Show Co Committee to Protect Officers WASHINGTON Feb 5 Deter Deter Determined mined to sift to the bottom charges that army and navy officers ers were muzzled to prevent true money on the effic efficiency ency of aircraft in war the house aircraft air air- cra craft crat t committee had pending to today today today to- to day a are a re resolution whose adoption would p put put t th the co committee mitt e th ef effect effect feet squarely behind the officer er whose char chares charges es have aroused the committee to action Adoption of the resolution by which the committee would express express ex ex- press the view that the transfer of Brigadier General Mitchell 1 from his present post of ot assistant chief of the army air all service would be detrimental to the service was understood understood understood un un- un- un to be favored by a a. majority majority majority ma ma- of its members Action on the resolution today rested with Representative Perkins of New Jersey the committee examiner RANK IN JEOPARDY General Mitchell who r recently told the committee that certain of officers officers officers of- of were withholding the truth in their testimony for fear of disciplinary disciplinary disciplinary dis dis- action has been asked by Secretary Weeks for an ex explanation explanation ex- ex of certain other statements statements statements state state- ments he made before the com corn Upon his reply will ivill depend the decision as to whether he will willbe willbe be continued in his present detail of assistant air chief after its expiration expiration ex ex- next month General Mitchells Mitchell's transfer would return him to the rank of colonel The committees committee's Inquiry Into the aircraft situation which was temporarily tem tern held up today by the prior arrangement of Brigadier General Drum assistant chief of the army general staff its witness yesterday yesterday yester yester- day to appear before the house committee will be resume resumed 1 with the recall of General Drum tomorrow He lie denied that any of officer officer of- of had been intimidated from telling the truth before commit commit- tees CHARGE DENIED A A Announcement by by Representative tive Perkins at the hearings J that three naval officers had asked not notto notto notto to be be called for testimony because they feared disciplinary action acHon if they gave their honest views and that he lie also had been unofficially informed that both Rear Real Admiral Moffett chief of the navy bur bureau au of aeronautics and Brigadier General General General Gen Gen- eral Mitchell were slated for transfer transfer transfer trans trans- fer from their present positions brought a flat denial from Secretary Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- I tary Wilbur that lt the nav navy department department department depart depart- ment had attempted to exercise any censorship whatever over the testimony testimony tes tea of or naval officers |