Evening star., 1924-07-23
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

a. was his son Hossin. who, after
Hasan, became cAliph. aoseln was
killed in the interest OF Ye7Ad. son OF
Abu Bekr. and thus was restorsH ine
Upon that issue rests the schtsm of
Mohammedanism. and the two sscts
despise each other with ~ much
hatred as both show toward Chns-
tian unbelievers.
There are many holy places"
throughout Moslem lands. In Teheran
there Is a holy well, or fountain"
where 1t Is said some miracle was
performed in the ages past. 1t was
there that the American tragedy oc-
Cured. when Maj. Imbre undertook
to photograph the women and men
at worship.
The Shiites are not quite so strict
concerning the making Of pictures Of
human beings or of mosques and holy
places as are the Sunnites. This may
be demonstrated by noting in Persian
rugs crude weavings OF images of
men, which are never found In Turk
ish or Arabian rugs. Unbelieyers.
duly sandaled, are admitted into Per-
sian, but never into Turkish, mosques.
But there Is no laxness amongst
either Shiite or Sunnite Moslems as
TO pnotogrdphlng women.
X X 4
Persia has been struggling against
great national obstacles for many
years. The population is estimated
at about 100000. largely cut up
into nomadic tribes. The country has
few modern improvements-nog good
roads, no railroads, telephones, cleo
trio lights or plumbing. In recent
years an effort has been made to
establish some public schools, but
illiteracy Is the rule, not the excep-
tion.
obliged by the people to proclaim
adherence to constitutional, instead
OF an absolute, monarchy, and, since
then the country has been governed
by a premier and responsible minis
try elected by a parliament
Graft in taxes and customs duties
and in public expenditures has been
so rampant that national bankruptcy
has been almost chronic, in spite
OF the efforts of the ministry and
reorganize the finances.
In 1911 the government appealed
to neutral America to send an expert
TO stralghten out its. finances. and
PreSldent Tart sent commission,
headed by w. Morgan Shuster These
experts became Persian oficials. Mr..
Shuster becoming treasurer general,
with absolute power, paramount
above that of the minister of finance,
to reorganize taxes and tariffs and
control all disbursements.
Mr.. ShuSters work was brilliantly
successful, and in less than one year
he had so eliminated graft and col
lected taxes that he converted a de-
ficit into a surplus. in spite of an
unsuccessful invasion by the ex-Shah,
brother of the reigning Shah. But
then Russia and Great Britain inter-
vened and Mr.. Shuster was compelled
to resign. These two countries are
charged with seeking their own in
terests and, by mutual agreement,
undertaking to establish two zones
OF influence" contrary to the inter
Monarchists OF independent Persia
Two years ago Persia again ap-
pealed to America for help in
Strengthening out her finances Dr.
A c. Millspaugh of our State Depart
ment, with a staff of specialists, was
sent and still exercises even fuller
power over finances than had been
accorded Mr.. Shuster.
A movement to overthrow the mon
archy and form a republic, with
Prime Minister Reza Khan as Presi-
dent, was announced early this year,
but abandoned last March on the
ground that the masses of the people
were not yet competent for self
government in a republic The Shah
and the government is left in the
hands OF Reza Khan and Parliament,
much harassed by foreign intrigue
fCopyrirht 1924 nv P,uI v coJI;ns,