Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08
WILLIAM MITCHELL
MAY HEAD AIR BODY
Move on Foot by Friends to
"Rejuvenate" Associa-
tons Policies.

Friends of William Mitchell, former
Army air brigadier general and
colonel, are industriously at work on
a movement to place him in a position
whereby, it is claimed, he could die
tate the future air defense policy of
the United States and carry out his
ideas for the Nations protection.
which failed of adoption. to a large
degree, in the recent aircraft contro-
versy.
The movement has been viewed in
Washington with joy, alarm and con-
fusion, and the 'air people virtually
are in suspense until the success or
failure of the plan is demonstrated at
the annual meeting of the National
Aeronautic Association to be held in
with the national air meet
in Philadelphia, September 4 to II.
The plan, in brief, Is to place Col
Mitchell at the head of the National
Association, whose slogan
is Make America First in the Air.
and thereby bring about a "rebirth'
Of the organization. The air crusader
has agreed to occupy the position of
president if elected.
Editor Heads Move.
The forces backing Col. Mitchell are
led by Frank A. Tichenor. editor Of
the Aero Digest, an aeronautlcal
monthly published in New York, and
director general of the United States
Air Force Association. with head
quarters here. Details Of the task of
lining up the National Aeronautic AS
ISOLATION membership throughout the
country to vote for Mitchell at the
Forthcoming election have been
dwelt upon for more than a month
and his hackers already claim ma
jority of IS per cent of the convention.
While Mitchell is being boosted for
the Job. the National Aeronautic AS
ISOLATION is being severely criticized
for alleged failure to carry out it's OBJ
are openly made that the high rank"
of the Navy controls it entirely, and
as long as this condition exists
America never will be first in the air.
The tone Of the campaign re-echoes
the famous Mitchell era of 1925 in
which charges and criticisms were
hurled without consideration for body
or person.
In the latest issue of the Tichenor
publication the following appears
under the. caption, I'VE Need a Re-
born National Aeronautical Associa-
ton:
This is a call to those whose in
terest in aviation is such that they
honestly want to see it prosper in its
activities and ranking at
the head of our national defense sys-
tenn, where it rightfully belongs.
Urges Serious Work.
1T is an urge to the members of
the National Aeronautic Association
to send delegates to the convention to
be held in Philadelphia September Z,
s and 9. to help in the formulation of
a program which will transfer the
record of the orga niZatiOn from the
funny pages to the news columns Of
our daily press.
THE convention held in New York
last October did absolutely nothing
for the cause of aerona utics and ex
actly the same thing has been &C
for the cause during the
past two years by the association un-
der it's present leadership.
This situati is tragic at a time
when the courageous men in the
United States Air Services need every
assistance that can possibly be rem
dered in Washington in order that
the organized effort of those who for
purely personal gain have endeavored
to administer a quietus to the Air
Service by means of national legisla-
ton may be successfully combated,
THE influence upon the members
of the Senate and the House of
civilian orga nization. if we had one
which was truly representative of the
popula ton and honestly interested in
American aviation, would be para
Association Asked to Be Ready.
1.-The National Aeronautic Assoeia-
ton should have been ready, without
asking, to furnish the preponderance
Of important testimony at all investi-
cations and should have had as its
leader an executive actuated by those
patriotic. unselfish motives which
would have made his words i'm
with the proper leader and
worth while program there would be
no occasion for the independent
clubs which now. for perfectly good
ignore the National Aero
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