Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-08
U. OF P. STUDENT
PROM PERSIA FEARS
RUIN OF HIS COUNTRY
Hassam Musa Believes Foreign
Domination Threatens An
cient Land With Bel
GUMS Fate
RUSSIANS AND ENGLISH

Hassam Musa, a student in the whar-
| ton School of the University of Penn
! sylvanla, said today that the neutrality
| of his native country, Persia, has been
| repeatedly violated by three of the war
! ring nations, and It Is because Persia
fears she might become the Belgium OF
western Asia that she has remained
passive while Turkish and Russian
troops have crossed her northern terri
tory. fought battles upon her soil, de-
vastated her resources and occupied her
cities. England, too. has taken possess
sion of certain additional territory in
the south OF Persia since the war began,
Mr.. Musa said today, and, in his opinion,
the only reasons Germany, France and
Italy and Austria have not invaded Per-
sa is because her territory has not been
accessible to their troops from any point
of strategical advantage.
Mr.. Musa. who is In his fourth year as
n student in the University of Pennsyl-
vania, whore he is taking a course in
political history and economy, is the son
Of the Governor General Of a Persian
province and one of the many young
Persians who for the last 10 years. have
been sent to universities in Europe and
the United States, that they might re- |
turn home imbued with western ideas in |
art, science and professional and business |
pursuits, with which, through schools |
and colleges, they might instruct their |
countrymen. |
PERSIA A BONE OF CONTENTION.
Speaking today of the situation in his
native land, Mr.. Musa said; LAS most
people know, Persia has been the butt
OF long-eXisting conflict between Rus !,
sia and England, each seeking supremacy
over the other, and it was only in 1912
that my country became a party to the
convention of August 81
l'V', by which each of the two contend
ing powers agreed to Confine its political
and commercial operations to definite re-
gions not overlapping and Persia agreed
TO respect conditions of forced occupa-
lion.
Russian interests have been largely
confined to the north, where the Caspian
sea and the Russian Empire form our
boundary, and English interests to the
south, touching upon Indian territory
one of the articles of this Anglo Rus
nan convention was to the effect that IL
the independence of Persia
or all time, and delivered the country
rom rear of any foreign intervention by
1ther nations. History shows whether
Or not the first clause of this article has
'een respected in which connection, II is
'igniiicantly pertinent to touch upon the
lihlculties that involved the administra-
ion Of w. Morgan Shuster as financial
dNlser TO Persia, and made him, in his |
ontroversies with Russian and England !
\ 1911, a conspicuous figure in interna- /
ional politics. !
Since this convention of 1907, Russian
nd English troops have occupied our
and in the opinion of many OF .
ny countrymen, prevented Iran, (Which
the Persian name for Persia) from |
laking Advancement upon all lines of =
lvilization. We were just emerging from :
he yoke OF absolutism that had existed !
I
ieas of our younger and progressive men
ere impossible of execution under the
'lnt domination of Russia and England II
We would like to work out our own v
estiny and we think we could, IL we i
ere not hampered by western nations I
no impose their governmental methods /
pom us under the guise of a protector Il
te. We hope somehow to be able event a
ally to bring this about, and it is with L
lat idea in view that / am one of the
any young Persians who have been sent &
western universities, that we might o
'molne, upon our return home, these II
cas- with the knowledge we have of the
of our countrymen.
I'VE are very fearful this condition will
much retarded. no matter who wins | -.
e present war, and we look with con- y
rn at the increased invasion of our -
untry since 1t began. y
DEVASTATED BY TURKS. F
Turkey has sent an army through our n
'rthem territory and devastated it, The u
lrks occupied the city of Tabriz and u
ught several battles with Russian "
oops, driving them into Russia Then q
o Russians returned, strongly REIN
reed, and defeating the Turks, drove
EN- back to their own boundary line. Is
ow the Turks have returned, and the
suit is that the entire north of my coun-
y Is in the hands of rival invaders. who,
rough the right of might, remain and
sorb the resources of the north, let
one pursuing a policy of dictation ana L.
We are pOwerless to prevent
is, and even II We Were strong, could not
pect to cope with these powerful ma
ms to successful end. We fear very
lch that If we made any determined re-
stance according to our ability, our
untry would be wiped out and be re-
ced TO the lot of unhappy Belgium.
ulyl the lot OF Persia. from present in i