Show The Mystery of Darlan Dorian I 1 THERE HERE seems to be a great deal of concern I in various parts of the united nations' nations world over the status in North Africa of Admiral Jean Francois Darlan former Vichy collaborationist Leaders of Fighting French forces have denounced Darlan as have members members mem- mem bers in the British p parliament What the situation is concerning Darlan t we dont don't know and we think it is impossible for anyone to judge the situation accurately I at this time because it is still so uncertain However there are two points which should be considered First it would appear that Darlan's status In North Africa is as much a subject of denunciation denunciation denunciation de de- and criticism on the enemy side as on our side Vichy France has repudiated him and he has been bitterly attacked in the nazi-controlled nazi French press It would seem that anyone who merits such criticism from those who are lined up against us must have some some points in his favor Second we should view any relations our armed forces in North Africa may have with Darlan from a realistic standpoint Somebody and Darlan may well have been involved helped to fix things in North Africa so that there was only a minimum of opposition to American occupation forces After the way the French battled so fiercely against British invasion invasion invasion in in- forces at Dakar in Syria and in Madagascar Madagascar Madagascar Mada Mada- gascar we must recognize that they could have made it a lot tougher for us in North Africa Maybe it wasn't Darlan but Darlan-but but it is rather odd that he was in Algiers which surrendered so quickly and reportedly gave the fire cease-fire order there and that he did not leave to continue continue continue con con- the fight elsewhere in French Africa orto or orto orto to return to Vichy France either of which courses undoubtedly were open to him This is no plea for an acceptance of Dar Dar- lan Ian It simply suggests that in view of the j peculiar situation in North Africa we should wait to get the full story before passing judgment on the action of our military leaders there in working with Darlan to clean up that area with a minimum of fighting President Roosevelt himself has said it is only a temporary temporary temporary tem tem- expedient which was fully justified because it saved American British and French lives I At any event Darlan or no Darlan the job was done efficiently and swiftly in North Africa and it hardly behooves us on the basis of the meager information at hand to criticize the the military leaders for the means they used to achieve their goal |