Evening star., 1945-08-15
De Gau||e Expected
To Commute Petain S
Sentence Of Death
By the Associated Press.

/
PARIS, Aug. 15.-The life OF
Marshal Petain was placed
squarely in the hands of Gen
Charles de Gaulle today when
the French High Court Of JUS
tice found the former Vichy chief
of state guilty of collaboration
with the enemy and sentenced
him to death.
Presiding Judge Paul Mongibeaux
expressed the courts wish that the
death sentence mot be carried out
This means that the decision re-
garding Marshal Petain's execution
rests with Gen. de Gaulle, who Is
President of the French provisional
government.
Persons in the courtroom close to
Gen. de Gaulle, former protege
of the marshal, said Gen. de Gaulle
was almost certain to commute the
sentence to life imprisonment. Pc
tain was once Gen. de Gaulle's regi-
mental commander.
Intimates say Marshal Petain al
ways took a "fatherly interest" IN
the younger soldier. Marshal Pc
tain has even written the preface
to one of Gen. de Gaulle's books
which was dedicated to the mar
shall.
The special tribunal of three
Judges and a 24-man jury also SEN
fenced Marshal Petain, former chief
of the Vichy state, to national in
dignity" and ordered confiscation
of all his property.
The sentence was pronounced
shortly after a m today after de-
liberation of seven hours, ending a
20-day trial which ranks among the
most sensational in French history
Judge Mongibeaux, reading the
lengthy judgment, reviewed acts OF
collaboration by the Vichy govern
ment with Germany and placed the
responsibility at Marshal Petain' S
feet. The court also held Marshal
Petain guilty of plotting to over
throw republican France. Judge
Mongibeaux said Marshal Petain in
stituted a "veritable regime of ter
ror" in France.
AS Judge Mongibeaux began
speaking, Marshal Petain leaned
forward and cupped his left ear in
his hand. His usually immobile face
showed plainly the effort he was
making to hear.
After the first few lines, however,
he settled back in his chair, began
stroking his white moustache and
turned to glance questioningly at
his three lawyers. They kept their
eyes riveted on Judge Mongibeaux.
AS Marshal Petain left the dimly-
lit courtroom, with a soldier at
either elbow, the quizzical express
sion was still on his face.
Stands in Dock.
Impeccable in his marshals uni
form, Petain had risen in the pris-
oner's dock just before the case
went to the jury and declared emo
tionally: "On the Threshold of
death I swear I always served
France" Applause echoed through
the crowded little courtroom.
Speaking slowly, Marshal Petain
said also in his final plea: MY
thoughts, my only thought, was to
remain with the people of France as
I promised, instead of abandoning
them in their agony"
Marshal Petain's defense was
hinged on the contention that he
was able to save France and aid the
Allies only through the guise of COL
laboration with the Germans.
The court informed the marshal's
wife that she was freed, with no
charges against her, but that she
would not be permitted to remain in
her husbands quarters in the court
building.
Judge Mongibeaux referred to
"Petain" without mentioning his
title of marshal in reading the judg-
ment, and it was presumed that the
verdict of national indignity"
means the seven stars denoting the
marshal's rank will be stripped from
his sleeves and that his medals will
be taken from him.
The only property he is known to
have is farm, where he once said
he would like to retire to grow cab
bages.