Evening star., 1941-07-20

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we'll defend themselves, whose every
word, or that of their lawyers,
spoken before the world sounding
board of the small Riom courtroom
will be heard and attentively studied
by many people; Vichy in its heart
also knows it is doing this job at
the behest of its Berlin masters:
and if anybody is found guilty it
will be turned against France when
final peace terms are dictated by
the Germans-if they are victorious.
M. Mandel, former Minister of
the Interior, is now imprisoned
along with M. Reynaud at Vals Les
Bains. a small watering place not
very far from Riom. These two
certainly will be tried after their
four other colleagues who are i'm
prisoned in small rural property
called BOurrassol on the main high
road from Paris to Clermont Fer
rand at a distance OF about three
kilometrs from Riom.
Prison Life.
The life of these four at Bourras-
Blum, M. La Chambre. NJ.
Daladier and Gen. Gamelin-seems
to be mono.onous rather than any
thing more trying. They are care
fully watched by specially picked
guard coming from the French
penitentiary service and are under
the command of a chief guardian,
M. Yung, assisted by a sous-chef,
M. Passemard.
One French newspaper describes
these guards as having style: and,
in any case, they must never forget
Gen. Gamelin has the right of
"garde a vous" tan "attention!D
from his iailors, as we'll as military
salute, and must always be ad-
dressed as Mon General" Service
order number 43 is formal on this
point.
The prisoners are allowed a prom
enade of one hour a day in the
grounds of Bourrassol, but never
together In winter, a round track
was made for them in the snow
and it was said the stylish guards
AiOfNL pNL llIltCO biltHI ~
from it. Each evening the four
men are locked in their rooms and
the entry doors are double -bolted;
after this the elite guards push
their own beds against the doors and
probably 60 to sleep like any other
Primitive tions.
There seems to be no special time
for getting up in the morning, but
all four men are fairly early risers.
Toilet arrangements in the impro-
viSed prison are rudimentary. There
is no running water and slop pals
have to be used.
Only recently has the house been
wired for electricity, which especial
ly pleased Mr.. Blum, who imme-
diately asked for, and was granted,
an electric heater to guard against
chills. He was also given permis-
sion to subscribe for a Swiss news
paper, LIE Journal De Geneve, which
by the way, Vice Premier Francois
Darlan on several occasions has
barred temporarily from France.
However, not one of the eminent
may have a radio set.
No doubt, the B. B. C. broadcasts
from London could be listened to too
easily.
1t is said the daily mail of the
prisoners is very voluminous; but
it is first carefully opened and read
by one of the jailers, sometimes
aided by an assistant, and injurious
letters with threats,
and the like are eliminated; what is
finally given over to the guests of
the house to be read is thought not
to be very large.
Visitors Allowed.
Visitors are sometimes allowed;
and, of course, the attorneys of the
accused are readily admitted. Nine.
Guy La Chambre, nee Cora Madou,
wife of the ex-minister of aviation,
is a daily caller. She arrives at
Riom by the 1875 omnibus train
coming from Vichy and for so
francs is driven the three kilo-
meters to Bourrassol in a pony cart.
She usually brings with her flowers,
oranges, or perhaps cakes, and is
allowed to remain the entire after
noon alone with her husband. In
the evening she is driven back
again to Riom in the pony cart
and departs by the 7:30 pm. train
for Vichy.
Generally the four men accused
of high crimes against the French
state spend a considerable portion
of the day preparing their defense.
M. Daladier, 1t is said, draws up very
succinct and sober reports, while
Gen. Gamelin covers page after
page with a small, almost unread
able handwriting. He has already
written enough to fill three stout
volumes in quarto.
Judges Are Busy.
Such is something of the every
day life of the four prisoners at
Bourrassol. No doubt it is all very
serious business for them, because
the law signed at Vichy, July 80,
1910, by Marshal Henri Philippe
Petain specifies in article IL: THE
court will pronounce the penalties
provided by book one of the penal
code" that is perhaps by death.
Meanwhile, back in Riom, at the
small Hotel Desaix are lodged the
magistrates Of the court. A special