Show AHM AIR LETTER IS 18 PLACED BEFORE bedfor E THE HOUSE COMMITTEE FOR investigation mitchell Mt tells secretary weeks pres sent war department air crate administration detrimental washington brigadier general mitchell assistant chief of the army air service informed secret secretary try weeks that he be believed tile present war department organization and its administration mi quite incapable of cre cie artinal handling or administering air power in in an efficient manner in the letter replying to a request from the war secretary for all facts upon which the assistant army chief based recent seriously reflecting on the ardys air arm general mitchell said he was convinced tho the system of aircraft management in operation in the united states is detrimental to the count rys good and will ull seriously compromise our national defense should an emergency arise the generals letter was placed before the house aircraft committee which had met to hear both general mitchell and brigadier general drum of the army general staff T i I 1 u general view of the war department part ment general mitchell wrote is to limit the ability of aviation in a military way alid nd in spite of the tha findings of tho the joint army and navy board in spite of tho the most conclusive evidence of every country in tho the world the navy department still tip ap pears before congress and still testifies incorrectly and gives the impression that the aircraft me are of limited power against battleships the resistance of the war department to the creation of an independent aeronautical acio Bero nautical personnel is is insist ent and constant 1 I have fully criticised criticized the system now low in operation which I 1 am convinced is detrimental to the count rys good and which will seriously compromise comit our national nation it defense should an all emergency arise general mitchell said since nee the war has been put into avin aviation but that lie he did not believe the appropriations tire arc economically administered on oil account of the dup of land bases between the army and ind navy lie ile declared that major majer general patrick chief of the army air service had like himsl himself if in a united air force althou although gh such a move is opposed by secre tary tars weeks as well as secretary wllbur wilbur general mitchell mitchall Mit choll took up in detail those statements of his hia congressional testimony objected to by secre tiry tary weeks explaining his assertion that all the organization we have in fit this country really now is for the protection of vested interests against aviation he declared the war navy post postoffice office and other departments part ments concerned with aviation uia tion resist any change which aich in in any way w i curtail or modify their authority either over aviation its development to a position of equality with these departments or its extension or de beyond its being a more incie auxiliary to their activities discussing the bombing tests oft off the virginia capes in in 1921 the general said the whole performance in the minds of the air officers el pitting appeared to b a deliberate attema to handicap wt us in the accuro lish ment of our mission in the 1923 test he be said the army aviators were ordered to bomb from ai a excessive attitude altitude |