Evening star., 1947-01-05
Wrestles
With Freedom
Year of Decisions Lies
Ahead-British Role
in Asia in Doubt
Bv PHILLIPS Talbot

NEW DELHI, India.-All signs
point to 1947 as the crucial year Of
India's stormy passage toward in.
dependence.
Unity, or the breaking up of
India, and Great Britains future
role in Southern Asia, are the issues
on the anvil this year.
Despite pogroms and recurring
crises in the endless negotiations,
the new year starts with this coun-
try much farther on the road to
freedom than was the case II
months ago.
+ During 1916. popular provincial
ministries were reformed after a
lapse, in many cases, of six and
half years.
Both major political parties en-
tered the new interim government
at cabinet level The Constituent
Assembly was inaugurated, although
with the absence of the Moslem
League.
Ambassadors Exchanged.
For the first time, India ex-
changed Ambassadors with two ma
,tions-the United States and China.
Al the United Nations meeting
this country gained prestige by Mrs.
Viiayalakshmi Pandit's success on
the South African issue.
As its first international pact, the
new Indian government signed the
important Indo- American air trans
port agreement.
Meanwhile, within the country,
unprecedented outbreaks of vio-
lence provided grave threat to
future unity. Thousands died in
Hindu -Moslem riots, which no one
seemed able to control.
The Moslem League increased its
influence among Indias Moslems
with its demand for a free Moslem
state to be labeled Pakistan. Master
strategist president of the Moslem
League, M. A. Jinnah, was the ALL
India Congress Party's biggest head
ache during 1916.
The All-1ndia Congress Party it,
self was buffeted with conflicting
views. Hindu communalists strove
to use it as mouthpiece. Moder-
ates urged settlement with the
Moslem League, even though its
terms might force compromise of
Congress Party policies.
Young socialists, lacking faith in
the present line of veteran leader
ship, demanded stronger action
against the Moslem League and
the British government. In the
view, an American-style revolution
is still inevitable before freedom
can be won.
Good Faith Questioned.
Looking at the importance of
Southern Asia to Great Britain,
many members of the All-India
Congress, at the year-end, ques-
toned the good faith of Whitehall
in its negotiations for India's inde-
pendence. But whatever London's
policy might be, British admins
trative control was reduced.
For years, Great Britain has
ruled India through two key gov
ernmental services-the Indian Civil
Service and the Indian Police. The
Civil Service now has about 500
British officers in total of 1,060,
the Police Service 800 British off,
GERS and 280 Indian officers.
AS of this week, however, British
officers in both services are per-
mitted to retire. The great ma
jority of them have expressed a
desire to leave before the termina-
ton next week of their services
under the protection of the British
of State for India.
Thus, it appears unlikely that, by
the end of this year, British ele-
ments in the civil and police serv-
ices will be large enough to permit
British control of administration
any longer.
A similar decrease in British
strength is occurring in the Indian
Army. which now has only 1000
British officers.
Distributed by Chicago Daily News.)