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SUMMERALL CALLS TESTIMONY UNTRUE

Disputes Accounts of Officer.
"Indifferent" Toward Mitchell, He says.

Declaration by Maj. Gen. Charles P. Summerall, commanding officer of the 2d Corps Area and former president of the Mitchell court-material, that he was "indifferent" toward the accused, and that sworn testimony previously given by two Air Service defense witnesses to the effect he subjected the lives of airmen to great danger, was "absolutely incorrect," enlivened the afternoon session of the Army general court-material.
Gen. Summerall was presented with a newspaper clipping by [[?]] representative Frank R. Reid, chief civilian defense counsel ,and the latter read a quoted statement Gen. Summerall was purported to have [[?]] following his relief as president of the court-material. The quotation read, "From now on Mitchell and I enemies." Representative Reid then asked point blank: "Are you friendly towards the accused?"
After a moment's deliberation Gen. Summerall replied: "I am indifferent toward the accused." The courtroom gasped.
Says Order Protested.
The testimony which Gen. Summerall branded as "untrue" was given by Capt. Willis Hale, commanding officer of the 20th bombardment group, who said he protested against an order issued by the 2d Corps Area commander that airplanes flying the searchlight tests at Camp Dix, New Jersey, last Summer should fly in formation. Capt Hale said after making a minor altercation in the plans Gen. Summerall replied he would not change them again, as he had asked the War Department too many times to alter the arrangements. "You will have to fly in formation, same as battleships travel at sea," Capt. Hale quoted the general as saying.
The other testimony denied by the witness was given by Maj. William H. Hensley, jr., then commanding Mitchell Field, N.Y.  It was to the effect that he had protested the use of Camp Dix as a place for the searchlight tests because of the long stretch of broken country the pilots would have to fly over in reaching that place from Camp Vail, near Philadelphia. Maj. Hensley also testified he attempted to have the tests held at Mitchel Field. The Air Service officer was quoted as having said on the stand that is was dangerous to fly over that territory at night, because of the little chance of making a safe forced landing.
Left Plans to Officers.
The testimony of these two officers was read to Gen. Summerall out of the record. Gen. Summerall previously had testified that he ordered the planes "not to fly in formation at night, as I know such practice is not followed in the service." He further said they should fly singly to guard against the possibility of collision. "I specifically left the arrangements to Maj. Hensley and Capt. Hale, warning them that the plans must be sufficient to avoid danger."
Camp Vail was selected as the operating base for the planes in the search light test on Maj. Hensley's recommendation, the witness added under direct examination. 
Under cross-examination he was asked this question by Mr. Reid: "You say Capt. Hale perjured himself regarding the conversation he had with you?"
"I did not," replied the witness.
"That was the impression you conveyed," said Mr. Reid.
"I meant to convey the impression of my answer," replied the witness.
"That statement as read to me was untrue."
He was referring to Capt. Hale's testimony.

