing, and
provide proof that the Navy failed to
supply vessels for tests.
Proof will be offered as to navy yard
expenditures and the cost of maintain.
ing a balanced surface fleet.
Turns to Air Defense.
Then. reverting to the air defense
Mr.. Reid says:
we will prove by evidence that a
fleet equipped with aircraft carriers Is
more powerful than one without, and
that victory will in all probability re-
pose with the fleet equipped with air.
craft carriers.
That Great Britain has three air.
craft carriers in commission at the
present time.
That Great Britain has had air
craft carriers In commission since Jan.
uary. 1918.
THAT during that time she has car.
ried out continuous experiments with
aircraft carriers and has had expert
aircraft carriers.
| That the United States has no,
one aircraft carrier that can keep uI
with the fleet
''The Langley, at present attached
10 the neet, Is not an aircraft carrier
put an experimental ship for carrying
out preliminary experiments. Thai
her speed is only about Is knots ar
hour. In no sense can it be regarded
| as service aircraft carrier
! THAT Great Britain, after hayinf
mad seven years experience with g
conventional type of aircraft carrier
has lain down two new vessels which
are part aircraft carrier and part
| armored cruiser
These ships are an advanced type
over anything in existence today.
The two aircraft carriers unde,
construction for our fleet in the
| United States are not of this advanced
| type of carrier :
Finds Planes Unarmed.
We will prove by evidence tha,
the war Department was guilty O.
almost reasonable administration du,
10 the 1act that up to 1928 there wer,
IN Hawaii no plans for the employ
ment OF the Air Service in the aero