Show Vichy Forms Tricolor Legion To Fight at Home or Abroad VICHY July 6 UP The UP-The The government announced Monday called caned the tricolor legion the formation of a new private army to fight on any front at home or abroad which will be equipped It will supplement the armistice armistice- approved r force of men menlow mennow mennow now low designated as the permanent army The strength or ot- ot the new army has not been fixed and apparently its ts size will depend only on ott the number sumber of or volunteers It will b be based ased in the unoccupied zone at Gueret uret 85 miles west of Vichy and 60 0 miles inside the demarcation line Inc between occupied France and Vichy France The legion will fight on any front where the government decides decides deides de de- de- de ides the nations nation's interests or honor honor hon lion or r require the announcement said Volunteers will be assembled at Gueret and immediately formed into nto battalions for quick dispatch to o theaters of operation as needed Some Already Fight France already has pas volunteers fighting righting I alongside the Germ German n armies on the Russian front but their only identification n is a small I tricolor mark on the sleeve of I their German uniforms The new force torce it was pointed out will wear a special khaki uniform designed designed designed de de- de- de signed for the legion and will fight right under the French tricolor regardless of the front involved It will be commanded by a French general from the reserve forces but his name has not been announced The axis agreed to the new army which is outside the terms of the armistice agreement the announcement said rather than an increase in the regular army and the strong French colonial army in North and West Africa Every effort will be made to keep the tricolor legion wholly independent of the regular army which is so small it is barely adequate adequate adequate ade ade- quate for home needs Many commissioned and noncommissioned noncommissioned noncommissioned non- non commissioned officers weeded out of the regular army at the time of its armistice contraction willbe will willbe willbe be given posts in the new force Additionally the tricolor lor legion offers slightly higher wages to volunteers than does the armistice army and thus was actively bidding bidding bidding bid bid- ding against the regular force for men Volunteers Slow The armistice army was to be composed solely of term long-term vol vol- Conscripts were to be released as soon as enlistments swelled the army to its maximum strength However many conscripts conscripts conscripts con con- scripts remain in the force indi indi- indicating indicating cating that volunteers had hadnot hadnot hadnot not been found The entire French press Monday opened a campaign for volunteers for tor the new army emphasizing its independence from the regular and colonial armies Buck privates in the legion will receive 1800 francs 36 monthly for home garrison duty and 2400 francs 48 when in the field Married privates will receive francs 60 |