Show Mitchells Mitchell's S Counsel Raises Q Question on Constitutional I I of Free Speech I WASHINGTON Oct 24 2 AP AP- AP The sixth ninety-sixth article of war var under which Col Colonel nel William Mitchell Mitchell Mit Ut chell of ot the army air service has been indicted for l by bythe bythe bythe the war department m may y Itself be brought to trial This possibility devel developed ped to toI tonight to- to I night when Representative Reid of ot Illinois counsel for tor the hc air of officer icer made public two statements challenging challenging challenging chal chal- the constitutionality of the article although he he failed ailed to re reveal reveal reveal re- re veal any indication of ot the procedure I ure he would follow when the trial begins Wednesday I The right of ot freedom of speech I is undoubtedly guaranteed by the i constitution Mr Ir Reid said and if it thy the sixth ninety article pf ot war That Js i I and void Ji In the second st statement Mr Reid invited attention to the fact tact that although his client had been charged with conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline by Issuing certain statements in violation of the sixth ninety-sixth article I of war the truth of such statements statements statements state state- ments were not questioned in the charges If the construction attempted to tobe tobe tobe be put upon that article by the war department is allowed to prevail he added It will set at nought the constitution of the United States I and the army and the war department department department depart depart- ment will become a law unto themI themselves themselves them them- I selves which will never be permitted permit permit- It ted under our form of govern govern- ment meat Mr Reid Reid- asserted further that the war and navy departments had previously been subjected to vigorous vigorous vig vig- i orous criticism from within and that the f. f statements made by Colonel Colonel Colo Cob ad nel Mitchell Ut hell are mild compared to thos those of General Hooker GeneraL Gen Gen- eraL McClellan Colonel Theodore Roosevelt t and Admiral S Sims ms which were vers published bro broadcast yet no disciplinary action was ever taken against them Rome nome endured as long bong as there were Romans America will en endure endure endure en- en dure as a's as long as qs there are Mitchells Mitchells Mit Mit- I the Illinois member said |