The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-08
From the PROVIDENCE journal.

From the PrON1uence Joufuei.
l~INcE Mr.. Shuster shook the dust
of Persia from his feet that un-
~ happy country has sunk into
condition which can scarcely be de-
scribed by Mr.. Clevelands overworked
phrase. It is being used" and not with
out hurt--at least to the Persians'
Russia is unquestionably finding the
situation profitable enough But II
seems little extraordinary that on
this side of the water, at least, we near
almost nothing of what is going on
There. We are compelled to judge BY
snippets of news, here a little and there
La little. which suggest the trend of
Persian affairs. That trend is. one re-
grets to perceive, In the direction OF
steady deterioration. The English gov
ernment stands supinely by while the
Russian tide creeps from all directions
over the all but submerged country
which 1t has marked for its own. For
merly one talked of the dominion or
Russia in the north; but today Russia
interferes when and where she pleases
and England neither dares--apparentiy
to object to Russian action where it
attacks with the manifest rights Of
that pitiful travesty which we call the
Persian government nor when it ac-
tually Injuries her own commercial in
terests.
England does not dare even to police
the neutral zone where number of
grave catastrophes have occurred,
owing to the general Feeling of law
lessness-- -engendered among the ire
sponsible tribesmen by the conscious
ness that the Persian government can
do nothing because it counts on the
co operation of the tribesmen in the
final step of overthrowing tho present
farce of independence; and the English
government is afraid to even protect
Its own subjects for fear Russia will
assert that it is thereby violating the
neutrality agreement. A more deplor-
able situation than that in which Per-
sia finds itself today could scarcely be,
Imagined And yet 1t is hard to say
whether. had England behaved IN
manner more consistent with her ira
ditions and more creditable to HERNIA
tional honor. anything more than q
temporary delay could have been given
to Russian plans. M
No, 1T seems clear that Persia has
had her last chance ITO maintain her
national entity and has lost it, 1t is
said that the mass Of the people do
not want the Meijliss and that they
would actually resent any attempt to
cause the Withdrawal OF the Russian
troops. Yet those same Russian troops
are more active in destroying the in
huence of Persian officials than in pro-
tecting the people from the bands of
wandering robbers who furnish them
with the ostensible reason for their
presence. The truth is that there are
some sincere and at least moderately
able would-be reformers among the
Persians; but they can do nothing I'M
the face of the ignorance, fanaticism
land utter Indifference of the mass OF
the people. There is abundant hope
for China because it has beeen shown
that, little as the people in the,interior
of China care how they are governed.
those who have the opportunity to
learn have developed an intense desire
to make their country great power.
but the Persians do not care 1t is
Ieasier to feel sympathy with the Turk,
who has fought SO desperately for his
country, even though he may deserve
lhis defeat, than with the Persian who,
though possessing many admirable
traits. is content to take the path of
Ileast resistance. M u
The question that presents itself most
forcibly to one who sees the hopeless
mess of optimism, SO far as the in
ltegrity; OF Persia is concerned is,Aof
course, what next? Is Great Britain
lactually going to continue to allow
Russia to take her trade away from
her and to conduct affairs In such a
fashion that the agents of her COM
lmerce have no guarantee Of safety in
1.-THE south of Persia or in the neutral
zone? There seems some reason to
lbelieve that in this direction there Will
he change. There have been re-.