Evening star., 1925-09-11
WILBUR AND DAVIS
AT ODDS ON PROBE
OF MITCHELL CHARGES

Continued from First Page
ment. That question. under Army
the truth or falsity OF any charges
he may have made. being solely a
question OF service discipline to be
ha ndled by the service alone.
On the second point-the truth or
faIsity of the charges made by Col.
Mitchell alleging inef1ciency in the
Army Air Service policy and admin
istration-SeCretary Davis feels that
the War Department must dema nd
that there be a complete investigation
I by some agency outside the War De
partment, which must stand as the
accused party in such proceedings. To
inject that question into any court
martial proceedings involving a dis
clplinary question, would, IN the iudg
IRent of the Secretary and his military
advisers. not only raise the question
OF permissa bility under the rules of
evidence and the articles of war, but
could accomplish no good purpose in
the public mind since il would be
case of the Army investigating itself
and In the event Of decision adverse
TO Col. Mitchell. could result only IN
charges that the War Department had
whitewashed itself.
Navy Is Involved
The third point-the truth or falsitv
OF charges made as to naval aviation
is manlfestly one upon which an
Army court or the War Department
could not pass. since It involves an air
service in another Department. con
Quoted under different circumsta noes
and regulations of which Army Of
flcers would not be competent to
Judge.
The last point. that involving an in
Quiry into the unified air service prof.
ect. is a vital question as TO national
defense. Since IL involves legisiat ton
1t should. in the opinion OF the acting
War Secretary. be thkashed out either
by Congress directly or by some
agency specially created and free
from every suspicion lof self-interest
or partisa nship.
Secretary Wilbur in expressing his
opinion of Mr.. Davis proposal. said
he believed a reading Of The record
Of the aircraft investigation oopduct-
ed by the House at the last session
would suggest specific questions that
could be answered. which he thought
would be preferable to launching "a
long drawn-out and expensive' in
quiry.
erable study to the record of lthe
hearing. and he said his '1mpr(rs :
sions concerning the value Of these
hearings were modified because find
In them a wealth of information from
reliable sources upon the whole SUBJ
ject Of AWAIT
Apparently" he explained. they
examined every witness in the
United States who knew anything
concerning aircraft and gave the
fullest opportunity to everybody TO
be heard, but unfortunately with
out competent cross examination.
thus permitting numerous erroneous
general statements in the record
which cross -exs animation would have
cleared up"
Ready for Investigation.
The Navy Department, however.
he added, will always be ready MT
any time or place and before any
properly charged body or authorized
committee to make such an fnvesti-
CATION, to present all the facts that
il mas in its possession to such an
investigating body and give it the
benefit Of the expert knowledge in
every scientific branch of the naval
service
Without mentioning the charge
made by Col. Mitchell that negligence
and Incompetence In administration
were responsible for the Shenandoah
disaster. the Secretary asserted:
If any officers connected with any
bureau of the Navy Department or
the head of any department., has
been guilty of any misconduct. or
by reason OF Incompetence has con-
tributed to any disaster or loss of
life. We would be xlad To trnou th.
name of the officers and administer
through our ordinary channels such
discipline as hts conduct deserves.
Secretary Wilbur mentioned that
recently the general board of the
Navy completed an aircraft fnvesti-
cation and he felt that in the light
of this and the congressional In
quiry, Il would leave II to others to
determine whether or not there
should be any additional or further
investtgzttpn on fhH gsnaal xphisct