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10/16/1946 - First Impressions of India; Future Program Plans by Richard Morse

P NOo NOT FOR PU ICATI N American Mission Bahawalpur House New Delhi India October Written Airan Shah Mr Walter S Rogers Northwest Frontier Prov Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear I Rogers The major influences durinG first India Phil Talbot thinking people I mainly result introductions Phil quick impressions clean spaciousness New Delhi ilthy congestion Old Delhi foreign correspond India I dininG Imperial Hotel experience preparing minute invitation All India Radio explain I India Of these first significance immediate plans As suggested program Phil prepared before arrival short which experiences becoming regional specialist Indian affairs To start proposed I should eight weeks whole country major province state To significant I should choose subject which would serve thread study somethinG focus attention which would provide definite topic questions discussion during encounters people He suggested topics impact industrial labor demobilization soldiers their settlement civilian Apart bringinG contact ordinary people possible investigation either topic would enable government officials trade unionists social service workers employers political figures At period I should prepare report subject studied journey would primarily impres sionistic serving Phil words develop dorse sensitivity people their personal problems comprehension vastness variety country particu larly static factors Indian society It would probably provide ideas problems study period least years The second stage training proposed Phil would consist intensive study period eight months using tutorial system Indian history economics religion start study Urdu Hindustani FollowinG I would sound footing which evaluate current political tendencies personalities exercis leadership Indian affairs Subsequently I could undertake concen trated exhaustive investigation numerous Indian problems changes tenure system communal tension studied ionally whole nation typical possibilities RM No Page Two As whole approach seemed sensible Phil arguments making preliminary first Had experience during first several months India regret second thata general picture India would valuable during later studies My reaction personal entire previous experience academic I succeed program becoming student temporary essential I acquire reportorial technique meetin people easily gathering information Therefore though academic first would easier investigational would challenging meaningful It would circle acquaintances I friends through India So I inclined toward Phil suggestion The choose topic study which would significance other would vital complex serious exhaustive study In course discussing point I group Phil friends possess constructive spirit contributing worthwhile progressive activities I hoped India While briefing myself resettlement program demobilized soldiers I three sincere forward looking Peter right Britisher originally India social service worker industrial Cavrnpore later served officer Indian Army Captain T Ramchandra whose experience twenty years social service south India especially among untouchables Brigadier Trevor Cotton present Regional Director General Resettle Employment Directorate New Delhi region It these first thought problem demobilized soldier India Because their initiative program along following lines started group Advice Officers U S Army called Information Edu cation Officers trained centre discharge centers brief demobs future governmental assistance first Indian history series regional regional employment exchanges managers trained New Delhi experts United Kingdom technical vocational schools started through provinces enough coordination standardization courses centre example abilities qualified second grade welder Bombay would resemble those similar worker United Provinces special programs instituted aiding disabled veterans plans expansion industry absorb discharged The above program looks paper Unfortunately cause personal conflicts organizational structure several phases getting under efficiently important industry converting expanding rapidly enough absor dischargees employment exchanges succeed finding positions applicants The problem serious would interesting subject country inquiry A topic suggested Mr Tarlok Singh however seemed suitable Described Phil Talbot really thinkers among P No Page Three young Indians I Tarlek Sinh distinguished career Indian Civil Service devoting particular attention rural economy program development agricultural cooperatives At present Private Secretary Honorable lember External Affairs InterCom Government Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru I almost guilty incidentally taking Tarlok Singh three short visits The tremendous pressure efforts these build government country evident office Nehru secretary Nehru doesn aning relaxation Nevertheless Tarlek Sinh taken great interest project As economist believes ankes living important single factor He therefore proposed I visit villages cities several important regions making inquiry Yflat people It argued census return would Give information But I actual investigation fundamental question direct personal understanding Indiam It naturally preliminary understanding neither inclusive final But fairly solid notion natural resources stage their development typical regions Village particular become clearer I changes taking place shift Of population villages effects So I start Punjab where I spend visiting three districts Then after further discussion New Delhi I start country At present I Phil Talbot Andrew Freeman New York Post spemding Northwest Frontier Province I learning about reportorial technique joining their study large tribal between British India called border Afghanistan The immediate reason their study Nehru presence delicate complex subject rather unique introduction Indiaforme I IIcertainlydevotemynextlettertoit Yours sincerely