Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-28
Mitchell Case May
Benefit Air Services

DISCUSSION OF the llVe-y year SuSpeli-
sion melted out to Col William
! Mitchell for his attacks on the Army
Air Service discloses widely differing
opinions as to the justice of the SEN
tence, but a general belief that pub
Lefty given the state of the Nations
air forces will result in good.
Its a pity" says the Pittsburgh
Gazette Times, "he did not withdraw
from the Amy before making public
his opinions of the Air Service, to the
upbuilding of which we believe him
! to be honestly devoted" This paper
| is confident the judges took into ac-
count the probable cause for severe
criticism of the aviation services"
the defects of which appear to be
in fair way of being remedied,' and
holds that 1T should be gratifying to
the country that the members of the
court did not falter in performance Of
their duty" The Newark Evening
News, however is Of the opinion that
the logical thing to do would have
been to dismiss Mitchell from the
service and declares The suspen-
sion for five years, while keeping him
in the service and under discipline,
is SO plainly an effort to put a stop TO
his propa ganda as virtually TO admit
that much of it was justified and was
making his superiors extremely I'M
comfortable"
= x X X
"Contemptible and pernicious yer
Dict is the judgment of the Cleveland
News, which feels that 1t may be
changed by President Coolidge or
other reviewing power The Louis
Vile COurierJ journal asserts that lin
the public eve Mitchell is regarded
as having performed a public service,
and the Army stands accused of blum
dering, while penaliZing an officer for
pointing out its blunders." As viewed
by the Pueblo Star-Journal, the out
look is that Col Mitchell VIII retire
from the Army, but it is improbable
that his return TO civil life win stop
him from carrying on his fight for
an improved Air Service
Whether Mitchell will be enrolled
as national hero and the savior Of
the Air Service" says the Flint Daily
Journal, cor merely Il laundering.
clustering meddler. time alone will
determine. Certainly at present his
spectacular methods have enlisted the
support of large portion of the
public behind him. On the other
hand, it is hard TO estimate the dam
age that Mitchell's irresponsible state
ments may have caused" But of
one thing the people may be assured,
says the Charlotte Observer, and that
IS. no whine is going 10 be heard from
Mitchell And if. as the Schenectady
Gazette sees il, "he has succeeded IN
stirring up enough sentiment TO force
changes, doubtless he Will he salts
fed 10 undergo punishment"
!
Citing the terms Of the penalty i'm
posed, the Indianapolis News con
Guides But for all that. Army meth
DDS and not Col. Mitchell We're the real
defendant, and these methods have
not come out unscathed." Indeed,
according to the Trenton Times Ad-
vertiser. there is admittedly a de-
plorable condition in the military Air
Service and possibly the colonel Will
be better able now than heretofore
to aEiiate for necessary reforms"
The Wichita Beacon also feels that If
a modification of the muzzle system
comes as result of the Mitchell
trial, the explosion will not have been
in vain while the Rochester Times
Union observes that Mitchell may
pass out of the picture, but domino
ton Of our air forces by officers who
know nothing about flying is also
nearing an end
The New York World, approving
the sentence. remarks: Whatever
his motives, whatever the notions of
his fellow aViators whatever the
merits of this plan and that plan, the
memorable conclusion remains that
Col. Mitchell violated his soldierly
obligations and violated them III gross
and outrageous fashion" His Judges
continues the New York Evening
Post, had Il delicate and difficult
task and one that on the whole was
-,
gence and courage"