Evening star., 1945-07-23
Petuin
Continued From First Page.)

the opening of the trial o. invita-
tions of the Ministry of Jus dee, was
ordered to clear the gallery. The
spectators protested furiously, wav-
ing invitation cards under noses of
the gendarmes while newSpapermen,
witnesses and court attendants
climbed on chairs and tables to
watch the scuff1ing.
Lawyers ordered elected battled
with police to re-enter the court
room, contending they were immune
to arrest under, French law.
When the disturbances started,
Petain himself was hustled from
the courtroom by guards. His chair
and table were overturned.
Just before the incident started
he had called upon those condemn
ing him to ask themselves whether
they did as much for France.
In the most tragic days of the
history of France, she called on
me-" the marshal said, Il was heir
to an unprecedented catastrophe p"
He contended he had only car
ried out the advice of his military
leaders when he asked Germany for
an armiStice.
He said that after he became
chief of state he used his powers
which were recognized throughout
the world, from the Holy See to
Russia, as a shield and buckler to
protect the French people"
Il have sacrificed my prestige for
them," he pleaded. IF 1 have
treated with the enemy, it was to
spare you. Faced with the enemy'S
demands, surrendered nothing es-
ISential although we had daggers at
our throatS. I assured our prison.
erS of war of aid"
The three judges clad in ermine
robes awaited in their chambers for
exactly 25 minutes before the court
room turmoil was brought under
control. When they filed back to
the bench, most of the lawyers who
attended the trial as spectators
were allowed to return to their
places.
Cites Many Reforms.
Continuing his statement, Petain
said that he brought about many
new reforms and had prepared a
new constitution which the Ger
mans would not allow him to pro-
mulgate.
The new France can only carry
out her reconstruction on the foun-
dation 1 laid" Petain said. Il
thought only of reconciliation and
union of the French people. Mil
lions of Frenchmen have faith in
me.
BY condemning me, you will con-
demn them. You condemn France
to discord and disorder. My life
means nothing. l made gift cf
my person to France. Let my con-
demnation be the last. 10 not
punish those who only obeyed orders
from their leader"
After Petain had concluded read
ing his six-page statement, one of
his defense attorneys accused both
the chief judge, Paul Mongibeaux,
and Prosecutor Mornet of having
made inflammatory statements
against Petain months before the
trial. The lawyer said the state
mentS could have been considered
"provocation to murder" The Judge
denied making any such statement
Reynaud First Witness.
Paul Reynaud, who resigned as
Premier and yielded the Office to
Petain while France was falling in
1910, testified as the first witness
Dressed in a plain blue business
suit, he identified himself as law
yer
In statement to the court, which
Petain had unsucceSsfully chal-
lenged as competent to try him, the
hero of Verdun" said:
Through the National Assembly
at Vichy, the French gave me power
to direct the Nation. l have come
to answer them alone. This is the
only declaration I will make. The
present accusations are only meant
to soil me-"
He said he had devoted his life
to the service of France, adding:
Let the French people remem-
Der ] led their arms to victory in
1918"
Long Plot Charged.
The start of Petains personal
authoritarian rule over France on
July 10, 1910, M. Mornet charged
was "the final realization of a long
prepared plot against the republi-
can regime in France" Petain's
role in this plot in the prewar
period, he said, appears to have
been that of a figurehead."
The indictment was based mainly
on public acts of the Vichy govern
ment. One of the most important
documents presented by the pros
ecution was an Interrogation o1
Vichy's ex-Minister of Justice Ra-
phael Albert, now believed in hid
ing.
NJ Mornet said ALBERT noted that
Petain was French Ambassador te
Madrid until he was appointed
vice premier by former Premier
Paul Reynaud on May 18, 1910.
The prosecution quoted Alibert
as saying armistice terms signed by
the French from the Germans were
drawn up by Petain and Hitler
early in the war, with Generahssimt
Francisco Franco of Spain as al
intermediary" After the French
defeat, however, Albert said, Hitle,
, did not keep his promises"
Petain, erect and wearing the golC
braided hat of a marshal of France
saluted photographers and entered
the courtroom with his wife at III;
pm. In the corridor just outside HI
encountered Albert Lebrun, Presi
dent of the French Republic which