Evening star., 1947-01-26
Indian Service
Wearing Thin
Collapse of Foreign Corps
Could Cost Britain
Her Rule
By Phillips Talbot

NEW DELHI, lndla.-1ne Steei
framework of British administration
in India is creaking at the joints.
Members of the interim govern
ment are determined to tear it down
quickly. In the Indian Civil Service
and Indian police, which dominate
the administration, many officers are
themselves ready to see it fall apart.
Whitehall knows, however. that
when the framework collapses Indian
independence could be a fact
whether or not political settlement
had been reached.
| Current Indo-British discussions
on ending the services are so far
making stormy passage. therefore.
In civil administration, the Indian
Civil Service is one of the worlds
elite corps. It's 1,060 members-who
were once all British, but are now
half Indian-govern provinces, rule
districts with million or more peo-
pie, and hold top desks in central
and provincial secretariats.
Some 600 career officers control
the whole police establishment in
India. Under an Inflammation pro-
gram of recent years only so per cent
of them remain British.
Handful Ruled Millions.
With the army's backing, this
handful of men ruled 1ndia's AGO.
100000 until few years ago. Now
they are presumed to serve popu-
larly elected ministries.
Still they are responsible, how
ever, to the Secretary of State for
India in the British cabinet. He
recruited them, guarantees their
pay out OF Indian revenues, and
guards them against adversely
changed conditions of service"
No Indian minister could expect
their obedience to orders which ran
contrary to Whitehall policy.
Two questions have so far key.
noted talks between Sardar Vallabh-
bhai Uatel, Congress Party leader
and interim home member, and
Arthur Henderson, Undersecretary
of State for India, who came to New
Delhi on this matter, namely:
Should service officers win COM
pensation if they do not transfer
to Indian government employ when
the Secretary of States protection
ends? For loss of career White
hall proposed sliding scale rising
to $4,000 in lump sum, plus pro-
portional pensions.
In the eyes of the interim govern
ment, none should be compensated
if the new authority is willing to
hire them. This principle is ap-
piled particularly to Indian officers.
who would become servants OF their
own national government.
London Holds Purse Strings.
When will Whitehall's control OF
the services be ended? Patel Is
urging an early date. say within
three months. Henderson's author
ity is reportedly limited to financial
matters, not dates. But If pressed,
he may have to put London's view
that control should not be trans
ferred until the date of India's final
independence.
A warm conflict is brewing on this
issue.
London has the advantage of con-
trolling the purse strings. But serv-
ice officers themselves hope for a
quick settlement.
Accustomed to complete authority
within their spheres, many dislike
Intervention by popularity elected
ministers. They describe signs that
the steel frame" is already giving
way to bamboo frame" in which
administrative appointments are
made on a personal basis.
Conversations with scores Of Of
ficers yield the conclusion that
nearly three-quarters of the British
officers will leave If generous COM
pensation is offered, and about one
quarter of the Indian officers.
Meanwhile, with doubt and un-
certainty in the air and with inn
pending changes as the chief topic
of conversation in service clubs, the
standard of administration Is visibly
dropping.
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