THE PERSIAN AFFAIR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 139, 8 December 1911, Page 4

THE PERSIAN AFFAIR.

Because Mr. Shuster, an acute> American business man, is in Persia, Russia has threatened to make war in that ancient •kingdom. Persia has "many troubles and: has had them for centuries, and J the reason of them is much more likely to be due to her mixture of brigandi and her perpetual financial difficulties than anything else. Mr. Shuster, the I acute American who is essaying the gigantic task of arranging financial affairs I in Persia, seems to have a better chance | of creating war. There are reasons for Russia's ultimatum that unless Persia apologises for the incident at Teheran wherein Mr, Shuster and some troops Interfered with a Russian guard placed over the property of the Shah's uncle which was (or was said to be) mortgaged to the Russian Bank. It resolves itself, therefore, into a money quarrel. Russia wants Mr. Shuster dismissed, and it does not want Persian civil servants to be chosen entirely by Mr. Shuster. Last year Persia awoke to the fact that the country needed a moral bath, and its programme of reform included the employment of foreign advisers, the proper policing of the provinces (where I murder, pillage and wickedness of every I description went unpunished), the re- | form of the army and the punishment of | the brigands who infest the country." It wanted money for these reforms and , Russia and Britain were approached. The two countries imposed very stringent conditions. Persia did not accept them and so did not get the money. The southern trade routes of importance to British commerce remained unprotected, and Britain sent Persia a Xote stating that if the routes were not properly policed within three months she would police them herself with troops from the Indian army. Germany at once jumped to the conclusion she wanted to jump to—that Britain's action (or | threat) was preliminary to the partition of Persia. Turkey sent a complaining telegram to the Kaiser, who did not reply. Persia told Britain that the trade routes were insecure because of the presence of Russian troops in the north. Naturally Russia was not pleased, and she is not pleased yet. Tribesmen have a nasty habit (because of the lack of policing) of descending on towns in Persia and wiping out families and taking their goods. Persian officials at Teheran in October, 1910, asked some British bluejackets to police the town in order to frighten this murderous rabble, so that Britain as well as Russia has knowledge of Persian methods. The probable reason for Persia's hesitation to reply to Russia's ultimatum is pique at the fact that Turkish troops remained at Ardebil, Tabriz and Kazvin for a long period, and that she still considers

it necessary to maintain garrisons to conserve Russian interests. Sir Edward Grey has made some conciliatory remarks saying that Britain is not unfriendly to Persia but that Mr. Sinister has made things "impossible." Mr. Shuster's big sin is. that he has injured Russian influence. Whether it is true that a Russian plot existed to slay Mr. Sinister or not, the facts seem to be that he is the centre of the disturbance. There is no cohesion in Persia, and the authority of the Mejliss is not widely heeded among the ten million mixed people who compose the population. There can therefore be no serious resistance by Persia to Russian force, and the small affair of the gendarmes may lead to Russian occupation of Persian territory. An assurance that after aggressive action by Russia the trade routes will be properly policed will perhaps satisfy Britain, and it is highly probable that an American gentleman will be returning to the States soon—or not at all.