Reclaimed

In the race for independence, the tricky, smiling Burmans last week forged ahead of their solemn Indian neighbors. A Burman delegation prepared to leave London after quickly getting almost everything--short of outright independence--that it had come for. The process had been relatively quiet and painless, although at times it was a bit embarrassing to all concerned, like Sir Hubert Elvin Ranee's reception.

When Sir Hubert, Burma's Governor, arrived in Rangoon a few months ago, he gave a reception in the palatial red brick Government House. During the Japanese occupation, Government House furniture, along with the habit of obedience to British rule, had disappeared. For the party, Sir Hubert's aides scouted up some furniture looted by the Japanese. The guests were fascinated by the decor. Burman leaders wandered about Sir Hubert's rooms pointing to chairs, tables, rugs, and saying: "That was mine before the war."* Last week in London the Burmans pointed to the west, north, and east borders of British Burma and claimed the country where the Chins, Shans, Kachins, Nagas, Was, and some Karens lived. Most of these non-Burman tribesmen had been loyal to the British (as most Burmans were not) during the war, and Britain had promised to protect them. But when the Burmans, like the furniture owners, pointed out that the tribal areas were part of prewar Burma, the British gave in and agreed eventually to incorporate the tribes in the new country.

Red Flags. Prime Minister Clement Attlee offered Burma a choice between full independence and Dominion status, pointing out that the latter was not "independence minus" but "independence plus." The Burmans settled for an interim government much like India's. They won some concessions: 1) control of their own finances and troops; 2) an election in April for a Constituent Assembly.

Among the immediate hurdles facing the new Government was, of course, Communism. But Burma, which usually has to be a little different, has not one Communist party, but two. The Premier, young (32) Aung San, liked the idea of British troops staying awhile to help him control the Reds, some of whom could not even be controlled by Moscow. For the same reason he asked that the Legislative Council be nominated by the British, rather than elected; the British complied, although two of his five fellow delegates objected strenuously.

Good Omen. Despite these little difficulties, Burman independence was coming along very smoothly. The Burmans thought they knew why. The day Aung San had taken office, his four-day-old son had died. "This is a very good omen," said the Burmans. "If somebody in Aung San's family had to leave us, it is better that his little one should go. It bodes long life for our noble leader, and success in his efforts to build a free Burma."

* Another mildly embarrassing incident occurred at another British party for Burmans. Last week, when King George had a dinner for the delegation, he absentmindedly asked former Burman Premier U Saw if he had visited London often since the King last saw Saw in 1941. Saw said "No." He did not inform the King that he had spent the intervening years in one of His Majesty's jails in Africa.

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