The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-25
Iran Enjoys
NeWEraOf
Progress
By James T. Williams, Jr.


CURED on April Is, 1926, marked
new era in the history Of one
of the oldest and most gifted
peoples in the world.
During the last twenty-five
hundred years the Iranians have
many times been overwhelmed
and nearly exterminated by for.
eign invaders. Under the inspira-
ton of some great leader, how.
ever, the national spirit "has
risen Phoenix-like from the ashes"
Reza Shah is the latest of these.
Among the galaxy Of great
leaders illustriouS in the history
of Iran have been Cyrus, Darius,
Xerxes, Chosroes and Shah Alb
bas who ruled in the time Of
Queen Elizabeth. Reza Shah Is
the first great ruler since Nadir
Shah, who freed his country
from the Afghan occupation and
invaded India 200 years ago.
From valued reader of this
page, who has spent many years
in Iran, and is not only an au-
thority on the history of the coun.
try but also an understanding
friend of her people, comes this
timely information which throws
new light upon the significance
of the anniversary Iran is cele-
brating this month:
"T am q soldier simple
sOIdier-and love my job Thus
the dynamic ruler Of modern
Iran described himself several
years ago in one of his rare
interviews with a representative
of the press. Son and grandson
of fighting men, ReZa Shah pre-
served the family tradition by
entering the army at an early
age. In 1900, at the age Of ~,
he Joined the Iranian COssack
Brigade, where his brilliant tai
ents were soon recognized.
"The test came early in 1921.
Iran, although a neutral in the
World War, had been Overrun
by Russian, Turkish and Brit
ish troops. Brigandage and
tribal diSaffectiOn were rampant
and the government was totally
unable to cope with the situa-
ton"
On February %. 1921, as our
correspondent recalls, Reza Shah
(then Col, Reza Khan staged his
famous march from Kazvin on
Teheran. Accompanied by only 3
few hundred men, he overthrow
the government, set up a new gov.
eminent with himself as Minister
Of War.
He became Prime Minister the
next year and in 1925, In the alb
Sence of Ahmad Shah Kajar, then
in Europe, Reza Khan abolished
the Kajar dynasty and became
Regent.
Turning his attention first to
disturbed conditions in the coun-
try he organized well-disciplined
army and used it to stamp out
brigandage and break down the
feudal power of tribal chieftains.
With the aid of an American
financial mission. a new fiscal
system was established, corrup-
ton curbed, tax collection en-
forced, a national bank set UP,
and receipts and expenditures
balanced.
This was the second time that
Iran had turned to the United
States for financial guidance,
the earlier effort of Morgan
Shuster having suddenly ter1ni-
mated under Russian dictation.
conomic improvements too
many to enumerate followed.
They included:
The building of new roads:
the beginning of the construc.
ton of a railroad from the Cas-
plan Sea to the Persian Gulf;
the starting of modern textile
and sugar factories using do
nestle raw materials, and vigor.
Gus encouragement of agriculture.
Social reforms have included
the revamping of civil law in or.
der to do away with abuses sane
toned by religious law, and the
hated CapitulationS, which gave
foreigners special legal privileges
were abolished.
Public education was encour-
aged by a great increase in the
number of secondary schools and
the establishment of a teachers
college. and a university, and the
sending of more than a thousand
students to study abroad.
The powerful hold of Russia
in the north and Great Britain
in the south has been broken and
Iran now deals with these coun-
tries on the basis of equality in
pursuance of Reza Shah'S success
full foreign policy.
Mission schools and hospitals,
some of which were established
more than a hundred years ago,
constitute the chief American In
tereSt in IRAN. The fact that the
United States has never partici-
pated in intrigueS against Iranian
integrity as have certain European
powers is not overlooked by the
Iranians.
The latest American contribu.
ton to Iran was the remarkable
excavations being conducted by
the Oriental Institute of the Uni
versity of Chicago at the Achae-
menian Palace of PersepohS,
which was burned during the
invasion by Alexander the Great.
"Reza Shah at the age of So
Is still in vigorous health" writes