:

pay under the rules: Commissioner's pay @Rs. 3000/-, plus £ 13/6/8 Overseas pay for 9 days, plus Rs. 10/- a day for holding double charge.

"The casual way in which officers behave is typified by the above, and these are officers who aspire to high responsible positions and who think that they inspire respect and confidence in those who serve under them. I can assure them that they are wrong. Mr. H. Z. added to his claims to greatness by protesting against the transfer at all, although in fact he had himself asked for one in writing. Mr. H. H.'s complaint (to me verbally) was that he should be given the Lucknow division. I consider that both officers were guilty of indiscipline, and indiscipline, I am constrained to say, that could not have been indulged in the old days. Had they done so, neither would have been given a division at all.

A Commissioner's Boast

"The general slackness is again revealed in the recent performances of Commissioners, no less than four of whom have had to be reprimanded for doing insufficient case work and inspections. There is at the moment a certain Commissioner who boasts that he is doing no work-when I add that this officer is a favourite of one Hon'ble Minister-the fact merely shows that the officer concerned knows he is on strong ground. Political Connections

"Then there was what I consider a most delorable case where a senior officer helped a Congress MLA to draw up certain amendments to the Maintenance of Public Order Bill. This was a most astonishing performance, for the officer concerned who told me the facts himself did not seem to think that he had done anything incorrect.

Governor's Anxiety

"No notice is taken of any rules or regulations. Numerous circular orders have been issued on this point, but in spite of them the orders continue to be broken. H. E's (Sir Francis Wylie, Governor, U.P.) latest order is reproduced belows:

'I have dozens of times drawn attention to the laxity prevalent in departments of the administration in not complying with Rule

13 of Part I of the Rules of Executive Business. This case is particularly blatant example. I think that C.S. should see the file. If repeated circularising of depts, has proved to be useless-and it looks like itthen perhaps a lecture to Secys. and D. S.'s of all depts. would help. Once again I would emphasise that the Finance Dept. is to be consulted. It is not enough that the Finance Member should at some stage have just seen the file.' Lobbying For Posts

"Lobbying for Secretariat and other posts is frequent, and often officers approach P.S.'s and H. M.'s not only for posts in the province but for posts outside. The common procedure now is for an officer to go to Delhi and arrange matters first with an H. M. in Delhi. All this seems to me to be a token of lack of morale and discipline and I consider that this lobbying and running around should be stopped. It has now assumed such large proportions that it is dangerous to the administration.

Ministers' Interest In Official Postings

"I may mention another matter that leads to administrative difficulties. H. M. C. has recently passed orders to D.S. (A) that no postings should be made in Bijnor district without his consent. I regret that I must bring to light the difficulties that might arise out of this, for if other H. M.'s follow suit, we shall not be able to make postings at all, and what is more, the lobbying will get worse. What will happen if an officer whom H. M. C. wants, say, for Bahraich, is not given up by H. M. R. The difficulties inherent in this order seem to me very great. Indiscipline In Secretariat

In the Secretariat discipline amongs the staff has been deterioating, and I am affraid that it is my duty to bring to H. P.'s notice the fact that much this is due to P.S.'s. (Private and Parliamentary Secretaries) being far too willing to listen to tales from clerks. The Chief Secretary is responsible for discipline in the Secretariat and he cannot maintain it if P. S's. interfere. One such example has recently taken place. I had occasion to make an entry in the roll of a certain clerk. The clerk immediately ran off to the P. S. thereupon he summoned the roll. I have

protested against this, and I do so again, for no P. S. is authorised to interfere where Chief Secretary considers it necessary to maintain discipline. Nor should the official concerned have been allowed access to the P. S., for his proper line of action would have been to lodge an apeal to the authority concerned, and not go running to anybody in order to curry favours.

"This is not the only example of its kind, and I view this whole matter with great concern. If this is not stopped, then it is good-bye to any form of efficient, orderly or disciplined administration.

"A short time ago, two permanent officials including an A.S., led a deputation of temporary assistants to me. They had no right to do this in my opinion. The temporary assistants were quite capable for voicing their own grievances, and it did not need an A.S. to do this.

"Generally speaking, lobbying for favours that is going on amongst I. C. S. officers is being continued with vigour by those below them, and I am sure that if this is not stopped, Government will regret in the end that it did not take my advice in time.

