'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎120r] (244/610)

‘ laissez faire ’ become impossible, and they are secretly
averse to the appointment of foreign officials who will fight
against the peculation on which they have been battening.
The better meaning among them are honest cowards who fear
popular opinion, and have not the courage to inform the people
of the breakdown of Persia’s finances, and the more unscru
pulous are audacious thieves.
The people generally, while devoid of any lofty ideal of
patriotism and self sacrifice, and cowSd by any show of force,
have a national feeling and dread of loss of independence and
of foreign control which renders them, so long as they are free
agents, more disposed to appoint foreign officials who are
nationals of a small or distant state than nationals of a power
ful neighbour, who they fear will use such officials as agents for
promoting foreign political interests in Persia. An example of
this attitude is afforded by the changed feeling displayed in
1919-20 by Persians towards their old enemies, the Russians
of the old regime ( e. g., Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Starosselsky of the Cossack
division, who had no longer a country behind them, and were
regarded as individuals with no dangerous national ambitions.
The most far reaching move in the direction of foreign
assistance was the Anglo-Persian Agreement concluded by
Vusuq-ud-Dauleh’s Cabinet in August 1919. This Agreement,
however, aroused considerable national opposition, and not
being constitutionally valid until approved by the Majlis, was
shelved by Mushir-ud-Dauleh’s Cabinet, which succeeded
Vusuq-ud-Dauleh in June 1920, and the British advisers and
officers who had commenced work in Tehran were ordered to
desist.
Bankrupt and dependant on the monetary subsidy from
Great Britain, which will cease in the near future, devoid of
military forces and threatened by the Bolsheviks, destitute of
organizers Avho can reform the administration and place it on
a sound basis, the future of Persia is critical, and further
procrastination and vacillation point to disaster.
Provincial Administration.
Under the Constitution, the diminution of the power of the
Shah in the central government, has been accompanied by a
diminution in the powers of the Governors in the provinces,
but to a lesser extent.
The “ Anjuman,” locally elected committees, which were
formed during the revolutionary period, to advise and control
General Ad*
ministration 0 {
Province*.