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48
3. The next day, Assad, the Minister of war, visited Mushar in an endeavour
to persuade him to withdraw his resignation but with no success. Mushar, how
ever, told him plainly that one of the principal reasons for his resignation was
the unceasing interference in his Ministry of Teymourtache. He recapitulated
his points of complaint and said that the last straw was a demand for such econo
mies in his Ministry as would completely paralyse its usefulness.
4. In spite of further endeavours from other Ministers and from the Shah’s
Private Secretary, Mushar persisted in his resignation and on the 13th the Press
almounced that His Majesty had accepted it and had charged the Under Sec
retary to carry on the Ministry until the appointment of a new Minister.
5. It was obvious from the first that a man, of Mushar’s austere and obstinate
character would not willingly brook outside interference in his administration
and that if he were not strong enough to resist it he would resign. The present
Cabinet Ministers are regarded as mere servants of the Minister of Court and
it is common knowledge that they do as he bids them, but Mushar is a man of a
ditferent stamp and his refusal to accept the same treatment has surprised no
body.
6. At the last interview I had with Teymourtache, he asked me whether
I could suggest anyone for the post of Minister of Finance. I replied that this
was somewhat outside my province, but asked him whether Pavar had been ap
proached. His Highness said that Davar was still indispensable at the Ministry
of Justice where it was hoped that he would remain for another two years in
order to complete the reorganisation of the judicial machinery. Havar, he added,
was far the ablest man in the present Cabinet and he looked upon him as a future
president of the Council. The Ministry of Finance however presented the
greatest difficulty for the moment. There as really no one in the country fit to
take it over.
7. 1 imagine that the Shah would like to induce Vossuq-ed-Dowleh to stop
into the breach, but I should be exceedingly surprised if Vossuq, accepted.
8. It was at this point of our conversation that I referred to the difficulties of
the Imperial Bank of Persia which had been occasioned by recent legislation.
I am reporting on this separately. I finally suggested to His Highness that what
Persia seemed to be in need of was some expert financial advice and when he asked
where this was to be obtained I said that the League of Nations had furnished
this to seveial countries with great advantage. It had evidently never occurred
to him to apply to the League for a Financial Adviser and he appeared to be
attracted by the idea, but I much doubt the Persian Government ever doing
so, as they would realise that advisers supplied by the League could hardly be
treated vith the same indifference as advisers selected bv themselves on their
own terms.
. . Copies of this despatch have been sent to the Government of India and His
Majesty’s High Commissioner for Iraq.
(38)
Memorandum from H. M.’s Minister, Tehran, No, 53, dated the 19th April
1930.
v ^' s ( ? r ^ a ] ln ^ c Majesty’s Representative presents his compliments to the
0 reign Secretary to the Government of India and has the honour to transmit
Herewith copy of the document mentioned in the sub-joined Schedule, on the
su qect oi . formation ot Persian Ministries of Communications and Economics.
Despatch to the Foreign Office, No. 166, 19th April, 1930.
Despatch from .H. M.’s Minister, Tehran, to the Foreign Office London,
^o. 166, dated the 19th April, 1930.
t;? ve ^ ^ 0 ? r 0ur 1 t0 r . i ? f ° rm you tliat the P ro POsal foreshadowed in my des-
fi 1 * / 0 ^i? r ?v ^5r^ or crea tio n of two separate Ministers in place
vl i urn oil .^ U + b I 0 } Yovks ha ? now been . put into effect. Taqizadeh, who
‘r of
end