'Administration Reports of the Persian Gulf, 1945 [-1946]' [‎24r] (58/414)

the streets but the local Fer&ians had mentally calculated
Day long before it arrived. This same attitude
governs their ceactions towards propoganda. There are some
who contend that the Persians made up their minds long ago that t*
the Allies would win the war therefore it was waste of time and
money preaching to the converted. Shiraz has a reading room whi
?/hich is fairly well frequented by idlers, it broadcasts news
from loudspeakers. It arranges window displays and publicity
material, it provides a counter for the sale of English and
other publications, it handles films and newsreels, it doles
out articles for the local press but one may well doufet
whether the organisation in its present form has not outlived
its usefulness and whether films, books Journals and newspapers
might not now be handled in purely commercial circles, the
distribution of press articles remain with the consulate and
the cultural activities that remain be taken over by the
British Oouncil. In view of the remoteness of the war in
the "Par East and of the complete lack of Persian interest in
these operations it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep
alive the daily news summary distributed by the Consulate.
16. The British Institute in Shiraz has made excellent
progress and would make still more if it could expand its
premises and obtain more United Kingdom staff.
1? . The American Advisers have not had a very hapr^y passage.
The Military Adviser left for the United States in June and has
not been replaced. The Province has seen two American
financial Advisers both of whom have been entirely in the hands
of their rascally interpreters.. The first adviser was
commonly held to be not only in the hands of but also &and in
glove with his interpreter.
18. The number of British officers in the province has
declined rapidly. Only one is now employed on grain collect
ion, and it is understood that his retention in ^hiraz is merely
a matter v of administrative convenience connected with his
impendingdemobllisation. The officer attached to the road
transport department and both the liaison officers have gone
and only two"junior Intelligence Corps officers remain. It
looks as if the consulate in Shiraz will soon revert to its
pre-war establishment of Consul one Indian Fro-Consul and
one Persian translator and that its work and influence and its
grasp of the local situation will be proportionately reduced.
!
19 The period under review ended with the three leading
figures of Ears all flying at one another's throaths or at
least % avam ul Mulk and Hasir qashqai flying at the throat
of the Governor-General. The fact remains however that the
spring migration of the tribes passed entirely without incident
security was well assured, progress was made in the material
welfare of the province and the activities of ^avam ul Mulk
did not provoke the Hessians to intervene in Fars on a scale
greater than that of their existing assistance to the
virtually negligible local Tudeh Party. Shiraz Consular Diary
apart, the affairs of ITars have scarcely received mention in
any summary or review that deals with Persia and this fact
is its own comment on situation.
3d/ E.G. J jenrs
British Consulate, Shiraz,
July 25th, 1945.