Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-06
GERMANS IN PERSIA
Interested Capitalists Seek Aid
of Home Governments.
BIG DIVISION OF SENTIMENT
Agrarians Dislike Coupling of Pri-
vate Enterprises With National
Policies, But Others Differ.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star

BERLIN, May 80, 1910.
Whether re German projects in Per-
STA are chimerical or real the pub
lie has no opportunity of judging,
but it is beginning to take keen
err interest in the subject. That Ger
man capitalists have extensive plans for
the exploitation of Persia is clear, and
there can be no doubt that they are en-
deavoring to secure the support of the
state for the prosecution Of these plans.
Semi-official newspapers have hitherto
observed a cautious silence. All that has
been said was that Germany is not seek
ing to obtain political influence in Persia.
On the other hand. it is claimed that
Germans have a right to take every ad-
vantage of the ''open door" policy pro-
claimed by both England and Russia.
While section of the public would in
sist on the full enforcement of claims,
another cautious section is anxious no.
to have a repetition of Morocco, and to
this latter section belongs, apparently,
the pan-German party.
Agrarian Party's View.
Count Reventlow, writing in the
"Deutsche Tages Zeitung," the organ OF
has consistently pointed out the inadvis-
ability of associating private enterprise,
such as the construction of the Bagdad
railway, with the Official policies of the
empire Experience, he declares, has
proved the correctness of this standpoint,
and he recommends similar discretion in
respect TO Germany's attitude toward
Persia.
German politicians, he continues, must
understand ti.at economic advance in
Persia carries political influence with it.
and he empha sizes the fact that England s
influence i'm Persia and her claims in that
country are comprehensive and are
backed by power The matter would, he
adds have a different aspect now had
Prince Buelow raised protest at the
time against the division of Persia into
spheres of English and Russian influence.
or if he had at least endeavored to as
sure freedom OF action for Germany's
economic interests in Persia. The Ger
man statesman not only did not do this,
but on several occasions expressed his
extreme satisfaction with what had hap
pened.
Open Door of No Use.
In the situation thus produced Count
Reventlow is of the opinion that the
guarantee of the open door in Persia
is of very little use to other nations than
RUSSIA and England, anu ne can perfect
ly we'll understand the reluctance of the
German government to promise the en-
forcement of the recognition of that
guarantee. Germany's only chance to
pursue an active economic policy in Per-
STA, he contends. is to come to an under
standing on the subject with Russia.
Should this not be feasible, he considers
there is no possibility of Germany sue
ceeding in economic enterprise in Persia.
This latter view is held also by the
Hamburger Nachrichten, and it. there
fore deeply deplores the dispatch of
the petition signed by members of the
German reichstag on the subject of
Finland. This petition. it learns, has
been taken amiss by the Russian news
papers, and has for the present spoiled
the chances of Germans to prosecute
their commercial aims in Persia in CO.
operation with Russia.
The Tagliche Rundschau asks why
Germany needs an army of 1000. 900
soldiers if she has to withdraw with
apologies from every commercial arena.
The Vossische Zeitung contends that
Russia and England have no right TO
attach exaggerated significance to Ger
many's efforts to extend her business
enterprises in Persia 1t would really
seem. writes the organ of Berlin liber
alism, that an attempt is being made
TO exclude Germans from every. part
of the world where there is a prospect
Of their business enterprise making
Roadway