Evening star., 1945-07-24
Petuin
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/ SNAbh
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firmly against demands for an armi-
stice. He repeated that he wished to
transfer the government to French
Africa and continue the war from
there and was opposed by Petain and
Gen. Maxine Weygand, command
er in chief of the reeling French
forces.
Reynaud testified that at a cab
met meeting on the day he formed
his government, Petain read letter
threatening to resign as vice pre-
mier if an armistice were not &C
cepted.
The next day I received the
great British project for union be-
tween Our two people" Reynaud
said.
He added that Camille Chau-
temps, former premier and men,
Der of the Reynaud cabinet, opposed
the plan, saying he did not want to
see France become a British do
minion. He testified further that
Chautemps declared it was possible
for the government to leave France
without first getting terms of the
armiStice.
Il was then left with no choice
but to resign, for I was in the
minority" he said. That night
explained the situation to the cab
met and President Albert Lebrun
asked me to enforce the policy of
the majority replied I will never
apply it. for if the majority opinion
of the cabinet prevailed, France was
lost"
He testified that while the armis-
tice was being discussed he argued
with Petain and Admiral Jean
Darlan over the French fleet. Asked
if the warships would be given to
the Germans, Reynaud 7aid Darlan
replied:
Il would sooner put it out to sea-"
Later, at Bordeaux, Reynaud
quoted Darlan as saying: "I will see
to it that the fleet does not fall into
German hands"
He testified that Darlan-since as
sassinated in Algiers, where he was
collaborating with the American in
vasion-sent orders to the fleet COM
mand to sink the ships rather than
let them fall into German hands.
No Faith in Darlan's Word.
# Immediately informed Churchill
of this message, but he had no
faith in Darlan's word, and the re-
suit was Mers El Khebir" (Oran-
where the British attacked the
French fleet in North Africa, Rey-
maud said.
The former Premier said that
after Petain nominated him for
Ambassador to Washington and he
refused the post.
After that I became public en-
emy No. in France" he said.
He told of the arrest of Georges
Mandel, minister of interior in the
Reynaud cabinet, and OF his trial in
Algeria. He said Petain intervened,
obtaining Mandels release from a
military tribunal in Algeria so that
he could be tried before the court at
Riom. Later Mandel became Ger
man prisoner and eventually was
slain by two Vichy militiamen.
Referring to his own arrest and
questioning at Riom, Reynaud ex-
claimed:
Can you imagine, gentlemen, I
was arrested for embezzlement!"
Verdun Episode Recalled.
He said experts examined his es-
tate and discovered he had in
structed his banker to buy foreign
securities, adding:
THAT is nothing, gentlemen, COM
pared with actions of certain high
personality who ordered our pre-
cious gold taken from the Bank of
France and converted into foreign
currency"
The high personality" was not
named.
Reynaud recalled the opinion of
Marshal Joffre regarding Petain,
saying that after the battle of Ver-
dun Petain lacked faith in the pos
sibility of defending the fortress.
"Joffre declared he found Petain
so defeated that he wanted to sur
render the fortress" Reynaud said
Reynaud charged that Petain op-
posed fortifying the northern from
tiers of France and also a two-year
period of military service. He pro-
duced a 1885 Fascist brochure writ
ten by Henry Herve entitled 1--WE
Need Petain."
Capitulation of Fleet.
The witness testified that while
IPetain still was Ambassador to Spain
before the battle Of France began
the marshal told former cabinet
minister Anatole Demonzie::
France will need me the latter
part of May"
He said Chautemps still favored
] continuing the war early in May
1910, but suddenly changed his views
and advocated an armistice. Rey-
maud asked:
who corrupted him? Only Petain
!, could have corrupted him."
; He said also that Petain "cor-
lrupted" Darlan and thereby brought
about capitulation of the French
I fleet, asserting:
S "The armistice could not have
r been signed without capitulation oi
$ the fleet"
: Reynaud closed his testimony with
D the words: Never has people beer
more mistaken than the French
: concerning Petain-neyer has 1
r leader done so much harm to 9
people as Petain did"
: Defense Counsel Fernand Payer
4 and Judge Paul Mongibeal]x clashe(