Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30

And as such Francks continued. Maj
Cochran was summoned and acted as
Francks guide. The inspection was a
hurried one, Francks said. but every
one saw to it that he got the most out
of his short visit.
Commanding officers were reused out
Of bed to answer his questions. He was
rushed around from one battery to an
other. Maps were placed at his dis
poSal. Messengers were dispatched for
additional information The wanted.
Summaries were typed Off for him to
take along and full reports promised
the following day.
Then he was escorted to the next
section of the line and handed over
to other officers who did as well by
him as their neighbors. In this way
he worked through the night until he
found himself not far from the end of
the line
Meanwhile Maj Cochran on reflec-
ton discovered that he had made a
slip in some of the calculations he had
prepared for the inspecting officer"
Greatly disturbed, he telephoned
ahead to get Capt. Stenwick" on the
wire for rectification of the error
He was having difficulty finding him.
When last seen Capt. Stenwick" had
asked his escort to excuse him for
moment" That moment seemed to be
extending indefinitely.
Maj. Cochran then rang UP Col. Sims
and began explaining why. Col. Sims
cut him short.
Maj. Cochranl never heard of a
Capt Stenwick and certainly haven't
spoken to you since our conversation
about your delayed report. Furthermore
know of no one who is on inspection
tour at this moment. You will at once
ring up G. H. @. and investigated
Maj. Cochran lost no time. And
what he heard from @. H. @. set the
whole line in an uproar.
But by that time Maj. Francks was
safe on his own side of the fence.
And much as the British modified
their big push" though the outlay Of
effort was big, the push" did not gee
very far.
BEFORE the war and up to its out
break there was stationed at Blu
shire on the Persian Gulf young Ger
man consul by the name of WasSmuSS
Germany had been working to extend
It's influence in Persia: so, among other
nations, was Great Britain. And 1t was
Wassmuss job to make Germany liked
by the Persians and Great Britain dis
liked. Until the war came his Job was
fairly agreeable one. Most of it con-
sisted OF giving many and gorgeous
receptions at the consulate to We -iorS
Persian tribal headmen and dignitarieS
With German thoroughness, aided by
generous appropriations from his home
Office. WasSmuss went in for entertain
ing the natives.
Although only in his tWenties, Wass-
Su w
enough to acquire so thorough knowl-
edge OF the country, its language and
dialects, its manners and idiosyncrasies,
that he could easily have taught many
natives things about their own land
ShoWerlng gifts and good times on the
one hand and showing profound in
sight and sympathy with the Persians
on the other made Wassmuss-a
through him his country-quite popular
especially throughout southern Persia
Nevertheless, until the war broke out
there was little outstanding about
WaSsmuSS, the individual The moment
you saw him you knew him for a Ger
man civil servant. Rather short and
bit corpulent, round bald head, round
blunt features, round blue humorlesS
eyes behind large Spectacles. WassmuSs,
as chief figure of spy romance in the
Orient, would have been astonishing no
less so to himself than to others.
For a while he was able at his job
signally able-his success was less due
to individuality than to the system, the
German diplomatic service, whose poll
cies and technique he carried out.
Then the world exploded into war
and Wassmuss' job changed overnight.
It's emphasis shifted to making the
Persians cordially dislike the British. |
Now the British had kept up a more
than paternal interest In Persia. Aside
from its intrinsic value, it's situation so
near to India and Mesopotamia made
it important for Great Britain to see
that no other European country gained
strategic position there.
Into Persia, therefore. marched Brit
iSh troops, and more troops; and Wass-
muss, as the representative of Germany,
had to decide which he wanted to do:
remain as representative of Germany
or make an undignified exit.
The regulation thing to do was to
leave, as scores of his fellow consuls did
elsewhere. Until that time 1t was Wass-
muss' nature to do the regulation thing. |
His superiors would have accepted his |
return to Germany as matter of
routine.
But for WaSSmuSS the situation In