Officers' Interference

"Oficers interfere in the most light-hearted manner in things that do not concern them. An example of this is the case of Mr. V, (I.C.S.), recently posted as Superintendent, Dehradun. H.P. approved of the posting which was seen by H. E. Thereupon two other brother officers tried to persuade Mr. V not to go (although, in fact, he consented to do so) and actually, I understand, offered to obtain for him a Secretaryship at headquarters! The two officers concerned are supposed to be responsible officers. It did not seem to occur to them that (a) they had

no business to interfere in matters that did not concern them, (b) Secretaryships were not in their pockets to be handed out like lollypops. At the same time I must confess this is an interesting, but also good, commentary for all that is going on, for clearly the two officers in point thought that they could by lobbying get their wishes granted. District Administration

"I have given at some length example after

example in support of my contentions, but I have to say that there is also another side of the picture, particularly in districts. I have spent 17 years as a district officer. I know District Magistrates and the district administration, without which, as I have stressed more than once on H. P., no well-planned seheme can be drawn up at headquarters for improvement to be put up into operation. The great importance of the district administration in these precarious times is not understood by Sectt. officers, who have spent 10 and 12 years in Secretariat, and probably would not be able to carry on the district administration properly. Similarly, the position is not understood by M.L.A.'s, Congress Committees and others.

Continual Villification

"Continual villification of the magistracy and the police does not make a bad officer good, and it might make a good officer bad. There have been so many examples of this sort of thing (only one instance is the case of Mr. A. D. P., (I. C. S.), that district officers not only are losing, but in many cases have lost, faith in their work. They are criticised by P. S.'s and sometimes H.M.'s from above, and they are continually critised by the small fry down below. Interference in the day to day administration is on the increase, and not on the decrease, the effect being that officers now have ceased to make reports about this in most cases. Police Force

"I may add that the police force on which the administration depends is continually undermined, but even if it is granted that it contains many black-sheep, it is the only instrument that Government have at their hand. Furthermore, it has to be remembered that the police force are Indians. and if it is a defective force in any way, then it

is the fault of our own character. The critics might do well to turn the mirror on themselves, for when the police are accused of corruption, there are just as many complaints of corruption in District Supply Committees, and there are also other unsavoury tales. Entitled To Speak His Mind

"I have thought it may duty to bring all this to H. P.'s notice. Whether my warnings (Continued on pae 27)

In preceding talks in this series on the problem of the defenecs of democracy, especially in Asia and Africa of today-on the factors which operate against a fair trial being given to the democratic method in these countries -emphasis has been laid on matters like slow political education and inadequate economic opportunities for all, a failure recognise the value of a healthy opposition and of the distinction between liberty and licence, as well as on the fact that our political institutions too often forget that the village is still largely the basic fastor of our lives.

I think that all these are valid and important causes of the challenge that democracy is meeting in our part of the world. Tonight I shall deal with a cause, I think, which is equally important as the others, the personal factors which create difficulties and allegations of patronage in the distribution of privileges and positions. Democratic Ideal

In non-democratic systems power is vested in a few hands and patronage is distributed according to the wishes and discretion of the person or persons at the helm of affairs. In a democracy the theory, or the ideal, is

(Continued from page 25)

are heeded or not is immaterial. I feel also that I am entitled to speak my mind. As a member of the family which founded the Indian National Congress in 1885, I think that I have a right to say what I think is in the interest of the present Government, Instruments of Power

"I suggest that it might be a good thing if H. P. were to summon a meeting of Commissioners and senior Collectors and give them a short address on the necessity of maintaining reasonable standards in the administration. The same might be done for the Sectt., but in addition it is necessary for the Government and party machine to remember that their officers are in the last resort the instruments of their power."

that special agencies like Public Service Commissions are set up to ensure objectivity and impartiality in the task, with the elected representatives exercising an indirect control over these matters which are directly under such special agencies. Yet the arrangement does not work smoothly or above criticism. How shall we build up a system which would inspire confidence and yet ensure compliance with the general wishes of the people ?

and I should say here that loaves fishes,-indeed clean loaves and fishes, loaves and fishes, for all-are, on a realistic analysis much of the pith and substance of life and politics. I do not intend to underestimate the extent or the value of idealism in life. But, after all, living consists in the securing of various essentials and advantages, however, much it is true that we must have a wide view of them and must also consider that we live in a society where others have also their legitimate interests. As Mr. Walter Lippmann once said, it is not a question of interests against ideals, but how we conceive our interests, narrowly or widely, on a short-term view or a long-term view, selfishly or taking into account the interests of others also. As with individuals, so with parties, also, in politics. They do not come into existence of continue to promote ideals eviscerated of all interests.

'Triple Analysis

A little while ago I quoted Walter Lippmann on individual selves. I have been equally impressed ever since I first read it, of what Mr. Max Beer once said of parties, that we must conceive of them as having not merely certain ideals, but also interests, and traditions too; only such a triple analysis will account for their behaviour in any situation. Undoubtely they profess certain ideals like liberty, equality or national independence. But at the same time, they stand for the realisation of the economic and other interests of certain classes. And both of these factors are apt to be influenced and modified by what * The fifth talk, entitled "Loaves & Fishes", in the series "Bastions of Democracy" broadcast from the A. I. R. on April 29.