The Lack of Preparation in America's Aerial Service: AN the Press Full of Imaginary. Horrors of Aerial Destruction: What Offic cials Wished to Hide From Our Own San Francisco, Nov. 25.
"If an enemy came within 100 miles of New York," said Col, Mitcebell before the court martial trying him for breach of discipline asa result of his public criticism of the administration of the Army and Navy air services, "he could stand in an airship after picking up an identifying point, and T believe every aerial torpedo he fired would fall within ar area of the size of New York This statement has given rise to many special articles by all classes of writers for the press, daily, week ly and monthly. The greatest newspaper combine in the country printed in its last Sunday editions full-page feature entitled "This could happen—It May Happen," accompanied by a ghastly line drawing showing how New York or any other American city would look under attack in modern warfer perfectly "safe by high 3 Milter soys willy over our tru Bopha "we cal oan tober attacked.
ug. right to Freight ships would bring the" alecraft within easy" striking stance of our the enemy y it would would be Informed by. radio. an war ready. Then war would declared, and fess than an hour Tate elewould be new kind of war? Submarines would' be. of use, of courte, and ther boats "to vatiack tiny' ships" bringing. soldiers to. fight in Flying niachines States, and since the United States Vis wealthier than Japan, don't you think Japan would be embarrassed in effectuating sich a plan?"—to) which Mitchell answered in the negative, she transpired that Mitchei's statement widely circulated fo the press that the "Peeifc naval parade" cost from $40 to $80 millions was exceedingly wide of the mark, a= have been many of his ther Hatements. All" the tame, there is a large number of people who admire his pluck, "They" say that he is en trial "because, telling the nation it is in danger, he took literally and seriously the President's speech to the young officers at Annapolis. The President told them that they had a right to the "widest latitude" in criticism. Mitchellis now threatened with dismissal from the Army, and he may be dismissed, but there can be. no doubt that no soldier has been the means of awakening the nation during the past six or seven years [as Mitchell has awakened it.
"Ten years ago" (I quote again from the writer above refer-[red to) "it took at least two weeks ito get from the United States to China or Japan. Now, by flying machines, as testified by competent flyers, the time from Washington to Peking is about 60 hours, and could be reduced to 40 hours. Any invading air fleet from Asia could land comfortably in Seattle, one day's flight by daylight. Having one over the machinery in a chosen spot in Alaska, such an me yading air fleet could drop down the West Coast, wiping out one city' after another, cross the border into Mexico, while every enemy flying man would be perfectly safe, Ashore 'oF go up in the fir to attack them... Eas for. our Army, @ little collection" of men, nee and be they would
war 4 eolieetion bits againat 4 flock of eagles. The best and. the Wisent, thing. that the Army could do In such a'war Would be to go inthe. cellar. and-stay, there unfit the war's end. "You turtles for ground squirrels to fight eagle Every opportunity is taken to stress the fact of America's unpre-poredness, It is pointed out, and with truth, that as long as" the country is unprepared, without any sort of flying fleet worth the name, without indeed anybody in charge of flying who knows much about it, the American nation is in peril,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.