An almost incredible amount of public gossip has been going on over the military court-martial that has in process since October 28, Eon'date upon wilh Cole Wiliam Mitchell was arraigned. "before court for the violation of the 9th Article of War. Now that the trial is over and the soldier has, been suspended for five years.from "rank, command and duty," it is likely ease will develop important political consequences, for four-fifths of the country are behind him and resent the decision of the court that pronounced the sentence.
There has been no such case in the whole of American history. It will be remembered that. Col.
Mitchell was found guilty of the violation of the article of war quoted above, to the prejudice of good order'and discipline." Eight speci fications were based on the colonel's published statements of September 5 and 9 last, in which he accused the War and' Navy Departments of "incompetency, criminal negligence, and almost treasonable a ministration of the national defence, and disgraceful administration' aeronautics." "Ordinarily the verdict of a court-martial ix not read in open court or made public in any] form until after the President has had a chance to review the findings! and approve or disapprove the sentence. During the trial every newspaper in the country has had a good deal to say while the ease was sub judice, with the result that, though suspended, Mitchell emerges from the case something of " nation. al hero—and nowhere is his heroism magnified more than in the Army among the rank and file, Immediately the verdict. was" pronounced Mitchell received by telegram an offer from the editor of the "St. Palerabury Dally News" of £10,000 annum as a member of th Rat of that paper, with the promi that no censorship of any kind! would be placed on his writings. The Colonel, however, did not accept tthe offer, as he has more important matters ahead, As stated above, four-fifths of the people are behind him, and there is every likelihood that next year he avill enter the Senate, where, to "quote his own words, "we will continue the fight which' we have as yet barely begun." That he will secure a seat is fairly certain,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.