Evening star., 1936-04-22
BY BLAIR ROLLES.

The United States Bureau OF Gus
| toms today ordered one of its New
York agents to check the customs
declarations of M H. Ghods, the last
of the Shah of Trans ENJOYS to the
United States.
The current auction sale in Wash
ington of 153 items from the collec-
ton of artistic treasures of the for
mer charge d'affaires of the kingdom
beyond the Euphrates prompted the
inquiry.
Nine days before the auction began,
Ghods himself sailed for Asia and his
capital city of Teheran. Less than
four months ago he arrived in Amer
ica for the first time, and with him,
according to A. A. Kiachef, his New
York agent, he brought the works OF
art now being offered at public sale.
Included in the auction are l44,656
square feet Of valuable hand-loomed
rugs and carpets of various famous
Persian types, dutiable under ordinary
circumstances at S72,32325 at the
least. The tariff on such articles is
SO cents square foot, or As per cent
ad valorem, whichever basis Of COM
putation will permit the Government
to collect the higher levy.
Few Used in Home.
Like all diplomats from nations
which reciprocate the favor, however,
Ghods was privileged to bring into this
country duty-free his baggage and
effects" The word effects" has be-
come almost all-inclusive with the
Treasury Department, which now
classes even automobiles under that
category.
The Customs Bureaus interest was
aroused when it developed that ap-
parently only 26 of the items now
listed for sale we're ever used in Ghods'
home, the Iranian Legation, at 2315
Massachusetts, avenue.
The young diplomat came to Amer
lea in January few weeks after the
Elkton incident, which raised an in
ternational furore when Ghaffar
Djalal, Iranian Minister, protested to
the State Department at the disregard
of his diplomatic immunity from ar
rest when he was halted for speeding
In March DjaIal was recalled and
few weeks later the Shah, whose low
exchequer, as we'll as his pride, were
pinched by keeping diplomats in the
United States, ordered Ghods, serving
at his first major foreign service post,
to return to Teheran.
Made Arrangements for Sale.
The legation, where Ghods lived and
supposedly was to use whatever house.
hold effects he brought through the
customs, is manned now by a small
coterie of caretakers, while the Am
bassador of Turkey manages the Of
fetal diplomatic business of the un-
represented Shah of Iran.
In the latter days of March, when
he already had his orders to return
to Iran, Ghods made preparations to
sell his valuables.
The original plan was to dispose
of the merchandise in New York
through Kiacheff, who does business
at 10 West Thirty-third street in the
name of Persian Industries Corp,
Importers and Exporters"
Kiacheff Is interested in rugs, the
decorative arts, raw materials and
antiques, according to his stationery,
which gives his cable address at Per-
sindcop.
Decided Capital Better Spot.
After Ghoos' possessions had all
been gathered in New York, however,
1t was decided Washington would be
better spot for the sale, and nego-
tiations were opened with Benjamin
S. Bell, who heads the Washington
Art Galleries. auction rooms at 722
Thirteenth street.
1t was stipule+c' very positively by
Ghods and K at there should
be no hint { cation that any
OF the goods belonged to the Iran
Legation or the government Of Iran.
Early in April, Ghods was advanced
$500 on the goods he was Offering for
sale and on April II he left this coun-
try. The day before, Kiacheff wrote
Bell this description of the consign-
ment being shipped by moving van:
Thirteen bales Of rugs and four