Evening star., 1924-08-03

VOU can ride out of Teheran on a
to where the golden dome of Shah
Abdul-Azim shines in the bright sun
light Persia has been called the
most uncomfortable country in the
world for travellers. The carriers are
limited to donkeys and camels in most
places, even today. though Teheran
may now be reached by motor over
fair auto highway from kasr-i-
sherin, on the Irak frontier. through
was constructed as far as Hamadan by
the czar when Russia was competing
with Great Britain for the balance of
influence there, and the remainder up
to the frontier was completed by the
British military during the last few
years.
In the diary of Robert E. Speer.
who recently travelled over this Sec
ton of Persia, we find this interesting
picture of the comforts of travel:
''The snow had melted under the
warm brightness of the day and the
streets were the characteristic sea of
mud. We were in n post carriage, the
strongest we could discover in the
motley assortment in the posthouse
yard
'It was long journey Of $50 miles
on which. We were setting out. We
could change horses every three far
sakhs t(Zenophon's parasang), or IL
mites, but we would keep the same
carriage all the way through, and
there were long stretches Of the road
where there would be no possibility
of help or repair in case OF an acci-
dent. Its springs were wrapped with
rope and the front and rear wheels
were not set in a straight line. SO that
the body of the carriage tilted over
and at several jolts leaned against
the left rear wheel. All the grass
was gone from its windows, which
were boarded up with strips from
old packing boxes and with tin from
a case of Russian petroleum. Shreds
Of the blue upholstering OF a happier
day still clung to the roof. The pole
OF the carriage was a trimmed but
unpainted and crooked sapling. Our
luggage was hung in a rope sling
fastened to the rear springs and
axle" This conveyance lasted $50
miles.
Teheran is the center of Persia, not
only in those wholesome and neces-
sary ways which should characterize
the service Of a nations capital in
the national life, but also in the un-
wholesome ways which betray the
sickness Of the nation. 1t is much
the largest and finest city Of Persia.
beautifully situated on the northern
edge of a great plain, with noble
mountain range rising like a wall
behind 1t to the north and west, and
with the white peak of Demavend.
the highest mountain in Europe and
Asia west of the Himalayas, looking
down upon 1t.
The gaudy tiled gates of the city,
three on each of its four sides, are
tawdry and shabby. The streets are
pools of mud. Its oriental splendor
is a euphemism. 1t dominates the
life and drains away the substance
Of the rest Of Persia. The governors
Ind officials throughout the land are
largely Teheran men. who too often
had to buy their Office and then re-
coup out of any attainable revenues.
Roads, schools, hospitals, santa
ton, irrigation, Improvement of agri-
culture, all the main services which
are the duty of a state, are almost
or totally neglected even in Teheran
Itself. But the outlook is brighter.
OF
fifth time in nearly 20 years, rep
resents the surrender Of the shah's
absolutism and the establishment OF
a constitutional government
A member of the diplomatic corps
In Teheran recently remarked: There
Is no enterprise from which America
receives as much in honor and good
will and in respect for its national
character and in trust and confidence
as from the missionary enterprise"
Besides it's ecclesiastical enterprise,
it, conducts schools and hospital.
In, this mission-supported American
school for boys and others, for girls
there are nearly 500 pupils.
Y y x*
CINcE Persia adopted constitutional
- government in 1906, there has
been q great awakening among Mo-
hammedan women of this country
This awakening has found express
sion in the opening Of many girls
schools, notably in Teheran. The
government some five years ago
opened 10 free schools for girls in
Teheran.
A . second sign of awakening is
found in the publication OF four
newspapers for women. two Of which
are published in Teheran. and one of
them by the alumnae Of the mission
school for girls.
The third sign OF the times is dis
cerned in the anjomans, or societies.
several Of which exist In feheran.
Robert e. Speer and Russell Carter,