FOREIGN RELATIONS: Indian Drama

A first-class international rumpus was in the making last week. The drama had an all-star cast: Franklin Roosevelt, Kentucky’s Senator A. B. (“Happy”) Chandler, Columnist Drew Pearson, Ambassador William Phillips, and a whole galaxy of silk-hat names cast in minor roles. And the drama had excellent suspense—no one could guess what would happen next.

The story began in May 1943. Ambassador Phillips, just back in Washington from a 4-month mission to India as Franklin Roosevelt’s personal representative, sent a letter to the President. He wrote:

“Indians feel they have no voice in the Government and therefore no responsibility in the conduct of the war. They feel that they have nothing to fight for . . . and wonder whether the Atlantic Charter is only for the benefit of the white race. . .

“The present Indian Army is purely mercenary. . . . The attitude of the general public toward the war is even worse. Lassitude and indifference and bitterness have increased. . . . Even though the British should fail again, it is high time they should make an effort to improve conditions. … It is time to act. . . .

“I feel strongly, Mr. President, that in view of our military position in India, we should have a voice in these matters. It is not right for the British to say this is none of your business when we alone presumably will have the major part to play in the struggle with Japan. . . .”

These were probably the strongest words ever penned by Ambassador Phillips in his 39 years as an impeccably correct, fashionable, circumspect career diplomat. The President kept the confidential report confidential. Ambassador Phillips next turned up in London, as chief political adviser to General Eisenhower.

The Lion Roars. Six weeks ago Columnist Pearson, who likes to rattle closeted skeletons, somehow got into this particular closet. He rattled loudly in his column, printing excerpts from the Phillips letter. Soon hints came from London that Ambassador Phillips would resign for “personal reasons.” Delightedly, Columnist Pearson printed a report that the Phillips letter had caused roars of anger up & down Downing Street. Said Pearson: the British had declared Ambassador Phillips persona non grata.

In Washington British Ambassador Lord Halifax issued a cold denial. Nevertheless, Ambassador Phillips resigned, effective Sept. 1, and was replaced last week by two old State Department hands, Robert Murphy and Samuel Reber. The State Department denied that the moves had any relation to the Pearson charges.

Drew Pearson’s charges were echoed and supported in the Senate last week by Kentucky’s “Happy” Chandler, whose foreign-policy thinking runs in remarkably parallel lines to the Chicago Tribune.

“Happy” Chandler is no Anglophile. To newsmen he handed what he said was a copy of a British Foreign Office cable, sent from the Department of External Affairs in India to London. It read: “The views [Phillips] has stated make it impossible for us to do other than regard him as persona non grata, and we could not again receive him. His views are not what we are entitled to expect from a professedly friendly telegram.” envoy. The Viceroy has seen this The telegram was undated ; it had obviously been sent originally in cipher code.

“Happy” Chandler did not say how he had got it; he merely said it was his answer to Ambassador Lord Halifax.