Blacks Hawaiian Defense.
Defending his administration as commanding general of the Hawaiian department, which Col. Mitchell had indirectly charged was "guilty of almost treasonable administration" because up to 1923 there were no war plans for the employment of the Air Service in prosection of the islands, Gen. Summerall testified this morning there were plans for the Air Service in defense of the territory that the accused on his last visit did not discuss with him.
The proceedings this morning hinged about the report Col. Mitchell made in which he declared there were no defense plans for the islands in existence at that time. Gen. Summerall, under direct examination by Maj. Francis B. Wilby, assistant trial judge advocate, testified he did not read the report until Col. Mitchell had left. It then was forwarded to the chief of air service with a letter from him, which was produced in evidence, that was held to be secret because it referred to employment of troops in defense of the islands.
Gen. Summerall took the stand after Maj. L. J. McNair, who testified Saturday, had completed his testimony this morning. Maj. McNair was attached to Gen. Summerall's staff in Hawaii and he also gave testimony that the accused had not been made acquainted with plans for defense of the islands. Representative Frank R. Reid contended today that there were no plans at that time and insisted they were "field orders," as Maj. McNair had termed them.
After Gen. Summerall was sworn he was asked if he knew the accused and, looking directly at the court and not at the defense side, he replied, "Yes." The usual follow-up question to point him out was ommitted. 
Asked to outline his duties as commanding general of the Hawaiian department, Gen. Summerall said he was charged with "training, supply and equipment of all military forces in my command; organization of all resources and military forces for war and preparation of plans for employment as troops and execution in case of emergency."
"When the accused visited Hawaii did he report to you on arrival?" asked Maj. Wilby.
"He came to my office and saw me."
"Did he explain the purpose of his visit?"
"No. There was no discussion of the purpose of his visit other than that I offered him any facilities he might need in connection with an order I had received from the War Department."
"Did you render him every assistance?"
"Yes."
"Did you know the exact purpose of his visit?"
"An order had been received to the effect that he would make an inspection."
"During his visit did he frequently come to your office and discuss it with you?"
"I recall seeing him only three or four times. He didn't discuss with me any particular matter about his inspection."
"At the time of his visit were any war plans in existence which included Air Service?"
"Yes."
"Did he discuss them with you?"
"No."
Gen. Summerall then detailed the development of the Air Service of Hawaii at that time. A few months before the accused's visit, he said, the Air Service had one observation squadron, one pursuit squadron, all equipped with DH'S. Two general staff officers visited Hawaii in 1922, and the witness said, "during our conferences all recognized the need of increase in the Air Service there. They assured me no other troops were available for assignment in Hawaii.
The only way to increase the Air Service was to reduce the strength of the other arms. The Field Artillery was reduced and two squadrons of air troops, one bombardment and one pursuit, were added. This was made effective in the Spring of 1923. When the accused visited Hawaii we had an organization of two bombardment and two pursuit squadrons with new equipment and observation. They were perfecting themselves with the equipment and with the added personnel as a result of the reduction of the Field Artillery."
Asked if consulted with the Air officer on the addition of Air Service troops, the witness replied he had and did on all other occasions.
"What steps did you take to train the Air Service troops?"
"I had programs drawn up, reports submitted and made frequent visits and personnel inspections to determine the efficiency of the Air Service."
These reports were submitted to anti-aircraft tests in New York and New Jersey last Summer, which were held in the territory supervised by Gen. Summerall as commanding the 2d Corps area.
The witness testified that before the anti-aircraft and searchlight tests were conducted, Air Service officers were consulted, and they "heartily approved" the program as issued by him. He further added that specific orders were issued that Air Service officers should not be submitted to any undue burden or physical strain. Defense witnesses had testified that as a result of towing targets all Summer, virtually every pilot was forced to take sick leave.

Defends Searchlight Tests. 
The further contention of the defense that lives of airmen were used as "pawns" when ordered to fly from Camp Vail, N.J., 60 miles at night to Camp Dix for the searchlight tests was answered by Gen. Summerall with the statement that airmen had told him there were "safe night landing conditions." When the court recessed for luncheon at 2:30 o'clock, Gen. Summerall still was under direct examination. 
Much of the testimony of Maj. McNair was halted on the grounds that it included confidential subjects, and for a time the witness answered Mr. Reid's questions in writing. The defense counsel occupied a long period in geographical discissions of the size of all the islands in the Hawaiian group and drew from him that up to 1923 the field orders covered only the Island of Oahu. The witness refused to admit that this left the other islands unprotected, but he did say there were no separate field orders for the others. 
"All were covered in that one order," he explained.
He testified under cross-examination that most of the Hawaiian Islands are natural airdomes and well adapted for that purpose. The occupancy of one by a hostile power would throw open all others to an air attack and make them vulnerable, he admitted.
Oahu, however, Maj. McNair explained, is the only vital military area of the group, because Pearl Harbor and many oil tanks are located there.
"Are the tanks close together?" asked Mr. Reid.
"They are fairly close together," the witness replied. "But they are so constructed that the oil will not burn if bombed."
"Do you mean to say they hold unburnable oil?"
"Unburnable when we don't want it to burn."
After having hammered away at the point that the other islands in the group were not protected physically by military forces and leaving the matter there, Mr. Reid finished his cross-examination. Maj. Wilby then asked:
"What is your opinion of a commanding officer who divides his command into eight or nine parts and has them separated by 100 miles or more?"
"he is guilty of a crime in opening himself up to defeat in detail," Maj. McNair replied.

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Gen. C. P. Summerall

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