Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24
RUSSIA IN PERSIA.
Aggression That Stirs the Moslem NDf
the World.

From the London Leader.
| None who knows aught Of Persia and
the Persian people can regard with COM
placence the Russian advance into that
country. Nowhere else, save in China
can a national existence, as a separate
entity. be shown as in the case of Per
STA. Six centuries before the birth OF
Christ Persia was a nation; and though
since then she has experienced the most
wonderful vicissitudes. passed under the
dominion Of many different races-Greeks,
Parthfans and Arabs-such has been the
recuperative power of the people that 1t
has been able, always, to assert its indie
pendence eventually, and to remain a ma
ton. Even a change of faith-from that
of Zoroaster to that Of the Prophet
failed to subdue the Persian spirit, and
the new religion came to be asSimiiated
and Incorporated in the national character
In the same manner as the new rule Of a
foreign master.
But, whether it is to be another change
OF masters (fOr the Persian dynasty TODAY
Russia is again in Persia; and through
out the Moslem world, and particularly in
India, where large numbers OF Shia NOS
lens reside, there will be indignation and
alarm. 1t is absurd to suppose that the
Sunni MahOmetan-the Turks and the
Arabs are Sunnis. and most Of the Mos
lens in India-will fail to exhibit SYM
pathy with the MOslems Of Persia in this
hour of crisis.
At the time of the revolution, when the
ex-shah was deposed, and the Russian
troops crossed the border, the writer was
in northern India, and in a position to
gauge the feeling correctly of both Sunnis
and Shias. He can vouch for this-that
the Sunnis were as loud in their condem-
nation Of what they term Russian inter-
ference and aggression as their Shia
brethren.
Every Mahometan in India was, and is,
anxious that Persia should be allowed to
work out her own salvation" without for
eign interference, and this latest move by
Russia will. one fears, be taken as an at
tempt to subvert the independence OF
Persia and bring that ancient land and
people under an alien yoke. Already the
feelings Of Indian Moslems, as also the
feelings of -MoSlems elsewhere Gin Brit
ish Malaga, East Africa and Egypt. for
instance) have been vehemently exercised
by the Italian raid on Tripoli and the al
legged massacres of Arabs. The action
now taken by Russia In Persia will inten-
sify the Indignation which exists, and will
lend countenance to the Moslem idea that
the Christian powers are waging war OF
aggression all round on Mahometan ma
lions.
In the east today. as in the west CEN
turtles ago, nationality Is not the factor
that counts. It is religion; and in its re-
ligious phase the Russo-Persian question
is one Of peculiar danger for British
statesmen. If Persian Independence is
sacrificed, it appears as though this will
be with the consent Of the British govern
ment; and should that consent be given.
the consequences, as regards our empire
in the east, may be extremely grave.
The Russian aim and ambition is easily
understood. Russia has had her eye on
Persia for q long time: she means to get
there, II possible. That is why the Ma
hometans of India mistrusted the Anglo
Russian agreement. They argued that
Russia would not be content merely with
sphere of influence" In the north. His
tory corroborates their argument.