During the court martial of the famous (and prophetic) aviator Billy Mitchell, prosecutor Gullion quoted Mitchell’s criticism of the branches of the military “These accidents are the direct result of incompetency, criminal negligence and almost treasonable administration of the national defense by the War (Army) and Navy Departments.” Gullion looked at Mitchell “Well, what is treason?”
“There are two definitions of treason, one is that contained in the Constitution. That is, levying war against the United States or giving aid and comfort to its enemies. The other is to give up or betray, betraying of any trust or confidence; perfidy or breach of faith. I believe that the departments, the system, is almost treasonable…..in that it does not give a proper place to air power in organizing the defenses of the country, which is vital as an element. That is what I believe. It is a question of the system, and not the individuals, ….entirely.”
Under further questioning, Mitchell elaborated “I think officers in the air service who are subjected to the command of people who know absolutely nothing about aviation, who come and inspect their outfits without knowing anything about them whatever and ask foolish questions – I think that is repugnant in every way to a man who has given up his life to this duty and is constantly exposed to danger in the air in that way.”
Roman general Coriolanus (500 BC) said basically the same thing about the Roman Senate (and the people who kept electing them)–“Crows pecking at eagles” . If you substitute “accidents” with “wars” and include everyone working inside the D.C. beltway in the indictment, the more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s not one party or the other. It’s the imperial attitude by all elected officials whose egos match the size – but not the intellect – of the immortal monuments to men whose ideas led the way. They are turning our most sacred symbols into whited sepulchers.
