Letter (copy)

              Mr Carthy [T.U.C.]
Please file - International Brigade Assoc.
Harrow Trades Council
Miss Alma Sear, 
184a Kenton Road, 
Kenton.
December 17th, 1942.
Dear Miss Sear,
I have received your letter referring to the uncertain position of a very large number of people who are loyal to the Allies and, so far as we know, are still in forcible detention in one form or another in North Africa. Naturally, we have all sympathy with the point of view expressed in your letter.    It is only within the last day or two, according to the Press, that British subjects interned in North Africa have been released.     No doubt the British and American Governments have made representations for the immediate release of British or American subjects who may have been interned in North Africa.     The whole situation is obscure, although it may have been elucidated to some extent during the Debate in the House of Commons last week.     But this Debate was held in Secret.
Apparently, any representations have to be made direct to Admiral Darlan through General Eisenhower.     When the Germans and Italians have been cleared out of North Africa, it is my personal hope that General Eisenhower will pass from the stage of making requests to the stage of giving orders. There was one report that a request had been made for the release of all anti-Nazi prisoners, and a subsequent report that all subjects of the United Nations had been released.     I have not been able to control these reports.    For the moment and for some time in the future, the paramount consideration will be the security of the Allied Forces in North Africa. Nevertheless, that does not excuse the continued detention of friends of the Allies
P.T.O.