Coll 28/115 ‘Persia. Khorramshahr – intelligence summaries.’ [‎11r] (21/52)

2
./l^ced In th© box* ^any of thos© who arrived with papers Bad# out
in the nasi© of a candidate other than Dr* Kajeh were persuaded to
have these exchanged for others in his favour f though the Electoral
Committee were prepared in some Instances to allow voting papers in
another name to be placed in the box so as to make things appear nor»
mal. These manoeuvres resulted in an overwhelming majority for Dr*
ftajeh and the final figures were as follows i
Dr* Kajeh
Nlqabat
Irvanl
Miscellaneous
It is eignificath, that the seat
tested by the Tudah Party*
mmm
22. Haference paragraph 2 of Diary bo. 1 of 1947* Little pro
gress was made by the new Union of Oil ! orkers during the first three
weeks of February* Their activities appeared to be eonflnad to
efforts to gain the Interest and confidence of the Oil Company labour
ers and to persuading them that it would be to their advantage to
join a genuine labour union* The workers are however still either
under the influence of the Tmdeh Party or are unwilling to Invest
their money in a Union whose sincerity has yet to be proved* Though
e fair number of workmen have already enrolled, the general enthusiasm
expected by the Union leaders haa not so far been forthcoming. The
registration of the Union was not completad till the last week of
$etorunrv i iter endless official delays and justlflabia suspicion on
tha part of the authorities, owing to the fact that tha majority of
t e union's Ixecutlve Committee were former Tudeh leaders* It is
reported that the Oil Company's attitude towards the formation end
Mtlvltlee of the Oil Workers Union is one of encouragement as they
consider that it is infinitely better for the workers to belong to
a genuine labour union rather than have no union at all.
30. There have been unconfirmed reports that the Democrat Party
of Iran are anxious to organise a Vorkers' Union of their own in
Abadan*
31. The Tudeh Party continued its underground activities Curing the
month with secret meetings at w ieh speeches were again directed
against the Oil orkers' Union and the Oil Company. Reports were
received during the month of the arrival from Tehran of a number of
Tude agitators, several of whom are said to be in Soviet pay* The
Iranian authorities ere pursuing enquiries in respect of a number of
Junior and Senior I taff employees of the Oil Company who were active
Tudeh supporters before, during and after the General ttrike of 1946.
The Company's policy in the matter is divided. The General Manage
ment is for their discharge on th© completion of their contracts or
at the request of the local authorities, but the Uorks Management
appear to favour their re-lnstatement end forgiveness*
bAVAL
32* The formation of a baval Regiment, mention of which has been
made in paragraph 6 of Diary No. 1 of 1947, has commenced and about
200 men have so far boon recruited* They have been Issued with a
new naval uniform*
33* The £oyal i avy alvage Party* tinder the eemmand of Commander
Griffiths, R*N*R*, Chief Salvage Officer, arrived here early in the
month and have commenced operations to salvage the Iranian Naval
sloop "Palang" and the steam yacht "Ivy". At the request of the
Iranian authorities, the members of the Salvage Party arrived in
civilian clothes*
*•• 17,628 votes
• • • 91
• * * 39
• • • 99•
for this constH
■*■} v\^
was not con-