Evening star., 1914-11-22
NIECE OF PERSIAN CHARGE DAFFAlRES is FIRST
NATIVE NOBl BlEWON0AN TO VISIT UNITED STATES

! which Miss Banou possesses for this sort
| of needleWork.
| She confesses that, being city girl,
| she has not devoted much time to weav-
| ing the beautiful oriental rugs so closely
! associated in name with her country. She
! has, however, made Il study OF patterns
and the art of weav ng and would be able
| to give her attention to this line OF en-
plovment with interest and profit were 1T
| not for the fact that she is following
| other aims.
| When asked if she were accomplished
| in music or any of the arts. she hur-
riedly answered in the negative: and the
| interviewer was informed that IN Persia
men and women of a separate class are
trained to be professional performers ana
| never any persons but these are seen
performing in company. Furthermore, II
is the custom for man and woman mu-
sicians or dancers to per.orrn only for
| their own sex.
| because of the very careful seclusion
i Of the feminine sex, which this custom,
| as well az many others. indicates, 1t is
| obvious that Persian women are interest
ed but slightly in athletics. In fact. Nile.
Banou said that only two sports are IN
dulged to any extent. These are horse
back riding and target shooting She
I admits that she is not an expert rifle
woman, but she says that she does ride
horseback and enjoys it.
| Miss Banou was eager to tell about
the life of Persian girls of today.
perience," she declared. and it is the
result of the introduction of the new
ideas of the modern world into their
life Our girls go through the modern
courses of study which their mothers
| did not follow. and they have thus a
new attitude toward themselves and
their responsibility in the world. We
have young girls who are writing
articles for our papers and magaz nes
They are Informed on matters per
tanning to the public welfare, and do
not hesitate to exert their influence
with the men of their families to bring
about the reforms that they think will
help conditions in Persia. We have al
ready brought about many changes and
as an evidence of our growth IN
democracy we can point to our parlia-
ment as the biggest step in the break
from old monarchical conventions.
of course, women in Persia are much
to the American girl. because we are
| so closely cut off from activity in pub
lie by the rigid distinction of our sex.
1t would not be possible for us to go
out and occupy public positions. All
the reforms that we effect must be done
through study and reading among our
selves and influence with our man rela-
tives.
| I'm Persia" Mile. Banou went on to
say. this is comparatively easy pro-
cedure for the ideals of the mother
or the wife are the ideals of the house,
hold A Persian man bows with unerring
respect TO the sentiments OF MS WlIe
| or mother Because We have this atti-
ture our plans are generally simplfied
and our ideas easily carried out.
The Shah of Persia is also an asset
to all of our modern movements. He is
young and open-minded. His education
| has been broad and he is constantly
| striving to know more about everything.
He Is democratic. well, and attended
| a school at court since his young boy
! hood where his associates were chosen
| from all classes of boys. His advisers
| today are Persians with university de-
grees from European colleges, and he
is always consulting with them and hav-