Evening star., 1945-08-09
Memoirs Of Paul Reynoud
Reynoud Convicted by Decree
when All Accusations Failed

on improvements, dltllOuSA AS
proper washing arrangements had
been installed, was too expensive to
run for prisoners. Mandel and ]
were transferred to Pellevoisin, near
Chateauroux, and placed in a pill
grims' hostel.
A nauseous smell filled the corri-
dors, and our walks were taken be-
tween strands of barbed wire.
Other Ministers Interned.
Also interned at Pellevoisin were
former Ministers Vincent Auriol,
Marx Dormoy, Jules Moch and
Pomaret-the latter interned for
not having been admiring enough
when talking of Marshal Petain!
There was also with us Paris
stockbroker who had been arrested
by mistake and was later freed by
mistake, Minister Of the Interior
Marcel Peyrouton having taken him
for someone else!
On December 81, 1910, at mid
night, there began a general move
by car to Aubenas, in the Ardeche.
Later we were again moved, this
time to Vals, where we were granted
the slightly greater freedom of
political prisoners. Eventually most
of the other prisoners were released,
and Mandel and I were left alone.
BY 1912, we had still not been
brought to trial.
AS the marshal's press was at
tacking me for my alleged war
mongering and because I had re-
fused to ask for an armistice, I
wrote to Petain asking to be brought
before the court at Riom so that I
could make a public explanation.
Germans Complain.
The Germans also complained Of
the turn the Riom trial was taking,
and asked that proceedings be
started against Mandel and me. The
public prosecutor at Riom was sum-
moned to the Hotel du Pare In
vichy by Marshal Petain. In long
exposition he was told that I was
the leader of the war-mongers, and
that that was the trial called for.
The public prosecutor replied that
no French tribunal would convict
under such conditions, and Petain
had to give up the idea.
Vichy therefore decided to charge
Mandel and me with embezzlement
of secret funds. Vichy intrusted my
case to the military court. Was
1t likely that a modest lieutenant
colonel, inquiring magistrate at the
Clermont- t-Ferrand military tribunal,
would dare to 60 against the wishes
OF the Marshal Of France, head Of
the state, victor of Verdun, who
had twice saved France" If he were
told that the interests of the state
required him to be pliable? And
yet Just such a magistrate did re-
ject the charge after hearing us. He
was 1t. Col. LIE Pretre.
Petain Immediately signed a law
this intractable magis-
trate and laid the case before the
Riom court.
The charge" that I took 50O00,-
900 francs to an aircraft company
Where could he have obtained all
those millions?"-was based on a
paragraph in Gringoire. The truth
was that the 50,000,000 had been
taken to a nationalized air COM
pany by Guy La Chambre, as min
lister for air, and by me as finance
minister!
Prosecutor Objects.
The public prosecutor objected in
vain that the charges must have
been based on a complaint from the
minister of finance, but that the
minister could not very well COM
plain since he had no control over
secret funds. He was told to prose-
cute without bothering about such
trifies.
Yet again the judge, man spe-
cially selected for these hearings,
proved to be an honest man.
1t was then decided to look close
ly into our personal resources.
Finally, the experts handed in
their report. I had become poorer
in the service of the state. They
could make no case against me.
Hitler was, of course, very dis
pleased by what was happening at
the Riom court. His ambassador,
Otto Abetz, told one of the counsel
that Hitler was chiefly interested
in "Reynaud and Mandel." He
wanted us condemned by the Riom
court for war-mongering and our
refusal to capitulate.
Riom Judges Summoned.
The Riom magistrates were sum-
moned and asked whether Reynaud
and Mandel could be convicted