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Show 1R DEPARTiyiEiiT TO BEGIN PROBE COL. MITCHELL MUST APPEAR BEFORE GENERAL AND TELL OF UTTER INGS Disciplinary Action Depends On Report Re-port Of Inspector General Of The Army; War Department Begins Be-gins Probe Wa.fhinKton-Colonfl William Mitchell's Mit-chell's latest criticism of the administration's admin-istration's air service policy was referred re-ferred to the inspector general of the army for investigation and report. The action of the war department will not be determined until this report re-port has been received. Should jrrounds be found for disciplinary action, ac-tion, Secretary Davis then will decide whether court martial proceeding shall be initiated. Major General Helmick, the inspector inspec-tor general, presumably will call upon Colonel Mitchell for the facts. On receipt of a statement from the colonel, col-onel, that he did make the charges against army and navy officers contained con-tained in the statement issued at San Antonio Saturday, General Helmick will be in a good position to formulate formu-late his recommendations. The action of Major General Hines, the chief of staff, in referring the matter to General Helmick is in line with routine procedure, Major General Gen-eral John A. Hull judge advocate general gen-eral of the army, probably also will be consulted. It appears that sev-erals sev-erals days will elapse before there is a final decision. The war department maintained complete silence except for announcement announce-ment that the Mitchell case had been referred to General Hemick. Only the question of the specific charges made by Colonel Mitchell against high officers of the army and navy in connection with their administration of air service matters mat-ters are being given consideration because of their form and the possibility pos-sibility that they constitute a violation vio-lation of army regulations governing govern-ing the conduct of all officers. The i.-jovion ieierred to General Helmick tor his opinion is whether these statements state-ments consitute a case of insubordination insubordin-ation that would fall within the broad article of war rendering officers offi-cers subject to discipline for any conduct con-duct unbecoming to an officer or prejudicial to good order and discipline. dis-cipline. In any proceeding which may result, re-sult, efforts will be made to confine con-fine the question entirely to insubordination, insub-ordination, and not permit the general gen-eral air service controversy to be threshed out in military legal proceedings. pro-ceedings. Washington The war department has officially began an investigation of the charges of incompetence and criminal negligence made by Colonel William Mitchell, former assistant chief of the air service, against the war and navy departments. Major General John L. Hines, chief of staff, instructed Major General Eli A. Helmick, inspector general of the army to obtain from Mitchel, confirmation confir-mation or denial of his printed statement. state-ment. General Helmick, following the investigation, in-vestigation, will make recommendations recommenda-tions to Acting Secretary Davis on action to be taken against Mitchell. Though department officials declined declin-ed to comment on the case, it is understood un-derstood that court martial trial of Mitchell on charges of insubordination insubordina-tion is inevitable. |