Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎578v] (1159/1237)

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have been drawn up by the local leaders without (shall one say) Caucasian
assistance. I have discussed these clubs several times with my Soviet colleague
(who, of course, denies any Soviet connexion with them at all) and pointed out
the undesirable character of many of the leaders and the stupid inflammatorv
speeches they make to the members, warning him that sooner or later they wilP
cause trouble here. M. Koulagenkov said that if the local police have real grounds
for complaint they should arrest the ringleaders; my reply was that I knew they
would not do so without being sure of Russian consent, and a few days later he
told me that he had spoken to the Soviet Colonel Commandant here, who had
declared himself willing to offer support to the Persian authorities if they asked
for it. A week ago I informed both the Governor-General and the Chief of
Police of this, but they seem very hesitant and afraid of taking definite action.
It seems to me that the Chief of Police might act, although he knows that his
police are mostly frightened and unreliable, but that the Governor-General is
temporising for some reason or other. Possibly they wish to shelter them
selves in case of any awkward incident either behind the Soviet authorities
or even behind this consulate. A day or two ago I received an unofficial inter
mediary from the Governor-General, saying he wished to effect some arrests and
wanted my opinion. I could only repeat what I had said before, adding that
time was going by with no action taken, in spite of continual Persian complaints
against these clubs. Later I learnt that the Governor-General thinks that the
threat of arrest is causing the committee to go into hiding and the clubs to be
faced with closing down.
4. So great is the Persian dislike of decision or responsibility that lately
Tabriz is full of stories that the British Consul is to blame for the present state
of unrest and disorder, which could quickly be ended if he “ dealt firmly " with
the Russians, as he was supposed to have done last September and October, but
that since the signing of the treaty he has stood back idly and left everything to
the Persians! They apparently do not see, or at least do not admit, that there is
any difference between last autumn, when I was obliged to act as a kind of liaison
between a makeshift Persian Administration, paralysed with fright, on the one
hand, and a purely military, somewhat unimaginative and inexperienced Soviet
force, on the other hand. Now there is a full Persian Administration supposed to
be functioning normally, able to consult with a trained and reasonably friendly
Soviet Consul-General, working with a comparatively small, almost nominal
garrison in the town. But the Persians either cannot or will not collaborate as
they should do and might be expected to do, and it almost seems at times as if
some of them do not really wish for complete order and tranquillity in the town,
which would be perhaps too good an advertisement for the well-behaved but still
hated Russians. I myself am sometimes inclined to think that the Governor-
General, either acting on his own or on orders received from Tehran, wishes to
force the Soviet authorities to permit the return of Persian troops to Tabriz by
showing that the police and gendarmerie by themselves cannot keep order.
5. ° It is certain that the police enjoy little respect. The Kurds, who con
tinually visit Tabriz, are again walking about the streets with revolvers and
cartridge-belts bravely showing, although they know that the local administration
objects to this. I have told the Chief of Police that the Soviet authorities are
willing also to support him in dealing with this particular problem, but he seems
to hesitate to act. A few days ago he decided to arrest a doubtful character, after
consulting the Soviet Consul-General; the next day a body of “ committee-men ”
went to his house, all armed with rifles or revolvers, and demanded the man’s
release. Instead of answering them as a Persian officer backed by 400 armed
police, he replied that he must first consult the Soviet authorities (thus making it
appear as if the Russians had instigated the arrest), and asked them to call again
next day. The £ ‘ committee ” apparently swallowed this, but were too prudent
to call next day, when he presumably had other precautions ready. It is obvious
that firm measures have to be taken' sooner or later, when a self-appointed
imitation trade union can walk about armed and query any action of the lawful
authorities. . .
6. The local newspaper, Azerbaijan, has again become more abusive and
outspoken against the so-called rich and dangerous parasites who still fatten on
peasants and workers and are still supported by those who are in charge of the
political and economic affairs of the country. The latter are called Government
autocrats intent on smashing the workers by all kinds of new repressive regula-