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[[Newspaper article]] MITCHELL TO FACE SHENANDOAH QUIZ May Refuse to Testify at Hearing Tomorrow - Reid Quits City [[Handwritten entry]] Star - 12/26/25 [[/Handwritten entry]] Col. William Mitchell's San Antonio statements, for which he was tried, convicted and sentenced by an Army general court-martial, will come under official Navy cognizance tomorrow when the airman is called before the Shenandoah court of inquiry and given an opportunity to explain those portions referring to the cause of the dirigible's crash. The session will be the fourth since the court was created shortly after the airship wreck on the morning of September 3, and Col. Mitchell's appearance tomorrow will be his second. The first time, on October 7, he refused to make a statement and there were indications last night among his friends he would adopt the same course again. The airman, on his first appearance before the board, was accompanied by Representative Frank R. Reid of Illinois, who served as counsel on that occasion and later became his chief defender before the Army court-martial. May Appear Alone. At tomorrow's session it is doubtful if the officer will be accompanied by a legal adviser. Mr. Reid left the city yesterday afternoon for Chicago, and Col. Herbert A. White, military counsel in the court-marital [[misspelled]], is not authorized to extend his legal assistance beyond the scope of the recent court of generals. Col. Mitchell was at his estate, near Middleburg, Va., last night and was understood to be determining personally what action he would take tomorrow. The court will meet at 10 o'clock in the ordnance room of the Navy Building. Maj. Henry Leonard, U.S.M.C., retired, judge advocate of the court, said last night only two other witnesses would be heard in addition to Col. Mitchell - C. P. Burgess and Starr Trescott - who participated in the design of the Shenandoah. These experts have testified previously and are being recalled for additional technical points. Maj. Leonard feels that when they are disposed of the court may close permanently to fix the cause of the disaster and responsibility. The verdict and sentence pronounced against Col. Mitchell by the court Thursday night found fertile soil for discussion at the Capitol yesterday afternoon. Two more Representatives enrolled under the banner of several of their colleagues who had publicly denounced the court's findings and introduced pertinent legislation to give force to their views. Veterans Condemn Trial. The first veterans' organization also was heard from last night, Front Line Post, No. 1401, Veterans of Foreign Wars, making public a resolution condemning the "so-called trial of Col. Mitchell." Before Mr. Reid left Washington yesterday to spend the Christmas holidays with his family in Illinois, he informally stated his efforts on behalf of Col. Mitchell would be halted until the verdict and sentence passed through the necessary channels. He would not indicate any plans after the President's action on the findings, but when asked what steps would be taken, he pointed to the civil courts. Should this opportunity be seized, the only point the airman could raise would be his Army pay, which the sentence deprived him of for five years. Several times during the debate on an appropriation bill yesterday afternoon the House heard sharply worded criticism of the manner in which punishment had been meted out to the air crusader for his public assaults on Government aviation policies. One member, Representative Black, Democrat, New York, proposed that the court-martial sentence of five years' suspension from the Army be canceled by act of Congress. This was in the form of a resolution to restore the colonel to his rank and pay. Representative Tillman, Democrat, Arkansas, denounced the court-martial verdict and demanded a modification of the sentence when it is laid before President Coolidge. Mr. Tillman described the court's action as "shameless" and "cruel." [[/Newspaper article]] [[Newspaper article]] Current News Events Summary of Important National, Foreign and Local Affairs Specially Arranged for the Convenience of Students. Finding Col. William Mitchell, former assistant chief of the Army Air Service, guilty as charged, the Army court-martial which tried him sentenced him to suspension of rank, command and duty, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances for a period of five years, and adjourned sine die late Thursday evening. The sentence, which is yet to be approved by President Coolidge, was unexpected. Reduction in rank or possible dismissal from the service had been forecast. Now the question remaining is whether Col. Mitchell will accept the oblivion into which the sentence has sent him or again break Army regulations by continuing his attack on his superiors in both services. Two courses are open to Col. Mitchell, but the Army must eventually indorse [[spelling?]] his choice. At the end of three years he may retire from the Army, having completed the necessary service for retirement, or he may resign, as the law permits Army officers to do in time of peace. He may neither retire nor resign, however, as long as he is undergoing punishment, so that some special action by his superiors would be necessary. Col. Mitchell has declined to comment on the sentence, taking the view that it would be out of place before the President has approved it. His chief counsel, however, Representative Frank R. Reid of Missouri, commented at some length, issuing a statement to the effect that the trial was the latest attempt by the Army general staff to "get" Mitchell, and that he will continue to fight "to the end." While Col. Mitchell goes into temporary retirement, his battle probably will be fought out on the floors of Congress, where aviation is already becoming a popular subject for debate, comment and report. The first move in this direction came the day after the sentence was made public, when Representative La Guardia of New York introduced a bill designed to curb the authority of courts-martial in trials for violation of the ninty-sixth [[misspelled]] article of war. Under this bill 30 days' suspension from the Army would be the maximum penalty which could be incurred for violating the article. The press of the country, editorially, in general commends the action of the court-martial in upholding the necessary discipline of the Army. [[/Newspaper article]] [[Text]] Literally and figuratively, the aviation question is up in the air. General Mitchell may be wrong in thinking he is the American Eagle, but this well-known bird has strong wings for flying, which is something our national defence [[alternate spelling]] has not [[illegible]] [[Handwritten entry]] Boston Post [[/Handwritten entry]] [[/Text]] [[Text]] It is apparently difficult to devise a system of demotion that will completely retire Bill Mitchell to private life. [[/Text]]
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