The Washington times., 1925-02-17
WARSHIPS
PA5SE,H He
INFORMS
PRI)BER5
'.Flying General Charges Of
ficers Are Afraid to Tell
The Truth

Hitting back ST his foes and
critics, Brigadier General William
Mitchell, assistant chief Of army
air service, appeared again before
the House aircraft Investigating
committee and declared that .
group Of enemy airplanes could
wipe out New York ii : day z
Mitchell gave this opinion to
one committee almost 1t the same
time that Theodore Roosevelt, ex-
assistant Secretary 81 the Navy,
was telling auofhef COMMITTEES
that niEcrnft vas i supp Ierneutary
arm Of national defense, and
should Be kept that way
Hopes for No Reward
Mitchell vigorously denied that
his advocacy Of unified air serv-
Ice was inspired by hope OF pei.
sonal reward Or advancement.
do yen hope for personal re.
Hard9 biuntly asked Congressman
Mckenzie tHep) Of Illinois, chair
man.
No. snapped Mitchell. ~ only
want to have America realize the
vital importance Of airplanes as q
unit Of offense and defense.
Undeterred by the sharp criticism
TO which he has been subjected
from the War and Navy depart
mentss Mitchell struck vicious verbal
tefts and rights at those who on
posed an Independent air force.
Aviation is the only Independent
fighting force in the United States, :
said Mitchell For defensive work
along the coasts and frontier ii Is
paramount over all armed forces.
Battieship Passe.
THE time has arrived when the
battleship as first sea power has
ceased to exist in its former con-
ception. Out at sea, battleship is
q pitifuI target, from the air. An
ty impotent value against aircraft. !"
Mitchell linked the airpIane and
submarine as the first line OF de-
Tense and attack.
American coastal cities would be
absolutely Vulnerable to air attack,
he said.
"Why." Mitchell added, "a group
OF aircraft could. wipe out New
York in a day. The only defense
woulc be from the air. Without air
defense. New York, or any other
city, could not hold out against
a bomb or gas attack from the air.
Mitchell drew vivid Hypothetical
picture of future air battles. de.
44-s~~ ~,
carrying great numbers of small
attacking airplanes.
Shenandoah q Toy.
'Those ships we have up a,
LAkehurst shenandoah and Los
Angeiesl are toys" said Mitchell
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. form
Or assistant secretary of navy, whC
preceded Mitchell on the stand, de
clared no airplane could cruise fal
enough from enemy camps to men
ace American cities.
why, great fleets of aircraft
could be sent over and attack us
and we could not stop IL excep
from the air." said Mitchell.
Officers Afraid, He Says.
Mitchell repeated his charge thai
Congress was unable 20 obtain ful
and fair information about ayia
ton, because officers appearing lie
fore committees either have no frs
hand knowledge, or they are afraid
to express views held by The .Id.l
men in the war and navy depart
Inents."
I'VE have practically no nava
air service" added Mitchell, .'ane
any battleship built, or that chr
be built, can be destroyed by air
craft. A unified air service vii
help the navy. not hurt it.
Unification Of the cir force n
Great Britain has made that coun
try better fortified than other ma
lions of the world.
English Fear Air Attack.
a sea invasion of England Il
almost impossible, said Mitchell
The British do not fear sea In
vasiOn because of airpIanes. mine
Continued on Page 2. Column A.