The Washington times., 1925-03-06
COLONEL FECHET IS NAMED
FOR MITCHELL,S POST


Mitchell having declared before the
House Aircraft Committee that the
United States possessed only nine.
teen first-class combat planes.
Weeks placed this total considerably
higher.
Had Many Commands.
During the world war Colonel
Fechet was in command Of Scott,
Carlstrom, Door, and Kelly flying
fields and was department air serv.
ice officer Of the Southern depart
ment. In 1920 he came to Wash
ington as chief of the training ana
operations group and later as chief
Of the war plans division. He has
1,een colmmandant Of the air Serv-
ice at Kelly Field, San Antonio,
Tex. since July J., 1924.
Colonel Fechet is qualified
pilot and has been on continuous
flying duty since September, 1917. (
Mitchell Prepared
When the announcement of his
demotion was made, General Mithell
was at Langley Field, Va, where
aircraft tests are being conducted
today. Apparently forewarned. how
ever, Of what was in store for him
Mitchell had a statement ready TO-
the press and it was issued shortly
after the War Department an
nouncement.
Mitchell renewed his appeal for
unified air service, emphasizing
the growing Importance of aircraft
in the national defense, and de-
clared that he would continue to
work for the benefit and improve.
ment of everything that applies to
our national welfare"
Mitchelrs statement follows:
Text of Statement.
1.-The question of my .reappoint-
ment as assistant of the air service
is a small matter. The question
Of the reorganization Of our system
of national defense is a very big
matter. The people must decide
what our national defense should
be and to arrive at conclusion
they must know and be told the
truth about what we hove. what
we need and how 1t should be
handled.
''As soon as the sound of the
cannon has ceased on the western
front, the forces of retrogression
began to work in our country. 1t
was because our participation in
the war had been Of such short
duration that the old, inefficient
bureaucratic system of handling our
national defense had not yet been
entirely eliminated and replaced by
new and efficient system and per.
sonnet as was in Ine case Of the
countries Of Europe and with US
during the civil war.
Aviation is very different from
either armies or naVies in its
economic aspects. Every military
airplane can be used in time of
peace for some peaceful undertake
ing not necessarily connected with
war. Every pilot employed in civil
aviation can be used in case Of war
and is 80 per cent efficient In time
Of peace. Every mechanic HsAd in
civil aviation is 100 per cent Eff.
ficient in time of war.
Applied to Commerce.
In time of peace, the bulk of
the effort and thought of a Ea-
ton in an aeronautical way may
be applied to civil and commercial
development OF aeronautics and
this same effort and thought can
be shifted at once to military Iur.
poses. There Is no reason. for in.
stance, why the air forces in time
OF peace should not be employed
In mapping the country, patrollinr
the forest to prevent forest fires.
carrying the mail. eliminating In.
sect pests from cotton, fruit trees
and other vegetation, and in maxi
ing an aeronautical TRANSFORMATION
survey of the country to deter.
mine what can be carried ecorono.
ically and at a profit through the
air instead OF on boats. railroads.
and by automobiles, and in working
out new commercial air routes
throughout the world.
1.-THE Government, for instance
in time OF peace should maintain a
small percentage Of it's total aerial
strength on strictly military duty.
the rest could be used on civil
work for the greater part of the
tine and assemble for a month Or
so each year to perform maneuvers
and military training.
Armies and navies are no longer
capable OF enunciating or putting
into effect the complete military
policy for a country. The voice Of
the ar must be listened to in all
councils with equal force and "a
is that Of the army and navy. We
are further behind in our arrange.
ment of national defense in this