AMERICAN COURT MARTIAL

Evening Star, Issue 19127, 19 December 1925, Page 3

AMERICAN COURT MARTIAL

CGLONEL MITCHELL FOUND GUILTY CHARGES AGAINST AIR ADMINISTRATION. Press Association —By Tclsgraph—Copyright. WASTIINGTON, Decerubor 17. Colonel Mitchell h;is been adjudged guilty of misconduct in connection with the charges which lie, made against the Air .Department's administration. —A. and N.Z. Cable. SUSPENSION FOR FIVE YEARS. A LLEG ATTONK IDG ELY EXAGGERATED. NEW YORK, December 17. The jury of generals returned a verdict of “ Guilty ” after 32 minutes’ deliberation. Colonel Allen Gullion, previously summing up the ease for the prosecution, characterised Colonel Mitchell as “ an egotistical, flamboyant, untruthful, and destructive person, who should be dismissed from the army.” Ho said; “Colon. 1 ! Mitchell's statements follow, what may be termed the 1 Mitchell formula ’—.first, exaggeration of national defence matters closely approaching falsehood ; secondly, untrue and misleading statements for the deliberate purpose of discrediting army ami navy officers; thus, thirdly, creating distrust in the minds of people regarding the War and Navy Departments; fourthly, egotistic self-deeep lion regarding his own experience and qualifications; fifthly, protestations of the absence of self-interest and expressions of willingness to he and the expectation of being a martyr; all leading to, sixthly, a united air service with (seventhly) William Mitchell as its only logical head. Every demagogue follows a similar formula.” Colonel Mitchell declined to male an argumentative speech, merely declaring that the case was the- cnlminal lon of the efforts of the General Staff to deprecate the value of air power.

Colonel i\l i t fhol I was sentenced in suspension from the army for five years, involving forfeiture of all rank and command pay during the period. General Robert Flowze, who presided, declared that what Hie court-martial had considered was the brilliant record of the accused. Colonel Mitchell, after ihe- sentence had been passed, smiled and shook hands with his jurors. The sentence of suspension must ho approved by President Coolidge. Tn the, meantime Colonal Mitchell remains technically under arrest.-—A, and N.Z. Cubic.

[Parly this year Colonel Mitchell made serious charges against the inefficiency of the American anti-aircraft guns owing to their failure to iiit targets during manoeuvres at Han Pedro. A special inquiry was instituted, and as a result of his evidence Colonel Mitchell was relieved of his office as Assistant Chief of the Army Air Force. Nevertheless, the findings of the committee were not entirely satisfactory, and President Coolidgo ordered a special inquiry following the sittings of which Colonel Mitchell was courtmartiallcd. 1