Show France Prepares Trial of Leaders Ex-Leaders l To Fix Blame for W VV War car ar Disaster By Dy JOHN JOliN LLOYD RIOM France Aug 8 UP UP- UP The formal setting for the war blame trial called here the greatest trial in French history was laid Thursday in this an an- I dent city where the supreme I court of defeated France will sit to determine who and how many led the nation to disaster and what punishment they should suffer Inauguration of the nations nation's new high tribunal brought into being by the Laval Petain-Laval government government government gov gov- and charged specifically ly with judging acts and men of previous regimes will lead at once to exhaustive investigation of factors which involved France Francein in an ill-fated ill war against Ger Ger- many Minister of Justice Raphael Alibert who personally Is Installing in installing installing In- In stalling the court of seven full justices and two alternates Inthe in inthe inthe the historic Palais du Justice has charged it with Seeking out responsibilities directly in incurred incurred incurred in- in through foreign internal and military policies that led to the situation in which France now finds herself Thursdays Thursday's brief ceremony of installation turns over the tribunal tribunal trib trl unal to year old Pierre former criminal court president twice wounded in the World war and twice cited for bravery as president of the su supreme supreme supreme su- su preme court will have direct charge of the trials His assistant assistant assistant as as- as vice president is 68 year-old year Henri Lagarde former counselor of the court of cessa cessa- tion One admiral and one general are among the justices who will delve into the political and mill mill- delve into the political and military military mili mill tary background of the catastrophe catastrophe catastrophe catas catas- which began when France declared a state of war wi with wim h Germany in September 1939 and ended last June with the collapse of her military machine after a few weeks of heavy fight fight- ing Gaston Cassagnau year 58 old lawyer who won the croix de guerre in the World war has been appointed attorney general to press the case War and prewar government leaders who have been mentioned in the French press include former former former for for- mer Premier Edouard his successor Pay Paul 1 Reynaud General Maurice Gamelin former former former for for- mer popular front Premier Leon Blum former Air Minister Pierre Cot and former Minister of Interior Georges Mandel How many will face formal charges remains for the court to decide |