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La Guardia Asks Less Authority For Army Courts

Star—12-18-25

By the Associated Press.

The first congressional echo of the court-martial conviction of Col. William Mitchell of the Air Service took the form today of a bill by Representative La Guardia, New York to greatly curtail the authority to court-martial in pronouncing sentence on those convicted of violation of the ninety-sixth article of war.

Under the measure 30 days' suspension from the Army would be the maximum penalty for violation of that article, under which Col. Mitchell was convicted. The present statute leaves the punishment to "the discretion of the court." In the case Col. Mitchell the penalty was five years' suspension.


Blanton Opens Bitter Attack Against Peace-Time Courts-Martial

Star—12/21/25

Speaking in support of his own resolution to abolish peace-time military courts-martial, which he offered as a result of the Mitchell trial, Representative Blanton, Democrat, of Texas characterized the Mitchell trial as "a cruel and terrible wrong, in which a jealous, conceited general staff of the Army had conspired with an egotistical, equally jealous general staff of the Navy to inflict upon Gen. 'Billy' Michell."

Mr. Blanton cited other "recent farces," including several local cases, one of which was a trial in which Maj. Henry M. Butler, U. S. M. C., of Quantico was acquitted; another, the case of Capt. Frank M. Nihoff, in which Mr. Blanton said, "President Coolidge had to flay one court."

Mr. Blanton, in charging that Navy peacetime court-martial were "equally farciacial," discussed at length the action of Secretary Wilbur in charging that First Lieut. Andrew L. W. Gordon. U. S. M. C., judge advocate at the trial of Miss Ruth Anderson and Miss Katherine C. Glancy, Navy nurses, chaged with importing liquor into the United States on a transport, did not try to convict the women.

Mr. Blanton also referred to the clash of opinion between Secretary Wilbur and Controller General McCarl claiming that "Secretary Wilbur ignores the law when it suits him."

Reid Condemns Verdict on Mitchell

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COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD

COLONEL WILLIAM MITCHELL
Maj. Gullion said in his final argument:
"We ask dismissal of the accused for the sake of the army whose discipline he has endangered and whose fair name he has attempted to discredit. We ask dismissal for the sake of those young officers of the army air service whose ideals he has shadowed and whose loyalty he has corrupted.

Mitchell's "Ambitions"
The Mitchell "formula" he outlined as follows:
"First——Exaggeration of national defense matter closely approaching falsehood.
"Second——Untrue and misleading statements for the deliberate purpose of discrediting army and navy officers, thus:
"Third——Creating distrust in minds of people as to War and Navy departments.
"Fourth——Egotistic self-description as to experience and qualifications, coupled with
"Fifth——Protestations of absence of self-interest and expressions of willigness to be, and expectation of being, a martyr, all leading to:
"Sixth——A united air service, with:
"Seventh——William Mitchell as the only logical head of it.

SAYS FLIER GOT RAW DEAL

A move was made in Congress late today to nullify the court-martial sentence against Col. William Mitchell.

Congressman Blanton (D.) of Texas, introduced a joint resolution which would restore to Mitchell his rank, pay and good standing in the army. All court-martials during peace time would be abolished.

The resolution also would "punish those who conspired to ruin and discourage Col. Mitchell."

A caustic attack upon the suspension for five years of Col. William Mitchell, by his court-martial jury of generals, was made today by Congressman Frank R. Reid (Rep.) of Illinois, chief of the flying colonel's counsel.

"The ordinary military procedure was not followed in the trial and the court was convened to 'get' Mitchell and 'get him quick,'" said Reid. Mitchell's prosecution was directed by the general staff of the army and the general board of the navy, said Reid.

Will Continue Fight
"Mitchell will continue his fight for the national defense," Reid declared.

Reid Says General Staff Out to 'Get' Mitchell

The trial was a General Staff attempted to "get Mitchell," Rep. Frank Reid, (Rep., Ill.), counsel for Col. William Mitchell, said in a statement today.

Asserting the fight for an "adequate national defense has just begun," Reid held the General Staff entirely responsible for the whole prosecution.

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Chicago Herald-Examiner——12-28-30

BUT THEY WON'T HANG HIM!——Col. "Billy" Mitchell is found guilty of "conduct to the prejudice of good order in the military service," and is suspended for five years.