The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-02
COL, MITCHELL
W0ULDQUIZ2
CABINET MEN
SubpCcEa.s asked For Other
High Officials of War and
Navy departments
PRESIDENT NOT, NAMED
Mitchell WCu,u Question San
ders Cc::cerr.rg All Official
Correspondence
PRESIDENT NOT, NAMED

WaShln-t t0N. Eor. (4S--Col. Vim.
trhel. on ,.'l;.i Dy court- martial as
II :eSIt Of HIS criticism ot the CON
Curt o. the governments air services.
today asked the court to summon
Secretaries Davis OF the war depart
ment and Wilbur Of the navy depart
ment as wilmer ;eS.
Several other high officials Of The
two departments, SeVcra! members of
congress, and more than 60 ARM ana
navy officers also were named by
the defense in Il list of those II would
like to question.
The name Of President Coolidge did
not appear on the list.
Would Justify Charges
1t was apparent from the coloncl'S
action in seeking to bring cabinet
officials and members Of congress
into the trial that he hoped to thresh
out in court the whole range Of is
sues involved in the air controversy
and thus present Il justification for
his charges that the air services had
been administered with criminal and
almost reasonable negligence. Whe-
thcr the coul. will admit that pro-
ccdurc is questionable.
The army and navy Officers. for
| whom subpoenas were requested by
the defense, included not Only those
in direct charge Of the two air ser
vices By those who have general staff
supervision over the army and navy
organizations as Il whole.
In addition, various aircraft cx-
pertS and other civilians were on the
list submitted by the colonel'S coun-
| sci. They included Donald MacMiI-
| Ian, the Arctic explorer; Grover
| Looming. the aircraft manufactures;
| Mrs. Zachary Lansdownc, widow Of
the commander OF the Shenandoah;
Reed Lands Of Chicago; and Anton
| Tcincn, one of the designers of the
Shenandoah. -.. o.. ...
! Others Wanted as Witnesses
| The defense also requested that
Secretary Jardine of the agriculture
, department. Everett Sanders, secre-
tary to President Coolidge. and
! Dwight Morrow head of the presi-
dents special air board, be called.
. The court proceeded wltn the ar-
I tual opening Of the trial without in
! dicating whether it would sumMon
| those named on Col. Mitchells list Of
witnesses. Another motion by Nit
! chell's counsel to dismiss the charges
! on the ground that the court had no
| jurisdiction was quickly rejected.
! Then the prosecution called to the
! stand as it's first witness, A. w. Yea
ger, reporter for the san Antonio O..
! Texas, Light, to whom olonel Mi
! chell gave a copy Of h 5 san Antonio
statement containing the accusations
! that led to his court-martla!.
Col. Mitchell's counsel told the
! court that in asking subpoena TO.
| Secretary Sanders they would seek
"copies of all correspondence ex-
changed between the president and
all persons relative to the necessity
and reasons for the formation Of tbs
presidents air board, headed by
Dwight Morrow, as contained in the
files of the white house executive
Offices
Secretary Wilbur is wanted, it was
stated, in order to show just what
weather reports were given the Shen-
andoah on her last flight, what cor
respondence was had between Com
mander Lansdowne and the nevy de-
partment regarding the flight; what
arrangements We're made for the at
tempted flight of PN-9. No. / to
Hawaii: and long list OF other
things having to do with the conduct
Of aviation.
Secretary Davis will be asked to
produce great volume of war de-
partment documents bearing on avla-
ton and anti-aircraft activities OF
the past several years, and including
"copies of all reports made since
Sept. 5, 1925, by the commanding
general or commanding officer. or a
member of his command. of each and
every corps area or district in the
United States and foreign posses
sions, showing the state of good or
der and military discipline in his
command