The Washington herald., 1911-08-29
SEEKING PERSIA'S THRONE

plot secretly once more to regain his
throne as Shah of Persia, which he lost
when the revolt establishing a constitu-
tional government drove him into exile.
That his plotting in a manner has been
successful is evidenced by the fact that
he has re-entered old Iran and is march.
ing upon Shiraz at the head of an armed
force Of Turkomans, the feared warriors
of the desert. who acknowledge neither
Lord nor government, actually threaten
ing Teheran. his former capital. despite
the unpleasant news that the Persian
cabinet has offered a prize of about $780,
900 on his head. The best proof of the
j importance of the present Persian gov
ernment lies in the fact that Mohammed
AN, the ex-Shah, continues his forced
march right into the very heart of his
former empire. There have been re-
ports that he has been assassinated by
the hostile tribesmen OF the Elbrux Noun
tains, but at this writing this has not
been confirmed.
| At beautiful but ever-seething Odessa,
the former ruler found many sympa-
| thizers, and was augmented by political
refugees from Persia who had been eX-
| lied owing to their reactionary tenden-
| Cies. but his real strength lay in Persia
itself which for two years past has been
a boiling political battle of unrest, be-
| meath which are burning the fires OF
| foreign intrigue.
In reality. Persia to-day plays an i'm
pOrtant part in international politics and
! the worlds peace. Russia and Great Brit
| ain both have made that unfortunate land
| their political dueling ground, the re-
giOn where the conflicting interests Gr
| these two great powers some day are
bound to be brought to a focus. Each is
| determined to gain an outlet at the Gulf
| OF Persia. Perhaps the Lion and the
| Bear would have made short process and
used the rebellion in Persia to divide Il
between them. But that is just what
| England tries to avoid Being a next
door neighbor to Russia would mean the
/ massing of a large army on the newly
created frontier. For this very reason
! Afghanistan to-day still enjoys her indie
pendence and integrity. and China was
given the chance Of renewing her almost
obsolete suzerainty over Tibet.
ANY movement on the part Of the
! British to invade Persia from the south
Uhe Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf),
would offer an excuse for Russian in
vasion from the north. and this same
English policy OF hands off. which aided
so greatly in the establishment Of a
constitutional government in Persia, ties
England's hands against the invasion by
Mohammed Ali
BY the agreement of 1907 between Rus |
sia and England the formers sphere of
influence covers the northern third of
Persia, the latter's the southeastern !
region. This agreement places no restric- |
tiODs on any of the other powers. We
have seen Germany's progress in Asia !
Minor; her disappointment in finding no |
outlet on the Persian Gulf for the Euph- |
rates Railroad, as the logical terminus |
had come under British Jurisdiction since |
the commencement OF the construction I
of the line Thus the attention Of this |
energetic nation has turned to Persia, |
whose markets her merchants are seek |
ing. while her bankers are looking for |
railway and banking concessions: be- |
sides this, Germany has erected excel !
lent nOn-missiOnary schools in different |
Persian cities Thus it will be seen that |
the government is handicapped by Op- |
position from within-the merchants and |
the priesth Ood (the latter fearing a loss |
OF power with the advent OF enlightened |
methodsD-and from without, as we'll as
by a lack of funds with which to sup
port a much needed army. The new |
constitution is supported by few OF the !
tribesmen, but II is backed by the edu-
Gated classes, who lack a strong leader. |
as the former are opposed to all progress.
The present Shah is but a boy. He
is about fourteen years of age, and |
the reIns of the government are in the
hands of a regent. who selects the
prime minister. thus deciding the poll
icy of the government. Teheran is
fortified city of some 100000 souls. 1t is
the home of the boy Shah and the great
garrison town of Persia. 1t has been
the scene OF many bloody conflicts and
political plots. The great gun square
into which lead four of the principal
thoroughfares through tiled portals
and at the eastern end of which
is the Imperial Bank Of Persia an
English institution. was the scene of
the severest fighting three years ago.
A few streets to the south are the
grounds and palaces that harbor the
present Shah and his court. Not far to
the east is the Parliament building. the
existence of which is doomed should
Mohammed Ali meet with success Te-
heran lies in a large valley, the near
est mountains lying to the north some
nine miles distant. Persian artillery
is limited in its long range effective
ness, so that by throwing up fortifica-
IlOuS IN ADDITION 10 the existing huge
walls about the city a determined de-
fense should be hard to overcome
The only frst-class troops in the
Persian army are the Persian Cossack
regiments. trained by Russian officers,
and who have been inspired by them
with a reactionary spirit. 1t was this
body which remained loyal to Mohammed
Ali to the last in his fight to regain
his throne. In all probability these
Cossacks will go over to him in his
present attempt to regain 1t. This
would leave the Parliament in a de-
plorable state of defenselessness. since
the rest of the Persian army cannot be
depended upon.
1t is expected that the Mohammed Ali,
who is massing his contingent in the
Businesses of the Elburz Mountains, will
divide his forces, one to approach Te-
heran from the east, while the other
Is to fall upon the capital from the
hilly plateau to the north. This troop
will pass through Tarjiss, Darband. and
Sbimaron, beautiful rose-embowered
suburbs, where the wealthy inhabitants
of the capital city reside and where the
American, British, Russian, and other
European legations are domiciled. The .
Parliament has-sent its most capable {
soldier. Gen. Ifrain, to seek and to de-
feat Mohammed ALI But should the lat