Court Martial

ARMY & NAVY

The court martial of Colonel William Mitchell for his charges against the War and Navy Departments proceeded for another week, the prosecution presenting rebuttal witnesses. One of them, R. G. Rath of Los Angeles, former Captain in the Air Service and decorated for bravery, drew hisses upon Colonel Mitchell's lawyer, Congressman Frank R. Reid. Rath declared in cross examination that anti-aircraft fire was effective; that Colonel Mitchell (then General) had during the War ordered flights under extremely adverse conditions; once had sent five flyers not experienced in night flying out on a mission which brought them home after dark, so that all five crashed in landing and one was killed; on another occasion had sent out twelve bombers in such bad weather that neither French nor British sent up bombers, and only four of the twelve ever returned. Congressman Reid kept asking, "So you say you were afraid to do that?" until the audience began to hiss. General Patrick, Chief of the Air Service, also gave testimony surprisingly favorable to the Government contentions. He said that anti-aircraft fire was "not entirely effective" but was a useful assistance in repelling enemy air attacks and should be developed. The Government also presented a German military document to show that of 6,000 Allied planes and balloons brought down, 900 had been accounted for by anti-aircraft fire. All in all, it was not a "Mitchell week" at the court martial.