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in administrative services. It has not yet been submitted to the Shah, who is not
likely to accept it willingly in its present form.
45. As first step towards reform certain measures have been taken. The
useless but costly Staff College has been abolished; some twenty-two officers of the
rank of colonel and above, notorious for their inefficiency or corruption, have been
put on the retired list; the training of recruits for the troops in the capital has
been centralised under American supervision; supply, clothing and pay are also
in process of being centralised under American control, but progress is slow, due
to the prevailing corruption and the shortage of American staff. Some attempt
is being made to check corruption, several notorious officers having been removed
from their posts, but the disease is now so firmly established that military courts
cannot be induced to convict even in flagrant cases.
46. Some handicaps from which the army was suffering have been removed
by the arrival from America of 100,000 pairs of boots and 200 lorries. It is under
stood that a further 400 lorries are also available from consignments intended for
Russia, which the Russians are unwilling to accept. These, if properly used,
should greatly improve the mobility of the army, but the need for lighter vehicles^
preferably armoured, for the patrolling of roads still remains. It is not known
whether the remainder of the equipment demanded from America by General
Ridley can be supplied or not.
(b) Gendarmerie.
47. No progress whatever has been made with the reform of the gendarmerie,
in spite of the fact that in this force there is much less active opposition to the
American advisers. The latter have so far limited themselves to paper schemes
and have done little to remedy the obvious elementary defects of the force.
Colonel Schwarzkopf, the senior American adviser, is now' in America endeavour
ing to secure the shipment of the equipment he has demanded.
/ Persian A ir Force.
48. Brigadier-General Prince Mohammed Hussein Firuz has been appointed
to command the Persian Air Force. He is a cavalry man with no air experience,
but he has taken up his duties with considerable vigour and is not only anxious to
receive advice but willing to act on it. Under his direction the process of
reorganisation is being accelerated, though much remains at the paper stage.
The strength in officers and men appears to have been reduced by about one-third,
largely by transfer to other branches of the army. It had been hoped to retain
Colonel Mohanna in command of the technical branches of the air force, but he
felt unable to accept the terms of reference proposed and is at present unemployed.
49. The twelve pilots selected for training in the United Kingdom on the
terms of His Majesty’s Government’s later offer to provide their instruction free
have left Tehran for Egypt en route to England.
50. The willingness of His Majesty’s Government to provide Oxford air
craft in place of Hurricanes in repayment for the Mohawks taken over two years
ago has been much appreciated by the Persian authorities and has whetted their
appetite for more such equipment. They hope that the change of type will entitle
them to more than ten Oxfords and profess themselves anxious to purchase more
again, especially for early delivery.
Rural Improvements.
51. Dr. H. D. Allen, an American who has been touring the countryside for
the purpose of advising the Persian Government on rural education, has com
pleted his investigations. He informs me that, before the task of improving
health, education, agriculture and social conditions in the villages can be begun,
three things are necessary : ( 1 ) the authorities in Tehran must be made “ country-
minded ” : at present they know nothing about village life and they care as little;
( 2 ) more water must be provided for irrigation : one of the obstacles is that the
officials do not wish for cheap schemes which are easy to carry out, but for large
pretentious projects which will give a richer yield in bribes; (3) the feudal system,
which at present prevents the peasant from enjoying the fruits of any improve
ments that he may effect, must be broken.
Press.
52. In its preoccupation with internal affairs the press was inclined to over
look the fact that Persia was at war and there was little evidence of any desire to
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