THE Prince of Wales has created a somewhat questionable precedent not only in being, for the first time in the history of the function, present at the Indian Civil Service Dinner, but in making a speech on a subject which most people in this country would regard as highly controversial. The dinner is a semi-political function, at which in past years speeches of a strongly and even violently partisan character have been made both by ex-members of the Services and by British politicians. One does not ordinarily expect such a function to be attended by the heir to the Throne, who, next to His Majesty himself, is expected to respect and fully maintain the non-political traditions of the Royal House. The very fact that the function was presided over this year by Sir Michael O’Dwyer shows the true character of the occasion. It is shown even more clearly by the plea which the President put in for the continued existence of “a strong British element in the Services and the higher administration in India,” presumably for all time, as being essential for “the maintenance of the standards of integrity, impartiality and efficiency.” For the Prince of Wales to be present at a function at which such a speech is made without being able to raise his voice against it is undoubtedly to lay himself open to misunderstanding in this country, whose people are in favour of as speedy an elimination of the present British element from the Services and the higher administration of the country as may be practicable. But if the presence of His Royal Highness at the function was of questionable expediency, the speech he made on the occasion was all the more so.
