Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
THE ANGL0-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT.

| The Anglo-R Russian agreement which was
| ratified In London on the Path instant was
| officially promulgated on the
Lion and Goth. 1t divides the disputed
| countries. the spoils over
Oe@f' which the lion and bear have
growled these many years. into three heaps
| Persia. Afghanistan and Thibet.
| Great Britain undertakes to limit her
| sphere Of influence south OF line connect
| ing Kashisherin. Ispahan. Yezd and Khaki
! to the junction of the Persian. Russian and
| Afghanistan frontiers. Russia confines her
| sphere OF influence north OF the above
| mentioned line: Great Britains priority in
| Afghanistan Is recognized. Both Great
| Britain and Russia are to respect the integ-
| rity of Thibet.
Thus the law of the stronger. the
| called survival of the fttest" is being en-
| forced against Persia, whom it is proposed
| to absorb because weak and unable to pro-
| tect herself.
| What, It may be asked. is the cause
| which. having provoked a rapprochement
| between two such rival forces as England
| and Russia, has eliminated in their mutual
| interference In Persia? The immediate
| cause.-the pretext Is the Turkish agrees
sion-is the systematic violation of Persian
! territory as reported by the recent tele-
| grams from Teheran. in which it was said
| that "106 Turkish infantry had occupied
Gangachin, city situated northwest OF
J Urumiah." 1t was also stated that $50
| Persian villages had been occupied and that
| the Turks had advanced within eight miles
Of Khoi.' Thus there has undoubtedly
| been systematic violation Of Persian ter
| ritory.
On the other hand. 1t is claimed that the
| Turks were in pursuit of the Begzadah
| Kurds, who nfest the Turco-Persian from
| tiers. and hence the conflicts which have oc-
| Cured between the Turks and Persian
troops
1t may be recalled just here that these
| Begzadah Kurds are the same who three
| years ago We're concerned In the murder of
an American missionary, about which the
| government at Washington had requested
| the Persian government to punish the cul-
| prlts. II is said, on the one hand. that
| while Medj Sutanah was engaged in this
| service he was attacked and routed by the
| Turks. But 1t is quite we'll established that
! the conflicts occurred on Persian soil.
The violation Of territory does not appear
| to be accidental. but systematic. 1t leads
the wary and suspicious to
Systematic find the cause of this ag-
gression rather in the Ger
man emperor's visit to Tan
gier in all that has followed including Raj
suli and in the rapprochement between
Germany and Turkey which was to serve
as the foil Of Germany's isolation.
To any one who has closely followed
| events In Morocco and Egypt the hand of
Germany In the Turkish aggression in Per-
STA was clearly dscernfble. 1t is In cor
rohoration OF that statement that the
writer cites a letter to the London Times OF
September 10 by Mr.. II. F. B. Lynch, In
which, among other things. the author of
the letter foresees grave danger to the
British government in the Anglo Russian
agreement. 1T seems likely to result" he
says. ''in the doom Of the reform movement
in Persia and in the gradual transforma-
ton Of that country into Russian prov
ince of the old pattern at the very
ment when she IS engaged in eHecting her
own regeneration.
"Have the defense committee Of the conn
Gil OF India considered and approved the
terms of this agreement? Have they for
instance propounded a satisfactory answer
to the question Of how 1t Is proposed to
safeguard British interests In the Persian
gulf II the government controlling Persia
re either Russia under the thumb OF
Russia?
"It is becoming evident that the origin
Of this agreement is to be found in aues.
lions of high European politics to meet
some nerhaps remote eventuality."
To illustrate his meaning OF this express
sion the author of the letter says: II should
like to ask what view Germany Is likely to
take of this agreement? Is IT probable that
the same government which interviewed in
Moroccan affairs purely on the ground that
the infant commerce Of Germany with Mo-
rocco would be likely to be stifed by
French intervention. that this government
would accord support to policy in Persia
which in any way favored the placing of
that country under Russian tutelage? Ger
manys acCuiescence might perhaps he OBJ
tained upon terms: and 1t will be interest
ing to the future slowly becomes
disclosed what those terms will prove to be-
at so happens that at the present. owing
to his skill In the conduct Of the customs
negotiations with Turkey,
England's our foreign minister Is in
position greatly to facilitate,
1iASo' should he SO desire. the
progress of Germany to the Persian gulf.
Is this the price We shall be called upon
to pay? Cutting a figure in Europe would
indeed be dear at such a cost.
"Our own ideal of a strong Persia linked
to ourselves by commercial Intercourse. not
a square foot of whose territory We could
ever desire to annex (sicD, was never nearer
realizat ton than at present. That at this
moment of all times should seem to
despair OF our traditional policy and con-
sent to include the vital parts of Persia
the capital and the centers Of the reform
movement. in a sphere of Russian interest,
will be a blunder from which British state
craft and British liberalism will find 1t
dependence of Persia. however it may nomi-
nally be safeguarded. will be almost GER
tain to disappear"
NJ. Berard. a distinguished French writer
has heretofore been cited as declaring that
Asia Minor-which includes Persia-is
''neuralgic point for Germany" Now comes
an English writer of distinction who sees
in this Anglo Russian agreement terrible
British blunder.
It may be recalled here that Mohammed
All Mira Shah succeeded to the throne of
Persia on the 9th Of January, 1907, on the
death of his father. MuZaffar Ed Din.
Mohammed Ali was born June 81, 1872
and consequently is thlrty-hve years Of age.
The shah is a man of marked intelligence,
highly educated. speaks French and Eng
lish perfectly and of sober tastes and judg-
ment. He is in all respects competent
ruler
The form Of government in Persia up to
the year 1905 quite similar to that of
Turkey. The shah. within the limitations
imposed by the Mohammedan religion. was
~InI 1Nyeh