Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-11-18
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
Peeler

I Is possible that the Iead-
Il ers of our government fore-x
saw and now understand tn
political complications which
have developed among the
French and in the Balkans but
surely the American people have
been surprised and disillusioned
by rivalries and denunciations
which become meaner and more
confusing as liberation comes
closer.
Say what one will, even !
though our people have access
TO bales of printed matter much
of il offered in good faith, con-
corning the political and tribal
divisions and grudges in other
parts of the world, we still think
of such problems in the simplest
terms.
Thus, we are pro-French. be-
lieving the French to be victims
of the Nazi and nothing else and
forgetting that in times of peace
they were hopeleSsly divided and
that groups among them hated
one another as fiercely as we
thought they all hated the Ger
mans.
Thus, too early in the war
A IN er leans believed, without
question, in Gen. Mihailovlch
and the exploits OF his Chetniks
who presently were opposed by
a Communist guerilla army SUBJ
sldiZed by Soviet Russia.
OUR PEOPLE simply do not
/ ~ have the training and un-
derstanding 10 enable US TO
/ make wise decisions in such un-
/ expected turns and the effect is
sure 10 be Impotence and re-
7 sentiment because these Strang-
+ erS. so far away and so horribly
\ prosecuted by the aggressor,
nevertheless insist on establish
ing fine terms upon which they,
/ viii consent 10 be rescued fror
I their disasters by American
I fighting men.
The rivals all have their prop
/ agandistS and committees 10
confuse us with claims and
charges of the darkest perfidy
and those honest American re-
porters and commentators who
really are qualified 10 offer opin-
ions try 10 compromise the con-
fllctS instead Of facing the fact
that, some time. one faction
must be recognized as anti
American and the other as our
ally.
TliE hopelesSncSs Of our con-
fusion can be appreciated n
We realize how poorly and
grOplngly We understand SINH
lar but much smaller complca-
lions al home
In Chicago the citizens have
only the most superficial under
standing OF the alliance and
. connections among the local
machine politicians. There as
m Jersey City. the bosses Of
! organizations which are nOtOri-
ouSly corrupt are nevertheless
the local political retaincrS and
! protcgeeS Of national organi-
LatlOn which has always pro-
feSSed TO he the friend Of the
common man and the enemy Of
the eXplolter.
Similarly IN labor orgsniza-
| tons, men who are known 70
| their colleagues and 10 their
subjects and the whole public
as we'll as raScalS OF the dlrtiest
type arc nevertheless upheld by
others who enjoy national pres
tige as true friends of the
toller.
And the labor organizations
( generally support the President
IN politics although, in detail,
they have often accused hi
government of dlSximlnatlnlv
against them.
OUR Europeanized American
~ journalists. who spent many
years abroad before We entered
tho war. are not reaSSuring.
They are glib and they present
strong arguments in favor Of
their beliefs. but sometimes
they fight among themselves
over issues and personalities
which the American az home
or fighting in an American unit
cannot evaluate.
In this situation, what can
the American do but blink his
mind at the rivalries and future
dangers and concentrate on
Hitler as the only enemy Of the
hour