Evening star., 1925-10-28
SummeraII and BoW|ey Are
Excused on Ground They
Preached H0stiIity-Slad-
en- Merely Challenged.
SAN ANTONIO STATEMENT
CALLED PERSONAL VIEW
Former Assistant Air Chiefs Own
Opinions. Reid Declares-"Un-
true, Unjust and Ignorant.
Summelall SAYS of Criticism of
Him Before Congress.

ing colonel OF the Army Air Service,
faced the stern discipline OF court
martial today for his latest attack
on the organization OF American air
defenders. but scarcely before that
dguiticd tribunal OF his Supcriors
had begun to junction he had broken
i; organization.
Charging three OF the most diStin-
Guishcd members OF the court with
having shown hostility toward him
IN recent public addresses, the col
oncl. whose whirlwind OF criticism
has kept the armed forces OF the
Nation in a Juror for more than
three wears, forced their immediate
retirement
When the storm had blown over and
the remnant of the court martial
counted its casualties. Maj. Gen.
Charles 7. Summerall. president of
the court; Mai Gen. Fred w Saden
and Brig Gen Albert j. Bowley had
heen excused from further duty on
the ground that they had preached
hostility toward the defendant. Never
before in the history of the Amer
team Army had dignitied court.
martial been handled with such ruth
less indiscrimination. Col. Mitchell.
through his counsel. fired Tolley afte~
Nolley of criticism at the accused
members. held up their own words
for scrutiny and bluntly demanded
that their right to sit in trial over
him should be reScinded. The de
fense was as bitter in its denunciation
rs it was indiScriminate in its selec-
tiOn.
And it finally drew from Gen. Sum
merall before he retired a parting
shot al the man who has become
target for both the Army and the
Navy in the last few months. Nisibly
surprised and with angry emphasis,
the depOSsd president of the court
told the judges and spectators that
he regarded the statements made by
Col Mitchell as untrue unjust ana
fgnora mt"
IT was an attack that spared moth
ing in its Vitrolic strength and gained
for the defense The ends it sought.
Statement Read Five Times.
The remainder of the morning and
the early part of the afternoon session
was given over To the reading by Col
McMullen. assistant trial Judge advo-
cate. Of col. MitcheII's famous San
Antonio statement of September ),
which embodieS five of the eight
specifications listed under the direct
charge against him of violating the
nlnetN-SlXth article of war SpeCifica-
tion 3. declaring "disrespect to the
administration of the War Depart-
ment." was followed by the reading
of the statement. which required %
minutes.
The fourth specification declared
''diSrespect to the administration of
the Navy Department" and the san
Antonio statement again was read.
ma King five times up until 3 o'clock
II had been read--OnCe by RepreSen-
tative Reid and the other four times
by Col. McMullen. 1t will he read
for the sixth time under specification
five. and then statement made bv
COL Mitchell on September will he
read three times.
This step was suggested by Repre
sentative Reid. and after Col Winship
had entered u mild objection. Col.
Moreland the judge advocate. gave il
HS his opinion that each specification
must be read in fun because they are
the bases for the defense
When the specifications have heen
read. Representative Reid will enter
his pleas.
The court tried mot to look bored
over the continued repetition of the
NoluminouS attack on the War and
Navy Department. although the spec
tators, virtually all of whom sacrificed
luncheon in order not TO lose their
seats, became restless. and the entire
press section was more or less vacated
No warning heralded the approach
Of the storm that was about to sweep
ruthleSSly through the studied dig
nifty and stern discipline of the court
marital. buffet its members without
regard to rank or position and fairly
Singer the SpeCta tors and attaches
with its SuddenneSS.
/, was Il little after 10 O'Clock, the
appointed hour for the trial of the
doughty flying colonel to begin. that
Col. Sherman Moreland. the Judge
advocate. raised his hand and request
ed all persons in the room to rise
while the court entered.
Court Enters
In single file the generals whom the
War Department had appointed to
t.v Col. Mitchell on charges that he
had made statements prejudicial TO
good discipline and the better interests
Of the Army, filed in. bowed to the
Judge advocate and the counsel for
the defense and seated themselves in
the following order on either side OF
Mai Gen. Summerall. the president of
the court: Maj. Gen. Robert l.. Howe
Col. Blanton Winship. law member of
the court: Maj. Gen. Douglass Mac
Arthur, Maj. Cen Fred w. Sladen
Mai. Gen. Benjamin y. Poore. Maj
Gen. William ). Graves. Brig. Gen.
Edward l.. King. Brig. Gen. Albert j
Bowley. Brig. Gen. Edwin Winans,
Brig. Gen. George LeR. Irwin, Brig
Gen Ewing r. Booth and Brig. Gen.
Prank r. Mccoy.
col. Moreland informed the mem
hers of the court that they would find
ut their places printed copies of the
charges against Col. Mitchell. AS
p matter of form. he observed that
all of the members OF the court
we're present and officially announced
that the prosecution was ready to
proceed with the case Of the United
states versus William Mitchell. Ain
service \ fcw purely formal pre-
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