Evening star., 1926-01-29
MITCHELL ESCAPES
SENTENCE AS DAVIS
0.K.'S RESIGNATION:
Stormy Petrol of Air Force
Leaves Army Sunday at
Midnight.
BR0ADSIDE EXPECTED
AS SOON AS HE is FREE
For Good of Service" Not In.
cluded in Acceptance of Col
onel's Plea to Be Freed.

The resignation of Col. William
Mitchell frons the United States Arm,
submitted by him Wednesday 20 Ad:t.
Gen. Robert c. Davis. today was a.
cepted by the Secretary of War and
AT midnight Sunday the fighting avia-
Tor VIII pass into the ranks of private
cltlZens after scintillatinS and
stormy career of 2S years in the mil
ltary forces of the Nation.
Inc acceptance was announced al
the W ar Department at noon in these
words: The Secretary Of War has
decided that the resignation of Col
William Mitchell. Air Serv.ce, will le
accepted. TO take effect February
1875 The Adjutant General of the
Army has been notified TO this effect.
Escapes Army Sentence.
Thus. Col. Mitchell escapes the five
year sentence of suspension from
rank, command and duty and forfeit
ure of half his pay, which was mad
effective Tuesday when President
Coolidge approved the findings of the
Army general court-martial. with res.
ervations. which tried. convicted and
sentenced him for violating the nine
ty-sixth articles of war
ceptance as to whaA grounds the War
Secretary acted upon Mr.. Davis has
been inclined not to stress the for
the good of the service" point, feeling
that the fact that the resignation was
offered by an officer under approved
sentence for violation of the articles
of war sufficiently indicated the cir
cumstanceS under which Col Mitchell
is to be separated from the military
service
President Coolidge was relieved of
the necessity of further dealing with
the Mitchell case" under powers del
egated to Secretary Davis. Neverthe-
less. the Executive gave his approval
OF the acceptance, as all Army Off
GERS commissions are signed by him
and the only authority for their termi-
nation is the President or the official
to whom he has given that power.
Mitchell Is Silent.
Neither Col. Mitchell nor his coun-
sci before the court-martial, Repre-
sentative Frank r. Reid of Illinois.
would make any comment when in
formed of the acceptance II was
clearly indicated, however, that after
the resignation becomes effective. A
broadside" may emanate from the
Mitchell camp. At least a statement
VI,
was authoritatively said.
Secretary Davis announcement was
made following his return to the War
Department from cabinet meeting at
the White House. 1t was evident that
the War Secretary discussed the ma.
ter with the President, although no
intimation as to the nature of the
talk was given.
When the colonel's brief resignation
was submitted Wednesday, on the sec.
ond day of his fve-year sentence there
was no voice raised in military circles
against acceptance, and at that time
it was known that his Army career
was short lived. The only point
brought up concerned the reason f,,r
resigning and whether the War De
partment would add for the good Of
the service which clause appears
from time to time on officers resigna-
tions.
Stormy Career.
AS far as Col Mitchell is concerned.
he has no sorrows on leaving the pro-
fesSion to which he devoted his life.
For the last 10 years he has been in
general disagreement with defense
policies, these gaining momentum
and strength in the Mitchell Menoher
controversy and coming to a climax
in his San Antonio statements of
September 5 and 8, 1925. in which he
held the Army and Navy up 10 public
scorn for their alleged mismanage-
ment of the national defense in gen.
eral and aviation matters in particular.
He had been dismissed from the
post of assistant chief of the Army
Air Service, which carried the rank
of brigadier general. on the basis OF
Continued IN Papa Q Colupop n