Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-17
PERSIA IS AROUSED
Shah Repeats Constitution He
SWore to Protect.
IGNORES CORONATION OATH
Disperses Parliament. Massacres Its
Members and Resumes Control.
ECCLESIASTICS AGAINST HIM
National Party Committee Appeals
to the Nations of the World
for Intervention.
ECCLESIASTICS AGAINST HIN
Rl WILLIAM /. 81 RTIS

Tor Intervention.
RI WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The situation in Persia is almost hone
less for the shah in iis struggle against
the movement for a parliamentary con-
stituiional government. and il is diff
cult 10 see how lie il Son;. 10 crawl out
Of his present prcdica ment without Yield
ing absolutely 10 the liberals or losing his
life He has been condemned to death
by the liberal party, and the sentence
will doubtless be executed at the first op-
portunity. He never leaves his palace
and is quite much of n voluntary
prisoner as the Car of Russia al Peter
hof and the Sultan of Turkey at the
iildiz Kiosk. Until recently the shah
used TO drive out every afternoon in his
carriage. surrounded by an escort of Rus
sian Cossacks. commanded by a Russian
officer which was very offensive 10 his
people. and furnished one Of the strongest
indictments against him. They Will never
forgive him for appealing for the pro-
lection OF foreign powers against his own
subjects. One of the chief grievances
against his majesty since he assembled the
throne has been his apparent acquiescence
In the encro3 rhments of Russia and his
use OF the Cossacks under Russian officers
emphasized his relations with and his
dependence upon Russia. This has lost
him the sympathy of many patriotic
Persians who sustained him in his orpo-
s1tion TO the constitution and his per-
sistence of the aggressiveness of the
mejis as the new chamber of DEPUTIES
in Persia is called.
Has Lost Support of Church.
He has also forfeited the support Of
the church. which is a power in Persia.
as it Is in every other Mollammedan
country: first. because he has violated
the oath he took upon the Koran that
he would support the constitution and
recognize the assembly, and. second be-
cause he profaned the temple and per-
mitted two OF the most venerable priests
in PerSia-Sevyid Abdullah and Sevyid
Mohamed-to be insulted and assaulted
and to be led in irons through the
streets of Teheran.
The mujtahid. the supreme ecclesiastic
of the Persian branch of the Mohamme
dan faith, who corresponds to the pope
among the Roman Catholics and to the
shtekh-el-islam In Turkey, resides at
Kerbevla, near BaGdad, in Mesopotamia
and has formally renowned and excom-
municated the shah. AS chef ecclesiastic
OF the empire he has officially declared
that constitution. a parliament. gem
eral reforms and modern methods Of adj
ministratlor are necessary to the happi-
ness and well being Of Persia. When the
church is so thoroughly committed to a
proposition it Is impossible to retract.
while its influence is so powerful that
it cannot be ignored or resisted The
fight is no longer limited to the shah and
the leaders Of the liberal party. but is
now between the shah and the esta blished
church of Persia. which has recognized
him for ages as Its temporal head.
Immense Influence Of Priests.
When Mohamet died. in the year &c.
there was dispute concerning the sue
cession between Abu- Bekr, the prophets
father-in-law, and Ali, his son-in-law. the
latter being his favorite. Islam has since
been divided between the SUMS, or follow
ers of the Abu, and the Shiites, who in
sist upon the prior claims Of Ali. The as
saSsinstion of Ali and of Hassan and
Hussien, his sons, made the division per-
manent and reconciliation Impossible.
No dOctrinal differences are involved in
this schism. 1t was purely a personal
struggle. and in Persia has been the
stronghold of the Shiite faction. Hassan
and HuSsein are buried at kerhela a
small town southwest of Baghdad, al
most on the site of ancient Babylon and
Ali at Nejef, an equally holy spot some
miles TO the south of it. These two
towns, therefore. are sacred in the eyes
of all Persian Mohammedans. and for
centuries have been the residence of the
highest ecclesiastics. which have not
often taken an active part in political af-
fairs. but when they have done so have
exercised an influence that has been all
powerful.
The extent of their power and authority
may be appreciated when il is known
that the only means of obtaining or en-
forcing justice outside the large cities of
Persia lies in aDnpalS
and the success or favor of any official
or any movement depends upon their AT
titude. In the past they have been the
only obstacle to the complete autocracy
of the shah but they have never inter
fered with him for many generations I'M
I'll at the present tin. The lat shah.
zafar-ed-din. did not proclaim the con-
stltutloa or summon parliament with
out their approval and Corporation, and
they have supported the constitution and
have defended the privileges and rights
OF the national assembly without uIles
tloh- W hen MS SON. Ali Mira. the pres
ant Shah. shortly after his accession 10
the throne began to show signs Of hos
tility toward the assembly and seemed
inclined TO violate the oath he hSA su;orr
upon the Koran to support the consti-
tuition the Shite hierarchy gave him :,
solemn warning and admonished him that
he must not repudiate the liberties
granted to his subjects by lis father ana
that his oath was sacred.
Shah Ignores His Oath.
IT should be recalled just here thai In.
late shah died a few weeks after prant,n,,
the constitution and calling the assem-
BY. and at the time OF his accession +,
tie throne his soa and Successor took an
oath TO support them upon the Koren
which is the most solemn OF all proceed-
lngs and the most binding Of ali obIje.
tons in the Islam world He still pI.r
TENDS TO be earnest in his support of a
constitution. but he has twice repud;ate.I
II and then retracted his reputation
under pressure from the ministers Of for |
elSa powers at T nheran. On the 2itn of |
November he posted proclamation in |
the mosques abolish.ns the parliament I!
and revoking the decree that granted the /
constitution. The next day the proclama !
lions We're officially taken down and it
was explained that the announcement |
was unauthorized. His majesty $50 CAV !
out an interview in which lac asserted /
ms belief that "a constitution and :; par ,
Lament were sssentia! for the advance !
ment and well being of the Persian pee-
Pie, but the GeDlorabl- conduct of the
ilrSt parliament had demonstrated that ]
the country was not yet prepared for self .
government and that The system should |
iaN flaay IL