Evening star., 1942-03-07
The Iruniun Rood


more and more a struggle of COM
municationS. That is especially true
OF the United Nations, operating on
exterior lines and hence vitally de-
pendent on far-flung supply routes.
Just now, attention is riveted on the
sea lane from America to Australia,
while we are forced to accept the
closing. of the highway into China
from beleaguered Burma known as
the Burma road and anXiouSly await
the completion of an alternative
highway into China from Northern
India.
Less in the headlines, but of almost
equal Importance, is another great
transportation project in the Middle
East. This is the combined rail and
highway system across Iran for
merly Persia from the Persian Gulf
to the Caspian Sea and the borders
of Soviet Russia. And it is of eSpe-
cial interest to know that it is being
handled largely by American en-
gineerS and with American equip
ment and supplies.
The core of the project is the
railway built by the former Shah
Rehza Pahlevi across his hitherto
inaccessible country, which runs
from the port of Bandar Shahpur at
the head of the Persian Gulf to
Teheran, the capital, in Northern
Iran. Thence, spurs run to the port
of Bandar Shah. on the Caspian Sea,
and to kazvin, in the opposite direc-
ton, on the way to Russian Trans
caucasia. That line is now being
extended some 100 miles to connect
with a spur of the Russian railway
system, though the gauges do not
match. Meanwhile, the entire Iran
ian railroad is being amplified with
numerous Sidings and double track
age where conditions permit. This
is a difficult operation, because the
line crosses mostly mountainous
country, with innumerable tunnels
and bridges along the way. Never
theless, recent report stated that
the railways small capacity had
more than doubled since the Anglo
Russian occupation of Iran some
months ago, and that another dou-
bling of capacity was projected
during the coming year.
A further problem has been the
bottleneck presented by the port of
Bandar Shahpur, which cannot ac-
commodate many vessels. Nearby
on the Persian Gulf, however, are
the Iranian ports of Khorram Shahr
and Abadan, with the even more
modernized port of Basra, just across
the frontier Of Iraq. All these ports
have been linked with the Iranian
railway by motor roads, while spur
tracks are being laid The growing
communications network Is being
further amplified by an improvement
of the historic caravan route from
Bushire on the Persian Gulf via
Shiraz and ISfahan in Central
Persia to the capital. Though longer
than the railroad, that road runs
through easier country and may be-
come major truck route.
All in all, Iran is rapidly being
developed into major supply line
for Soviet Russia. And. unlike Muir
mansk or Archangel, it is climatic
ally suited for year-round use. Up to
now it has been safe from Axis inter-
ference. But the capture of Singapore
and the invasion of Java raise the
menace Of Japanese sea power in the
Indian Ocean. Physically, there is
nothing to prevent japanese cruisers
and long-range submarines from
attacking the sea lanes into the
Persian Gulf from both South Africa
and India The threat would become
still more menacing if the Vichy gov
ernment should yield to reported
Axis pressure and turn over to the
japanese the excellent naval base
at Diego Suarez on the Vichy-con-
trolled island of Madagascar, which
lies halfway up the East African
coast.
Thus does the struggle for COM
munication lines become ever more
complex. The globe is literally criss-
crossed with these competing, routes
of supply, which must be zealously
guarded from destructive enemy
attacks. The difficulties increase
rapidly. But the stakes are vital. and
the problems somehow must be
solved.