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Mitchell Remains Standing During the morning hour and a half of repetitious reading - which was done at Reid's insistence in order to hammer the record tight and snug - the colonel insisted upon standing, although the court urged him and the reader not to. The reader said he would prefer to and Mitchell, whether he preferred it or not, did it. Asked why he did, he replied in his offhand, boyish way, "Well, the other man did, didn't he?" And so for an hour and a half he stood like a prisoner at the bar. When his wife peered around at him and caught his eye she slowly shaped the words "Why don't you sit down?" He nodded back a swift and almost impatient "no," as men will when counseled in public by their wives, and when he did that she looked meek and a shade hurt and very fond, which is the way of wives on such occasions. Breezy and Unabashed The colonel, like his civilian counsel, was breezy and unabashed in the presence of the four major generals, the five brigadier generals and the one colonel who compose the court, the colonel, however being the "law member" so called, and not having a vote. Four of the generals are commanders of corps areas - MacArthur of the 3rd, Howze of the 5th, Grave [Chicago] of the 6th, and Poore of the 7th. The saying here today is that never in the history of our army has so much magnificence, power and heroic service been represented on a court martial. But Monte Cristo Reid, he grins, and counts: "One!" "Two!" "Three!" LET THE PUBLIC PASS ON MY ARMY RECORD, SUMMERALL ASKS Chicago Tribune - 10/29/25 Washington, D.C., Oct. 28. - [Special.] - Maj. Gen. Charles P. Summerall today called on the American people to choose between his record and the charges of inefficiency made by Col. William Mitchell. "From now on, Mitchell and I are enemies," Gen. Summerall declared. "I thought he was my friend. I came to this court with an absolutely open mind. Col. Mitchell shook my hand effusively before court opened. Then he turned around and unloosed the vilest charges he could think of, in an effort to discredit me before the American people" "I could have acted as president of the court before Mitchell made his accusations, but from now on I would not serve on any court which would have Mitchell's fate in hand. I was ready to leave as soon as he finished his statement. I would not want to sit as judge over a man who felt toward me as his statement showed he did." Gen. Summerall viewed the accusations as personal attacks on his efficiency and his record as a soldier. When he called at the war department, following his withdrawal from the Mitchell court, he spent several minutes discussing the affair with army officers and friends. "The Mitchell charges came out of a clear sky," he said "When Col. Mitchell was on his honeymoon in Hawaii I had him as a guest at my home. I placed a private car and chauffeur at his disposal and even loaned him an airplane. In his vainglorious way he inspected the air defenses of the island and lend me to believe he was my friend." Reid, Mitchell's Counsel, Looms As National Figure Congressman Said To Be Making A Decided Impression Upon All Concerned By His Handling Of Aviator's Defense. Baltimore Sun - 10/30/25 Washington. Oct 30.-A new national figure in the person of Representative Frank R. Reid, of Illinois, is evolving from the Mitchell trial. As chief counsel for Mitchell in the Army court-mariial, he has given eight generals and three colonels a magnificent display of legal fireworks, much to the discomfiture of the two colonels who form the prosecution. Caught Prosecutor In Traps Yesterday he caught Colonel Sherman Moreland, the judge-advocate in a half dozen technical traps. In his defense Moreland would point out that the proceedings was a court-martial and not a civil trial, and hence not subject to the limitation of legal pleading. Reid has succeeded in winning the complete confidence of the court, a most difficult feat, considering the slight hostility shown towards civilians and especially civilian attorneys, by regular army officials. In two sessions of Congress Reid has made himself known as a person to be feared. Numerous Congressmen can testify as to his blistering tongue. In the last few months members of the naval court of inquiry have been added to his list of notches and some of his replies to that body have become quotations. Favors Mitchell's Ideas He is a powerful advocate of the principles Mitchell has now made famous, although he was never concerned with aviation until he met the stormy colonel. Reid met Mitchell at the House aircraft investigation last winter. They liked each other immediately and became warm personal friends. When Mitchell was notified of the court-martial he first announced that he would not retain counsel. But upon arrival in Washington his friends persuaded him that he could not properly defend himself alone. "Well, if I must have counsel," Mitchell is said to have declared, "I want Reid." Reid To The Rescue Reid was in Illinois at the time, but when notified that his friend needed him he boarded a train immediately and came to his defense. He knew nothing of the court-martial procedure, but in a few weeks memorized the manual and the articles of war. On several occasions he has shown a more complete knowledge of these regulations than the judge-advocate, whose duty is to know every phrase of martial law. In appearance Reid resembles a small-town school teacher. He seldom raises his voice when pleading, and drives home his points with an ingratiating smile that convinces listeners that he cannot be wrong. His courtly attitude toward the prosecution completely disarms them and they find themselves agreeing with their kindly opponent when under any other circumstances they would be shouting protests. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1925. "You People." Congressman Frank B. Reid of Aurora, Ill., has bloomed forth as a sort of Aurora Borealis in the court-martial proceedings at Washington. The country hasn't heard very much of Reid during his term as representative, but as counsel for Col. William Mitchell before the military board sitting at the capital city, the doughty young lawyer from the west is making a mighty big noise and causing consternation among the decorated warriors sitting as a trial board. Reid began by forcing three members of the military court to retire, his charges of prejudice being sustained. "Well, that's the way we are going through with this thing," he remarked later. "We ask no favors, and we grant none." No doubt the dignified generals composing the military court were a bit surprised to learn that such a belligerent young lawyer could come out of Aurora and maintain his pugnacious bearing in Washington, the city of medals and gold braid. Aurora is such a little town, only about 40,000, while Washington is a big city of around half a million. But sometimes these country town fellows fool the complacent sages of the larger communities and prove mighty troublesome. Mixed with his fighting spirit, Reid has a vein of sarcasm that must be very annoying to the dignified generals who will pass on the guilt or innocence of Col. Mitchell. He doesn't refer to the court or the military tribunal as such, but addresses the generals as "you people." That may not be showing the proper respect for the court, and it may not be to the best interests of the defendant, but the majority of civilians probably will get a certain amount of satisfaction out of the abrupt manner of addressing the army officers. The impression prevails that our army and navel men of high rank attach too much importance to themselves and display an air of aloofness, as if they moved on a plane somewhat higher than that occupied by the civilians, who pay the bills and in addition provide the sinews of war when the guns begin to rear. Whether or not this self-assumed superiority is justified by the necessity of discipline it is resented by the majority of those engaged in civilian pursuits. For that reason, if for no other, the attitude of Col. Mitchell's counsel will be approved by many who hitherto have taken little interest in the controversy. But, after all, there is really on reproach in the term, "you people," even when applied to a military court. It matters not what honors may come to us, how fortune may smile upon us, or what accomplishments may be credited to us, collectively we are just people. There are but two classes of people - good and bad. If we are associated with good people in a good work, we do not object to being addressed as "you people." We might resent the term if associated with bad people in an unworthy undertaking, but we could escape reproach by leaving the crowd. "You people" probably is all right if those addressed do not consider themselves better than the people. Just how the members of the military court will bear up under it remains to be seen.
