The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-09-22
A PICTURESQUE FIGURE


One OF the worlds N )st pictur-
asque figures passed OF the inter.
Iational stage and a new question
mark hurtled into the military sit.
,ation in the Middle East when
Ria Pahlevi, Shah of Iran, turned
his abdication and climbed down
from the peacock throne OF ancient
Persian morarchs.
For more than Is years Ria
Pahlevi has been the whole works
in Iran for better or for worse,
usually the latter. He ruled his
huge domain OF mountains, deserts
and oil wells with a hand OF iron.
With his hand removed from the
helm Of the ship of state the Iran
ian army and police may be in the
process of disintegration
II revolt should sweep Trans
100000 turbulent tribesmen.
British and Russian forces OF oc-
cupation might be faced with
tremendous campaign TO keep open
Trans vital routes OF transit for
British and American munitions TO
the hard pressed Red army.
One OF the hardb bitten group of
soldiers OF fortune and profes-
sional revolutionaries swept into
power by the tides OF the World
War OF 1914-ls. Ria Shah was
second to none in color and pic
U-esque characteristics.
In 1919 he was an unknown and
almost illiterate captain in one Of
Persia's cavalry regiments. Then
be was discovered" by Colonel
r. T.-Smythe. Of the British Middle
East staff, who had him promoted
10 the command OF a regiment In
three years he was prime minister
and before three years more had
passed he had made himself SUI
preme autocrat OF all Persia.
The feature that gave Ria
Pshlevi much OF his outstanding
color was his unique blending OF
the new and the old. Equal OBJ
jects Of his admiration were Mus
tapa Kemail ultra modern die
tator who streamlined the Turks,
and Darius the great, historic Per
sian monarch who lived hundreds
OF years before Christ
In patriotic emulation OF the
latter he changed the name Of his
country from Persia 10 Iran, the
after being the ancient pronuncia-
ION Of Aryan, from a tribe Of
Shich people Darius was supposed
TO have been descended. Ria
Pahlevi also added to the modern
title Of Shah the ancient Persian
kingly appellations OF king OF
kings. shadow Of the almighty, vics-
regent OF God and center OF the
universe"
Although his titles we're ancient
and his court etiquette something
that reminded beholders OF Biblical
times, Ria Shah's administration
was l0J per cent modern. His
first act on assuming kingship was
to build himself a secret police
force that was combination Of
the more striking features OF the
OGPU and the Gestapo. Later
ne modernized the Iranian army.
hlling its higher ranks with Of
,icers devoted 10 his personal in.
terest. Then he went into high
gear.
Police force. army and a. horde
OF tax CATERERS went 10 work at
once. Ria Shah proclaimed that
It was his intention 10 suppress
Persia's' ancient feuds, some OF
which were more than 1000 years
old. He did this, and in the
process confiscated all OF the &C.
cumulated treasure OF the feuding
tribes. II is said that nearly all
this wealth found its way into the
pockets Of the Shah.
. Then he turned on his former
British friends and held them up
for vast increases in their royal
ties on oil, amounting to $4,000
600 a year in recent times. Ap-
rarertly Ria got most OF it. With
growing prosperity his autocratic
tendencies increased. All Persians
who passed the king we're obliged
TO stop and salute. Even jockeys
engaged in cross-country races.
When the present war broke
out. Ria Pahlevi tried 10 play
both ends against the middle. as
was usual for him. PROCESSING
friendship for all. he permitted
Nazi penetration OF his country
by experts" while at the same
time he harbored Jerusalenis Mo
hammedan Grand Mufti and has
enid Ali Gallant. rebels against
British rule. Englands middle
cast authorities tolerated this fol-
awhile. but the present desperate
need for a route TO Russia's back
door brought federation 10 an end
Important thing that remains
to be seen is whether the stahi
abdicstion will mean a lapse int
general civil war and large seal,
feuding. Iran is as big as the por
OF the United States east of Chi
osgo and north OF the Ohio River
To police such a territory woult