The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-06-29
VAR CAUSES HARD
TIMES lAPERS|A,
SAYS REPORT
Nuetral Nation Faces Bust
ness Crisis as Severe as II
People Were Actually En-
gagged in Conflict.


Thcran. Persia. June e.--Nnr In re-
sponsibie for hard times in Persia, al
though the country Ii neutral. husi-
ness and financial c0nditiors could
be no worse II Persia were the center
81 hostllities. Trade has been az a
s~tandstlli since the beginning Of the
war. The exchange rate II so unfa-
vorable that the silver kran. formerly
worth about ten cents. now brings
only about Gh 10 Z cents. The gov
ernment Is az its wits end In an cf-
fort to End money TO pay salaries to
government officials. There II an un-
precedentcd scarcity of silver coins.
and many w~ell-to-do citizens have
buried ala their savings. fearing the
uncertain times Of war.
Trade with foreign countries stop
ped at the outbreak Of war. Car
AVIAN routes are made dangerous and
risky by activity OF trlbesmen and
bandits. The usual large shipments
OF tobacco and opium have accord
ingly been stopped. with very serious
results 90 the considerable sections u
the community dependent on this
trade for their livelihood.
Financially Persia Is dependent up-
on Russia and England. the two
banks. one English and the other
Russian. are facing very serious din
cuities. The Russian government or
iginally prohibited exports OF petrol
cum and all sorts OF food supplies in
10 Persia. fearing thnt these commo-
dities might Indirectly reach Turkey.
This caused q sweeping rise In the
price Of petroleum. SUGAR. and other
things. The prohibition was aoolish-
ed some time later, n prices went
down again. bus not 20 their previous
level.
The Industrial centers where woven
fabrics. rugs silver aud leather were.
sword blades, -ourthenware and arti-
ties OF luxury are manufactured, are
all IN n state OF prostration. The
American dealers and agents have re-
ceived notices from al their clients In
England ana America that no further
imports are 10 be expected for q long
time.
The alliance between Russia and
England has caused much speculation
and alarm In Persia With only "a
limited acquaintance with the geo-
graphy and current history Of western
Europe. most Pcrsinns hfmped 20 the
conclusion hat the alliance must
nave some foundation if Persian nf
fairs. They soon found an explana-
ton, which is still generally accepted
The two great nations. this explains
ton AYERS. decided 10 put an end 20
their s%quabblcs over Persia by form
nix an alliance and dividing Persia
between them IN accordance with the
spheres Of Influence" established by
the convention Of 1907.
Accordingly. the Persian fympa-
thles naturally went In most cases to
Germany. The addition OF Turkey to.
the list OF comhatantz created "A tre-
mendous impression. more especially
upon the clSrgy. The German lega-
ton al Tehran fostcrsd this feeling
Of friendship toward Germany. Mat
tiers came lear crisis with the dis
covery of a plot TO murder the Rus
sian. French and Belgian ministers.
The plot failed only because Of "A pre-
mature explosion Of some bombs
which were 10 have been used.
Russian prestige suffered a further
set back soon afterward when Tabriz
and Urmla were temporarily occu-
pied by the Turks.
The handful of Rclglans residing In
Persia. most Of whom arc engaged
IN work na finance controllers and
customs officers, has also been the
subject Of popular animosity. ana on
one occasion nothing out the lucky
arrival OF a force Of "gendarmes un-
der a Swedish military me- saved
the finance controller AT Ispahnn from
violence,