Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-17
Dar|an Setup
Temporary,
Says
Asserts Arrangement
In Africa Has Saved
Many Lives

President Roosevelt declared
today that political arrange
ments made with Admiral Jean
Darlan in French North Africa
are only Temporary" military
expedients, which have saved
lives and time in the African
campaign.
The President disavoWed any per-
manent arrangement with Admiral
Darlan in formal statement which
also disclosed that he had ordered
liberation of all persons who had
been imprisoned in North Africa
for opposing the Nazis, or as a re-
suit of Nazi-;nspired anti-Jewish
DEGREES.
The Presidents statement was de-
signed to clear up any confusion
arising from the cooperation of
American military authorities in
North Africa for the time being with
Admiral Darlan, until recently an
ardent pro-Hitler collaborationist
in the Vichy government.
Answer to Critics.
Mr.. Roosevelt remarked in read
ing his statement to a press con-
ference that it should cut the
ground from under the feet of
number of critics who had not
thought through on the matter.
The text of his formal statement
follows:
Il have accepted Gen. Eisen-
hower's political arrangements made
for the time being in Northern and
Western Africa.
Il thoroughly understand and ap-
prove the feeling in the United
States and Great Britain and among
all the other United Nations that
in view of the history of the past two
years no permanent arrangement
should be made with Admiral OAR
Ian. People in the United Nations
likewise would never understand the
recognition of a reconstituting of the
Vichy government in France or in
any French territory.
I'VE are opposed to Frenchmen
who support Hitler and the Axis.
No one in our Army has any au-
thority to discuss the future gov
eminent Of France and the French
empire.
Up to French People Alone.
The future French government
will be established-not by any in
dividual in metropolitan France or
overseas-but by the French people
themselves after they have been
set free by the victory of the United
Nations.
THE present temporary arrange
ment in North and West Africa is
only a temporary expedient, justi-
fed solely by the stress of battle.
The present temporary arrange
ment has accomplished two military
detectives. The first was to save
American and British lives on the
one hand and French lives on the
other.
The second was the vital factor
of time. The temporary arrange
ment has made it possible to avoid
a hopping up period in Algiers and
Morocco, which might have taken
a month or two to consumate.
Such a period would have de-
layed the concentration for the at
tack from the west on Tunis and
we hope on Tripoli
Every day of delay in the cur
rent operation would have enabled
the Germans and Italians to build
up strong resistance, to dig in
and make huge operation on our
part essential before we could win.
Here again, many more lives will be
saved under the present speedy
offensive, than if we had had to de-
lay it for month or more.
1T will also be noted that French
troops, under the command of Gen.
Giraud, have already been in &C
ton against the enemy in Tunisia,
fighting by the side of American
and British soldiers for the liberia
ton of their country.
Prisoners Liberated.
Admiral Darlan's proclamation
assisted in making a hopping up
period unnecessary. Temporary
arrangements made with Admiral
Darlan apply, without exception, to
the current local situation only.
Il have requested the liberation
OF all persons in Northern Africa
who had been imprisoned because
they opposed the efforts of the Nazis
TO dominate the world and I have
asked for the abrogation of all laws
and DEGREES inspired by Nazi gov
ernments. Reports indicate that
the French of North Africa are sub
ordinating all political questions to
the formation of a common front
against the common enemy"