Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎426r] (854/1237)

4k •
towards the end of June, that he was appointed Soviet ambassador
to Mongolia and would leave for Ulan-bator early in July. As I
write however, he has just informed me that this has been counter
manded end that he may remain in Persia, either in Tehran or Tabriz;
but he must first go to Moscow and will leave by air on July 12th.
The Iraqi’s Vice Consul’s fears have been Justified (see
para 102) His sucessor has pulled strings in Baghdad and obtained
better post than Tabriz.
> / The U.S. Consul held a reception on July 5th. He was
I horrified to discover that his munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. was explaining to guests that
, he was celebrating the defeat of the British by the Americans.
137 . Public Health The Russians are reported to have inoculated
against typhoid some 30,000 people in Tabriz, i.e. l/6th of the
population only. They give the inoculation in one large shot, so
that reactions are generally fierce., therefore the operation is not
popular and they havo had to use a good deal of compulsion. Their
certificates have consequently been selling at good prices.
In theory they have inoculated the inhabitants of other towns,
but I found in Western Azerbaijan that it was a token performance
only; a very few had been treated.
By radio and other ways they have claimed merit for doing this,
which is a great mistake. Quite a number of Persians understand that
any military commander must concern himself with the health of the
local population and forestall any threatened epidemic in his own
military interest; so they are not impressed, while the more ignorant
section of the community just hates inoculation.
I 38 * Labour All remains quiet. The manager of the Iran Leather
factory An East India Company trading post. tells me that the present head of the Labour Union is a very
reasonable fellow and that the officials appointed in the various
factories have all aceepted a rise in salary as the price of not
making trouble. This informant states that in labour matters the
Russians remain scrupulously neutral as between employers and men.
139. Military The Russians moved some 2,000 cavalry with some 40
truck loads of impedimenta westward from Tabriz to Mahabad, 300 of
them to some point in the Bokan. At the same time they were re
ported to have moved troops south from Rezaieh and to have replaced
them with others from Salmas. But when I passed through Mahabad on
July 4th, I foudd that they had all gone, having stayed for 5 days
only. There is no official explanation of this move to Mahabad and
the sudden withdrawal. It seems certain they intended to stay for
some time because they had asked the local authorities to repair the
barracks and they gave themselves considerable trouble in bringing
furniture etc. It may be that they were merely trying to find a
camping place where grain could be more easily obtained than in
Tabriz.
Persian The Persian Colonel commanding in Rezaieh marched as
many of his 600 men as could be accommodated to the cinema for a
special showing of "Desert Victory". The men seemed to be in good
shape.
140. Trade The typical Tabriz! merchant wears no collar, and
often shuffles to his office in heelless slippers; but as a class
these.merchants are astute and powerful and Dr. Millspaugh will find
thaT^fnertia and power of rtsistance are great. It is said that
some^of them are busy preparing new books to present to Millspaugh’s
/tax inspectors should his income/proposals become law; but they will not
rely on that sort of subterfuge only. They are confident he will
not find officials to enforce the regulations against them; the
| feeling is growing that he is working in isolation. The more
i ambitious his plans for a sweeping reform of the finances of Persia,
j the more certain do people here feel he is bound to fail.
The Russian banfon the export of food stuffs apart
from eggs and cheese only, is still maintained, and there is no out
let for the great quantities of dried fruits and almonds except sale
to the Russians and by smuggling. The Russians have latterly taken
certain quantities for cash or goods, but they.Ap. not payt|>rices
which the merchants would get in the market wei'eSTree to export.
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