Evening star., 1926-06-13
MITCHELL To OPEN
DEFENSE CAMPAIGN
Former Air Officer Asks Le-
gion' Support in Drive for
Preparedness.

A national offensive, to be conduct
cd through the aid Of American Ie-
gion posts to convince the American
people of the necessity of adequate
military arms and of the vital impor-
tance of air forces, is planned by Coz.
William Mitchell, former assistant
chief of the Army Air Service, whose
bitter arraignment of the genera
staff and its policies forced ms
resignation from the Army.
Speaking last night to about 500
Dictionaries Of the District. who were
his guests at an elaborate barbecue
at the Villa Roma on the Rockville
Pike, Col Mitchell declared the re-
sponsibility for awakening the nation
to its "defenseless condition rested
with the American Legion.
Reiterating charges against the
general staff which were broadcast
through the Nation during his SEN
sational courts martial last Fall, Col
Mitchell called on the Legion def
nitely to join him IN ms cruSaue loi
"a real air force"
Seeks Militant Cooperation.
Mitchells plan, it is explained, is
10 seek a militant sort of co-opera-
ton among legionarieS in his drive
for "a modern and adequate ar
force" He has just returned mere
from n speaking tour that took hlm
through SO States, where he was III
touch with Legion representatives.
His own Legion post, the Vincent
r. Costello Post of Washington, al
ready is behind him virtually as a
unit, it is said. The former air gen
eral is slated to be elected COM
mander Of the post in September.
"As a member of the general star
st the time of the war;" Col. Mitchell
told the gathering last night. Il found
IL impossible to make the stair reallze
what war conditions faced the United
States. These generals seemed more
interested in looking up the Army
register to see when they would get
their next raise"
Outlines Planes Need.
Reiterating many charges against
War Department chiefs, Mitchell
turned to advocacy of a greater air
force.
The World War demonstrated in
disputably," he asserted, that ma
ton can no longer depend upon
ground forces. An army, under mod
ern war tactics. is of value only for
defense. A nation can no longer af-
ford to throw ground forces into Of
fensive drives. To do so simply
means utter exhaustion of forces.
Troops are annihilated before in
trenched groups armed with machine
guns and other modern arms.
THE nation that wins is the one
that gets the jump in air attack.
These older men Of the general
staff, who tell us that no foreign
power ever could get an appreciable
air force to American shores are not
facing facts" The former general
then compared the effectiveness of
coast artillery and airplanes, point
ing out the great cost of big guns,
which he characterized as "punkin
singers
Asks Legion to Aid.
'The American Legion must take
up this issue. Is is looked to by the
people of the Nation as knowing what
war conditions are. Legion posts
should discuss national defense until
an awakened public opinion is re-
flected in the acts of our representa-
tiveS in Congress"
The legionnaireS gave Col. Mitchell
an ovation at the close of his address.
Thomas Walsh, commander of the
Costello Post, acted as master OF cere-
monies, assisted by William Franklin,
adiutant Of the post. Costello post
members and representatives OF the
Society Of 40 and and the McGroarty-
Mcconnell Post predominated at the
gathering.
Brief addresses of greeting were
made by Chief of Police Edwin b.
Hesse; Inspector Henry G.. Pratt, chief
of detectives; Watson E. Miller;
Thomas Murray; Paul J. McGahan,
past department commander; William
Franklin and others.
On the arrangements committee as
sisting Col. Mitchell were MIR. Frank
lin, Richard O'Brien, DR.. b. G. McNeill,
Frank Abbo and Raymond Burke.
Col. Mitchell now is residing at Box
wood at NIiddleburg. Va.