Evening star., 1925-11-03
MITCHELL DEFENSE
PLAN IS REVEALED
Seeks to Prove That COL
oneI's Charges Led Coolidge
to Order Air Investigation.
BY ROBERT II. SMALL.

The real secret of the Mitchell de-
fense is out at last. The flying colonel
is seeking permission to prove if he
can, that the "offenses" for which he
Is being tried by general court rt-martIal
moved President Coolidge to institute
the general air inquiry under the di-
rection Of Dwight +. Morrow, class
mate of the President and member OF
the firm of ]. 2. Morgan & Co.
Col. Mitchell will show, If he can,
that. far from bringing the military
service into disrepute or public con-
tempt, his statements given to the
press at San Antonio contained SO
much Of the elements Of truth as to
impress the President with the vital
necessity of sitting the aviation prob
lem in the most thorough manner pos
sible.
Col. Mitchell believes he can prove
this contention II Everett Sanders,
secretary to the President is directed
to produce before the court-martial all
of the correspondence between Mr.
Coolidge and Mr.. Morrow. Failing to
obtain the presence of the Presidents IS
secretary. Col. Mitchell believes he
can get the necessary proof from Mr..
Morrow himself
In further substantiation of the
truth of his charges, Col. Mitchell
would introduce in proper form virtu-
ally all of the evidence given before
the Morrow board.
Say Colonel Is Scapegoat.
Col. Mitchell and his counsel are
confident that II they can prove by
certain letters of the President that
the colonel was instrumental in bring.
ing about the Morrow inquiry, they
will convince the country, if not the
court-martial. that the flying colonel is
being made a "scapegoat" by the per-
sons most involved In his charges of
neglect and Incompetence in the han.
ding of the country'S aviation serv-
ices.
Already the defense has shown by
a military witness for the prosecution
that nothing Col. Mitchell did in Texas
caused riots, mutiny, secession,
slaughter or mayhem. When it was
brought out that the fiery statements
failed to do any of these things the
expression on Col. Mitchell's face was
study. 1t was difficult to tell wheth-
er he registered satisfaction or disap-
pointment. But whatever disappoint-
ment he may feel as to the lack of SEN
sation created in the 8th Army Corps
area around San Antonio is more than
made up for by the explosion which
iVoultCIi III w dSIlIlStOn ana WllCn
was recorded on seismographs as far
away as the Antipodes
1t will be recalled that in summon
Ing the presidential board OF inquiry
the first official statement by Chair.
man Morrow announced that Col.
Mitchell would be heard in full. This
statement is regarded by the defense
as further evidence that President
Coolidge was galvanized into action by
the Mitchell charges.
Claim Nation Is Benefited.
1t is the desire OF the defense to
prove that the President expects great
constructive good to come Of his air
plane inquiry, and it is proposed that
Col Mitchell shall get the credit for
bringing about this constructive move.
Then it will be asked how he can be
condemned as destructive by one bit
of Government machinery and ex.
tolled, in effect, by another bit Of ma.
chinery for doing the country a grea
service.
1t has been the effort Of the court
martial not to concern itself with the
good effects Of the Mitchell statement.
but to consider only its possible effect
upon military discipline. In other
words, there is not so much d disposi-
tion in Washington to quarrel with
what Col. Mitchell may have had in