How to Fill a Vacuum

In New Delhi last week, 19-year-old Lady Pamela Mountbatten pondered her father's avowed ambition of some day be, coming Britain's First Sea Lord. "Father will have to take lots of exams before he's promoted," she said. "He's really quite ignorant, you know. Besides, he's only a rear admiral and the Royal Navy is the slowest place in the world to rise."

Tempered Anarchy. Lady Pamela's concern for her father's future was occasioned by a historic event. Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Governor General of India, was leaving his post. His withdrawal was one more illustration of the general departure of the European master from Asia. Not only in India, but in every country in Asia, men were trying to fill the vacuum of power created by that departure. Communists believed that they, above all others, would succeed.

They had already won much of China and Korea. Southward last week, in the southeast corner of Asia, bubbled the kind of turbulence in which the Communists found opportunity.

In Burma, 42-year-old Socialist Premier Thakin Nu, who had translated How to Win Friends and Influence People into Burmese, was making new friends himself. He had already announced the expropriation of some British companies in Burma. Last week he called for abolition of capitalism, for the propagation of Marxism and friendship with Russia. Said Winston Churchill when he heard the news: Burma is "descending into a state of anarchy tempered by Communism." Later, assured that no outright Communists would be included in Burma's cabinet, the former "thakins" (masters) in London relaxed, but not much.

Malaya seemed to have gone berserk. Arson had become commonplace. Workers battled police with spears and picks. Posters cried: "Destroy those who work for other races." Sir Edward Gent, High Commissioner of the Malay Federation, proclaimed a state of emergency, granted extraordinary powers to the police.

In Indo-China, the French were still embroiled in a war (anything but cold) with the "independent" republic of Viet Nam, headed by brilliant, Moscow-trained Ho Chi Minh (he who enlightens). To counteract Ho, they unveiled a new Viet Namese regime of their own under General N'Guyen van Xuan (pronounced soon), which this month was ceremoniously recognized aboard a French cruiser while a band blared and planes roared overhead. Ho was unimpressed. Said he last week: "The only way to gain our freedom is to continue to fight."

Hands Across the Ages. In New Delhi, people gave Lord Mountbatten an endless and slightly rueful round of farewell parties. Preparing to take his place was Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (conveniently known as "C.R."), one of the Congress Party's austere leaders (he neither smokes, drinks nor goes to the movies). If the Dominion of India decides to break away from the British Commonwealth, C.R. will be its last Governor General. Said he last week: "I shall have to shake hands with Warren Hastings* across the ages, saying, 'You were the first and I am the last in your noble line.'"

Early this week Lord Mountbatten, great-grandson of Queen Victoria, Empress of India, departed for home. Another diplomat was settling down in New Delhi, ready to shoulder the white man's burden. He was Kyrill V. Novikov, ambassador of the Soviet Union.

*Brilliant first Governor General of British India (1772-85).

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