The Washington herald., 1911-11-11
WHAT MORGAN SHUSTER
MAY DO FOR THE U. S.
IN AWAKENED IRAN

A year ago the British government
addressed to that OF Persia an ultima
tum. threatening that II within the
space of three months the Persian gov
ernment should fail to restore order
on the southern roads, Britain would
insist upon the formation of a local
rendarmerie oficered by a dozen An
lo-Indian military men. Great indig-
nation was aroused throughout the
Moslem world especially in view OF
the pecuniary endorsements with
(which Russia, aided and abetted by
England. was surrounding the Persian
government. Perhaps in view of the
European situation that threat was al
lowed to lapse, though there Is every
reason to apprehend that the project
revived in a worse form, is about to
be executed and that some 500 Indian
| troops. under the specious name Of
consular guards, actually are en- route
to Shiraz and Bushire.
| The world knows of the endeavors
made by the Persian government, In
the face of enormous difficulties, to re-
store order and credit to their country,
but also of the methods adopted by
| Russia, often with the connivance of
England, to frustrate those efforts. The
return of the exiled Shah through Rus
sia, and his landing in Persia from a
Russian cargo boat at the beginning
of last August, in defiance of the proto-
col signed by the Russian and British
representatives at the time of the
Shah's deposition. was a fragrant
breach of international usage. especial
ly as again he found refuge on Russian
soil, at Ashkhabad, close to the Persian
| frontier. after involving Persia in a
costly and anxious civil strife.
That Munammad ALI Mira could have
returned to Persia without the cogni-
zance Of the Russian government is not
! to be imagined, apart from the direct
evidence which exists to show that he
was actively supported and aided by
members of the Russian Legation In
Tcheran and other Russian officials. Al
the same time that the former Shah land
ed on Persian soil the Russian Legation
was busily engaged in a diplomatic cam
paign against Mr.. Morgan Shuster and
the other American financial expert:
whom the PersianS, realizing their owT
inexperience and need OF help. and mis-
trusting the selfshness and greed Of the
great European powers. had summoned
to their assistance and who during th'
few months they had been in Persia, haC
inspired universal confidence among th'
} Perslans.
One OF their proposals, to which tn
Russians took special exception, wa
the appointment OF Maj. c. B. Stokes
: OF the Indian army. who. for severa
, years had been the military attache o
!, the British Legation at Teheran. to com
mand the new treasury gendarmerie
which was being formed to insure tn
proper collection Of the revenues and tn
I security of the roads. For this post Ma.
Stokes had unique qualifications, by rea
= son of his knowledge of Persian an
5 OF his sympathy with and liking for tn
e people whose entire confidence and al
= is sufficiently indicated by the fact tha
( nOtwithsta ndinE the mlstruSt Of the Brit
1 ish governments tortuous foreign polio
s prevalent in Persia. his appointment wa
n ratified by the Malls, or Persian Par
S Lament.
Here. then. was the Persian govern
ment doing in August last precisely wha
the British government had requested
20 do on a more extensive scale in tn
preceding October; and although II wa
. certain that the Russian governmer
would object, It night have been sur
Il posed that the British government wOul
l be gratifed Far from it! The Time!
8 which represents the official view. cited o
: the authority OF its st. Petersburg col
: respondent, with apparent approval. tn
violent attacks and veiled threats of III