Evening star., 1943-01-21
North Africa
Criticisms
Should End
Political Buckfire
Could Breed New
Set of IsoIutionists
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


lean authorities are believed to be
on the way to satisfactory ad-
justment. But the incident does
not lose its significance thereby.
The controversy has taken curious
turns. First the Fighting French in
London indicated their displeasure
over Gen. Eisenhower's policy in
dealing with the late Admiral Dar-
Ian. Then came barrage of criti-
cism of Gen. Eisenhower from the
British press on the progress of his
military operations. This, in turn,
led to some American commen:
charging that the sniping against
the American general for delays in
progress in Tunisia was not justified
by the facts. Finally came dis
avowals from high British officials
in London that any campaign
against the American general was
going on.
But the cessation of criticism of
Gen. Eisenhower now has been fol-
lowed by campaign against Robert
Murphy, representative of the De-
partment of State. on the ground
that he has given Gen. Eisenhower
bad advice and that somebody else
allegedly better qualified should be
substituted. Some sections Of the
American press, which occasionally
are inclined to take the British side
of things in controversies with our
own Government, have supported
the criticism of Mr.. Murphy.
Breeding Isolationists.
The truth of the matter is that
q continuance of this kind of polit-
ical backfire, especially on the part
of the exiled governments located
in London, is not likely to assist in
the postwar settlement, but to
breed a new set of isolationists in
the United States who will find in
the returning soldiers and sailors
this time what regrettably was dis
covered last time, namely, that the
closer Americans got to the quarrels
and cleavages of European politics
the farther away they wanted to
60 to be free of the whole mess.
The same sort OF friction which
elienated American opinion before
it being generated again by those
who think that the purpose of the
American expeditionary army in
Europe is to solve all the political
and theological differences that have
upset Europe for the last five years.
The American troops are overseas
to win the war and the so-called
political situation In North Africa
is just a carbuncle on the neck of
an American commander in chief.
If the lives of American boys can
be saved by dealing with Darlanites
or former Vichyites or anybody else
this will be done and the Fighting
French elements who sit in London
will have to like 1t. If in a few
months North Africa is occupied
and Axis troops have been cleaned
out, and If new American high
commissioner subsequently cleans
out every former Vichyite, no matter
what his place has been In the civil
government, the vichyites will have
to like it. too.
The objective OF Gen. Eisenhower
Is military, and those who are trying
to solve political problems at this
time are merely setting up obstacles
that an American general in COM
mand of disinterested, unselfish
American expeditionary force should
not be required to climb over.
To Ignore Niceties.
The simple fact is that the
French people can in due time rise
up and turn out Of power any gov
ernment that has attempted to rule
them, and the United States is not
going to employ its troops to keep
any regime in office. But right now,
in the midst of war, all the niceties
Of diplomatic maneuvering aren't
going to be observed if the general
on the spot finds good and sufficient
reason for ignoring those consider
ations.
The complaints about the CEN
sorship in North Africa were based
on the theory that in the delicate
moments when it was essential to
keep the Axis and Vichy, too, from
knowing what was going on, there
was something wrong with the de-
cision to give out only minimum
of information from American head
quarters until few military OBJ
jectives like Dakar could be
achieved. The result of the wise
policy that was followed is that to-
day the United Nations have Dakar
and the feet units based there. II
Gen Eisenhower hadn't dealt with
Admiral Darlan, the result might
have been a setup for the Axis
agents in North Africa
The United States Army is in
terested only in winning the mill
tary goals, and II somebody's toes
in the political arena get stepped
on III the interim, it is unfortunate
but that's one of the hazards of war
The American people have entrusted
to Gen. Eisenhower the safety OF
many hundreds of thousands of in
dividuals and now that the British
and the American Governments
have reiterated their faith in Gen
Eisenhower, the so-called political
situation ought to be put gently
or abruptly to one side till further
gains on the military front have
made it safe to reopen the discus.
sion.
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