Show OUT nUT NOW N OV IC 0 LO N EL F Fechet Succeeds S Former Aircraft Assistant WASHINGTON March 6 Brig G-Brig- Brig Brigadier adler adier General William Mitchell as assistant assistant assistant as- as chief thief of ot the air service to today today today to- to day reverted to the rank of ot colonel when Secretary of ot War Weeks failed to reappoint him to o his post for a 8 new term beginning March 26 G. G Weeks recommended recommend d to the president president president pres pres- ident the appointment of Lieutenant Lieuten Lieuten- ant Colonel James E. E Fechet to succeed succeed succeed suc suc- Mitchell The president presidentS pas has already announced an an- that he would appoint whoever er Secretary Weeks recommended recommended mended for tor the post Fechet is commandant of the air service advanced flying field at Kelly KeIly field Texas Mitchell today was at Fortress Monroe Va aiding in the tests of antiaircraft guns suns against airplanes Colonel Mitchell was appointed assistant to the chief of ot the air all service on July 1 1920 with temI temporary tem tern I rank of ot brigadier gener general l largely on the basis of his spectacular spectacular spec spec- record as au a 8 flying commander com corn mander during the war In France I During the last month of ot the war he was chief of ot air service group o of the tho armies having risen rapidly from from from-a- a military observer antI aviation avi ai officer in 1917 to chief of air all service first of ot the zone of adVance advance ad ad- vance ance later of or the first corps then of ot the first army and finally of ot the tho I entire group of ot armies i There was some alleged Jealousy of Mitchell it Is said because he was not a West Point man He lie entered the service as a private with the Wisconsin volunteers in the Spanish-American Spanish war In 1901 he was appointed a first lieutenant Inthe in inthe inthe the signal corps He served on the general staff stat from 1913 to 1916 I The Tho distinguished service cross was vas awarded to him for repeated acts of ot extraordinary heroism Inaction in inaction inaction action in France and also the dIstinguished distinguished distinguished dis dIs- dis- dis service medal Mitchell is expected to be as assigned assigned assigned as- as signed to the tho command o of a flying field away from Washington I Few believe that his punishment will deter him from carrying on his fight for a air service If It it is made impossible for tor him to do so however the flying general general general gen gen- eral will resign from the tho army and run for congress from Wisconsin he has announced Mitchell has three years more service before him before he is eligible for tor retirement after thirty years service He lie has told friends that if it is at all possible it is his desire to stick it out these three years Demotion of Mitchell follows two months of ot stormy controversy over Continued on page 11 |