The Daily Monitor Leader

Colonel Reflects Icy-Calm

How does a high-ranking United States Army officer feel as he faces, in the stern chambers of a court-martial, the relation of facts that may result in blasting a long and honorable military career?

You won't find the answer in the perfectly controlled, affable reactions of Col. William T. Colman, former Selfridge Field commandant, who today is confronted with 29 charges ranging from conduct unbecoming an officer to that of shooting a Negro private assigned to him as a chauffeur.

On Monday when a panel of eight colonels and one lieutenant-colonel of the Air Forces took their places in the bare frame building, at the corner of Boyd Wagner and Wilbur Wright roads at Selfridge Field, Col. Colman's trial by fire began. Just how long it will last no one can say but estimates of up to three weeks have been voiced by men familiar with military court procedure.

SELF-POSSESSED

Throughout the grim routine, and while eminent psychiatrists testified concerning his mental reactions, Col. Colman sat quietly at his counsel table, smiling occasionally, utterly self-possessed and "every inch the soldier." Neatly attired in the full trappings of his rank, with a silver eagle glistening on his shirt collar, and smartly shined half-boots on his feet, the former air base commander chatted briefly with officer-acquaintances during the few recesses of the court-martial. He strode repeatedly through the press-room during those intermissions, smiled cordially at reporters and offered no objections to repeated shots taken by newspaper photographers.

STIFF PENALTIES

Col. Colman, the brilliant 39-year old flying officer, and graduate of the University of Michigan, who served with distinction ever since he joined the Air Forces back in 1926, faces penalties ranging from dismissal from the service to imprisonment at hard labor if convicted on the counts arrayed against him by the trial judge advocate.

His handsome, hawk-like head sits stiffly erect upon a pair of trim shoulders. He will not be a man easily ruffled however searching may be the inquiries of the prosecuting officers.