The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-09-10
A SERIOUS SITUATION

The people of the country are
slowly recovering from the shock OF
the demolition of the Shendoah which
went down in Ohio early Thursday
morning of last week while enroute
from Lakehurst, N. j., to give fly,
ing demonstration over the Mime
sofa State Fair grounds last Saturday
Whether defective construction OF
a lightning bolt caused the destruc-
ton of the dirigible and the sacrifice
of the lives of several of the brave
officers of the United States navy
will not be definitely known until the
investigation which is now in pro-
gress has been completed.
Col. William Mitchell, quite gener-
ally recognized by many well posted
men as being the best qualified air
service man in the U. S. military
service makes grave charges in which
he insists that the men in charge of
aviation in both Army and Navy are
incompetent. Col. Mitchell is prac-
. tical flying official.
1t will be recalled that Mr.. Mitchell
was denoted in rank from Major
General to Colonel by the Army a
few months ago because he charged
incompetence in the handling of av-
iation affairs.
It is said that the heads of aviation
in both departments of the United
States arms of defense are Notifying
engineers, and it is generally &C
copied that Mr.. Mitchell was de-
NOTED to discipline him for criticising
his superior officers.
Following the demolition of the
Shenandoah and the losing of an
airship on the Pacific in an attempt
to make a nonstop flight from San
Francisco to Honolulu, Col. Mitchell
severely criticises the handling of
aviation affairs in both army and
navy. He said in effect:
All aviation policies, schemes and
systems are dictated by the non
flying officers of the army and navy
who know practically nothing about
it. The lives of the airmen are be-
ing used merely as pawns in their
hands.
The airmen themselves are
bluffed and bulldozed so that they
dare not tell the truth in the ma
jority of cases, knowing full well
that if they do they will be de-
prived of their future careers.
The conduct of affairs by these
two departments (Army and Navy
as far as aviation is concerned,
has been so disgusting in the last
few years as to make any self-re-
specting person ashamed of the
cloth he wears.
The impression is given to the
public at large that the Shenan-
doah was a modern, ship, properly
constructed, properly operated and
completely equipped. This was not
the case. 1t shakes the faith Of the
people in airship transportation be-
cause they are not given the exact
facts on the subject.
If the Pacific maneuvers show
ed anything, it was that aircrft'
acting from land bases can destroy
any surface fleet coming within it's
radius of operations.
At last the great anti-aircraft
tests took place. The navy shoots
at target all day and hits it a few
times and publishes the wonderful
results obtained.
Following his statements Col Nit
chell said he expected to be arrested
and tried by courtmartial for his Of
tense. He insists that if he can gain
the attention of the American people
to the gravity of the situation they
will demand congressional action
which will place the entire aviation
service of the country in a separate
branch of the government and
manned by competent officials.
Any punishment meted out to Col :.
Mitchell must come through the War
Department. Secretary of War
Weeks is on sick bed and the as
sistants in charge are moving care