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PATRICK UPHOLDS
 MITCHELL IN PART

[[?]] Star 12/10/25.

Air Service Head Disagrees
 With Colonel on Several
       Charges.

 Maj. Den. Mason M. Patrick, chief of the Army Air Service, called before the Mitchell court-martial today by the prosecution, gave testimony in support of some the contentions of his former assistant, and at the same time registered disagreement with other statements of the accused on the conduct of aviation in the Army and under the War Department.
 The outstanding feature of Gen. Patrick's testimony came at the close of two hours' cross-examination by defense counsel. Asked if the War Department ever did help him in the management of the Air Service as much as it should have, Gen. Patrick replied: "I don't think I have received as much assistance as could be given or I should like to have."
 Questioned further by the court, Gen. Patrick explained he thought there was "a lack of understanding in the War Department on Air Service problems."
 "I have tried to get certain things, not many, approved by the War Department which I believe would be for the betterment of the Air Service," he continued. "AS I look at it, the department has not done as much as I would have liked. But I always have said the War Department has done as much as it could. Many of my officers, unfortunately, are placed on the promotion list unfavorably. I have made recommendations about this, nit the War Department has not taken favorable action. Also I have made suggestions as to legislation which the War Department has not approved. For these reasons I have not had as mush assistance as I would have liked, but I have no doubt that other chiefs of branches have had somewhat the same experience."
  Disagrees With Mitchell
 Gen. Patrick was examined briefly this morning by Col. Sherman Moreland, the trial judge advocate, and then submitted to Representative Frank R. Reid for cross-examination. In direct examination Gen. Patrick did not agree with Col. Mitchell that Capt. Skeel and Lieut. Pearson were killed in "dilapidated racing planes," and, further, that this type of aircraft should not be used for more than one year. He also disagreed with the accused's characterization of DH's as "flaming coffins," but admitted they were highly susceptible to fire on crashing. He placed the relative air strength of the United States among other powers as third, ranking France and England ahead, but explained that in technical development America was abreast if not superior to other nations.
 One of the outstanding statements of the accused to which Gen. Patrick agreed was that the bombardment group was interfered with in it duties and ordered to spend the Summer towing targets for antiaircraft batteries.
 "Do you consider anti-aircraft as an important factor to national defense?"
 "It bears a certain importance in connection with national defense, as it has a deterrent effect ion the pilot. In a measure, it gives a degree of protection on the ground, but not a very great one. The positive means of defense against airplanes are airplanes." This last statement also is one of the cardinal principles of Col. Mitchell.
 A technical discussion on the various types of airplanes was brought in by Mr. Reid and developed the fact that wartime DH's were used because there was nothing better at the time in the way of observation planes. Gen. Patrick declared a short time ago he recommended to hte War Department that no more DH's be taken out of storage for remodeling because of their unsafe condition.
  Fixes Air Force Size.
 The air force of the United States totals about 36 planes, he said, and until last October the various units that make up organization never had been assembled for training and operation under his administration. He distinguished between air force and Air Service, defining the former as a striking force as service with ground troops in observing, photographing and regulating artillery fire.
 Gen. Patrick declared there never was a question in his mind that the Navy had proposed that the annual airplane races be "fixed" as Col. Mitchell charged. Despite the fact the word "races" was used in correspondence from the Navy, Gen. Patrick said he replied with the understanding that the word should have been "racers."
 He detailed the story of the annual airplane competitions, and declared emphatically that it was in the interest of economy the Navy had suggested all racing planes owned by the two services be divided equally for 1924.
 In his direct examination yesterday Gen. Patrick declared a million miles had been flown over the airways during the last three years almost entirely by DH's without fatality. Mr. Reid sought to clarify this statement, and Gen. Patrick  himself said today it was "misleading" of it intended to convey the idea that that figure represented the total service mileage. He explained many accidents and fatalities have occurred in DH's on cross-country flying, some of which have been on the airways, but were not scheduled flying. This was brought out in connection with the statement that cross-country work produces more fatalities than training. Gen. Patrick added the fatalities this year were 47, as against 38 last year.
 Another point Gen. Patrick scored for the defense was his declaration that "meteorological facilities for flying were far from satisfactory" and he had tried to correct them but had not succeeded entirely. He also declared the radio service between air service fields was no satisfactory.
  The witness declared there was "decidedly a shortage in bombardment and pursuit equipment," which however, he attributed to lack of funds. The bombers are not fully equipped for war today, as Col. Mitchell charged, but Gen. Patrick said this was because it was not customary in time of peace to do this. He added he alone was responsible for installing the necessary equipment in time of war.
 Gen. Patrick also admitted the statement by Col. Mitchell that there has been no heavy bomb practice with 1,100 or 2,000 pound bombs during the past two years, but this was due to the expense involved and "my decision that practice in dropping bombs of lesser weight. The equivalent of 1,100 or weight. The equivalent of 1,100 or 2,00 pound bombs also can be carried."
 Asked by Mr. Reid what plans he had for production of airplanes in case of war, Gen. Patrick replied he has just completed a survey of the industry: had ascertained its capacity and had allocated certain types of planes to certain factories. "I have a set program of plans which will put airplanes into production that are better than any other in the world."
 Not since the early days of the court, when defense witnesses hurled grave charges in support of the accused statements of "criminal negligence." has an afternoon session of the court been conducted amid such excitement as prevailed yesterday. It was featured by charges of a prosecution witness, Capt. Howard G. Rath, Los Angeles, Calif., Air Service of the First American Army in France, ordered day bombardment squadrons on missions in severe weather, resulting in loss of life and planes; a grilling cross-examination of the witness by Mr. Reid on whether he was "afraid" of anti-aircraft fire, which in his direct examination he had declared to be "one of the biggest menaces we had"; the objection by Bring. Gen. E. L. King to Mr. Reid's "insinuation that the witness is a coward" and anti-Mitchell outburst among the spectators.
 Capt. Rath had testified on direct examination that Col. Mitchell ordered five planes on a mission just before dark, and although they returned over the field, they were untrained for night landings, and one officer was killed in a crash. He declared protests had been made to Col. Mitchell against sending the day bombardment group, of which he was a member, out on missions when the British, French Germans stayed on the ground, but to no avail. Contrary to the statements of every World War pilot who had appeared for the defense, Capt. Rath maintained anti-aircraft fire was very effective. 
  Gen. King Objects.
 On cross-examination Mr. Reid took the stand the witness was "afraid" of anti-aircraft fire and cited his own statement how certain known fortified towns had been avoided. When the witness shouted back "I am not afraid," Gen. King interrupted the proceedings, addressing President Howze: "Mr. President, I object to insinuations that this witness is a coward. A man may do things even if he has physical fear. Any soldier who says he is not afraid is mistaken. I object to this witness being questioned this way." Col. Winship though the witness could take care of himself, and President Howze upheld Gen. King by telling the witness he "must no be confused; take your time, and don't let your impulses carry you away."
 The witness' declaration he was not "afraid" of antiaircraft fire and Gen. King's defense of him drew outbursts of applause among the spectators, which caused President Howze to demand "order in the court." This was the first demonstration against the accused from the audience since the trail began.
 After two hours of cross-examination Mr. Reid forced the witness to admit he thought he should "not be sent out on a mission in time of war on account of bad weather."
[[image: Gen.M.LPatrick]]