The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Page #9

has no intention of being

on the defensive.

You may depend on that.

The prestige

of our armed forces...

is being affected

all over the world.

The sooner this is over with,

the better it'll be

for the whole country.

I can assure you, sir,

the complexion of the trial

is going to change very shortly.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Where's the--

[ Men ] ?? Come, Josephine

in my flying machine ??

?? Going up, she goes

Up she goes ??

?? Balance yourself

like a bird on a beam ??

?? In the air, she goes

Hey, here she goes ??

?? Up, up

a little bit higher ??

?? Oh, my

the moon is on fire-- ??

Hey! There's Mr. Reid.

[ All Cheer ]

What's the matter

with Congressman Reid?

[ All ]

He's all right.

Who's all right?

[ All ]

Congressman Reid!

Hello, fellas.

George, bring Congressman Reid

a couple of brass hats on toast.

They're not very good.

They're hard to digest.

Give you gas.

Gentlemen, I move that

we appoint Congressman Reid

President of the United States.

[ All Cheering ]

Thank you, gentlemen.

I promise to move

the White House

into a bomber.

First, I'd like

to talk to my client.

Where's Col. Mitchell?

He's still in his room.

Come on, Mr. Reid.

Let's go get him.

?

?? Come, Josephine

in my flying machine ?

?? Going up, she goes

Up she goes ????

[ Knocking ]

Yes?

Billy?

You all right?

Me? Sure. I'm--

Just a little headache.

Well, forget the party

and get a good night's sleep.

I want you fresh

on the witness stand

in the morning.

Look at me, sir.

Go away, Russ.

I'm all right.

I thought so.

It's his malaria.

He needs more

than this quinine.

I'd better get a doctor.

You'll do nothing

of the kind.

Come back here, Russ.

You can't go on the stand

in this condition.

I'll be all right tomorrow.

I've had these attacks

before.

I've got to go

on the witness stand.

Why do you want to do it?

You don't have to.

I haven't testified yet.

But you don't have to.

We won.

I haven't won,

not till we get

an air force.

Listen.

I'm listening.

Frank... are you

gonna put me on?

If you insist.

Better get that doctor, Russ.

Ask him to stand by

in court tomorrow.

He may be needed.

Court will come to order.

Col. Mitchell, at this time,

I remind you that under

the Articles of War,

you have three choices

as to procedure.

You may remain silent,

and, if you do so,

no inference

will be drawn

one way or the other.

You may, if you wish,

make a statement

not under oath.

Or you may be sworn,

in which case,

you'll be subject

to cross-examination.

The rights of the accused

have been explained to him,

and he elects

to testify under oath.

Do you swear the testimony

you shall give in

the proceedings now before us...

shall be the truth,

the whole truth and nothing

but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

May it please the court,

I should like to note

the addition...

of Major Allan Gullion

to my staff.

He shall conduct

the cross-examination

of Col. Mitchell.

Who's he?

One of the best legal minds

in the army.

I didn't know

he was in Washington.

And now, Colonel,

as an aviation expert,

as a flyer who's been

highly honored

by his government...

for his services

in war and in peace,

is there something you wish

to say in conclusion?

As an officer

in the United States Army,

I had to choose between

my duty to the army...

and what I considered

to be my duty

to my country.

I chose the distasteful

method of inviting

my own court-martial...

because I felt

in no other way

could I focus attention...

upon a desperately

urgent problem.

I hope I've made it clear

that our country needs

an adequate air force.

But above and beyond that,

it needs immediate

consideration...

for the safety

of our flyers.

[ Chattering ]

Order in the court.

Order in the court.

Thank you, Colonel.

I know your words

will not go unheeded

by the people of this country.

You may cross-examine.

[ Knocks ]

Col. Mitchell, I've been

studying your war record,

and I must confess

it overwhelms me.

Those ribbons on your breast,

sir-- would you mind stating

what decorations they represent?

The Distinguished Service Medal,

the Distinguished Service Cross,

the Legion of Honor,

the Crown of Italy,

the Order of Saint Michael

and Saint George

and the Croix de Guerre.

That's very interesting, sir.

Now, Colonel,

to your knowledge,

are you the only American

officer in the army today

that wears such decorations?

Of course not.

Many other officers

wear them.

I see.

Now, tell me this.

Have any of these

other officers

ever been court-martialed?

Objection. That's immaterial.

You needn't answer that,

Colonel.

I was merely trying

to establish what

a unique officer you are.

But you are.

You are very,

very different...

and a special

sort of man.

I assume, Col. Mitchell,

you share with me

the respect I have...

for those officers

in the American army...

who wear as distinguished

decorations as your own?

Of course.

They earned them.

By risking their lives

in combat in the defense

of their country?

Yes.

Then why did you

call such men traitors?

Objection.

That question assumes

facts not in evidence.

Objection overruled.

To repeat the question,

in your statement

in San Antonio,

why did you call

such men traitors?

I wasn't referring

specifically to any officer.

But you certainly must

have had some men in mind...

when you accuse

the general staff of conduct

that was virtually treasonable.

I was thinking of the system,

the system of administering

air power...

in the army

and the navy.

I see. You were speaking

in generalities.

Yes.

But isn't it possible, sir,

that many of your statements

have been generalities?

No, sir.

And am I to understand,

when you use a phrase,

"guilty of criminal

negligence,"

that you meant that?

That statement was

and is accurate.

Negligence

of the ordinary--

No. Forgive me--

Forgive me

for interrupting, Colonel,

but I'm sure the court

would like to be clear

on this point.

You do then reiterate

your accusation...

that certain high-ranking

officers in the American

army are criminals.

You're twisting my words.

Col. Mitchell,

did your public attack

on the army...

start after

a series of accidents

involving your friends,

in which some

of your friends were--

were killed?

Yes.

Isn't it possible, sir,

that the sense of grief

that you felt

over their loss...

inspired you

to make your statement?

It did not.

Then why didn't you

attack your superiors...

before the accidents

involving your friends?

I wasn't ready.

You mean

you didn't think the iron

was hot enough to strike?

I recall no such thought.

And don't you mean

that you wanted to wait

until you felt sure...

that the newspapers

would be on your side?

On the side of a bigger

and better air service.

You consider the press qualified

to influence and dictate

to the armed forces?

I object to this whole

line of questioning

as irrelevant and immaterial.

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