Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎596v] (1195/1237)

either picked up from the fleeing Persian armies in August, or have acquired 0 )
purchase in Tabriz itself under the eyes of the Persian authorities, who profess
themseh^s unable to control them for fear of Soviet interference. 1 his attituc e
probably arises also in part from a fear tiiat any Kurd challenged might, resist
the police by shooting and that a Kurdish riot might then begin in the town, ihe
Soviet authorities are undoubtedly to blame for this fear, whether it is justified
or not. Anyone can see the hotel now used by the liussian military headquarters
constantly visited by the turbaned Kurdish bravos, while the liussian irade
Commissioner s office (certainly not restricted only to trade matters) has a constant
stream of Kurdish visitors, it is estimated that the Russians have sold (01 m
some cases given away) over 1200 tons of sugar to selected Kurds, some of whom
have even resold it in Tabriz instead of taking it to their own areas, as doubtless
intended. Of course, the Soviet answer is that they wish to keep the Kurds
peaceful and contented, but it does not inspire much confidence among the non-
Kurdish population here to see their method of doing so. While wishing to
restrict the numbers and arms of the police and gendarmerie, they should not
allow the blatant arming of the most lawless section of the Azerbaijan population,
and certainly not permit individual Kurds to walk about armed in labriz, giving
the obvious impression of being special Soviet proteges.
5. Although Tabriz is reasonably quiet, the middle-class, and especially
some of the larger merchants, are still nervous of trouble. I learn that some of
the latter have decided against the hoarding of goods nnd food-stuffs which was
going on, not for moral reasons, but because they fear possible popular resentment
before long and the sacking of their stores. The threatened reduction of the
police force here by the Russians also has its effect, and it is said tnat the exodus
of the better-off families to Tehran and other parts of Persia has now begun
a^ain. There are a great many beggars on the Tabriz streets these days, and the
authorities have opened a shelter for 250 of them; as in other countries, however,
the intended inmates prefer soliciting aims in the cold, and it is seriously alleged
that Russian political officers have been heard discussing their plight with these
unfortunates and urging them to protest against it. Russian officers, in any case,
visit local Persian factories, discuss conditions with the workers, photograph
them, and in one instance got them to sign a joint statement about their joy at
hearing of the Russian recapture of Rostov.
6. ° On the other hand, some employers are pleased with an agreement
recently arrived at whereby local leather factories are to supply about 85 million
rials 5 worth of leather to the Allied Governments, with hides and tanning materials
to come from India. The deal was arranged by a M. Beloshapkin, of the Soviet
Embassy in Tehran, and includes one factory An East India Company trading post. at Meshed also. It is hoped later
to obtain large orders for army boots, of which local workshops can if necessary
produce nearly 2,000 pairs a day. There are talks said to be going on also with
the Russians for the sale of wool, and possibly of army cloth, if technicians can
be brought here to replace the Germans who fled in August. The number of
unemployed in the town is beginning to cause concern even to the selfish
employer and propertied classes here, and the Governor-General is taking counsel
with them for alleviating the position, if possible, during the bitter winter
months at least.
7. It is not that the “ proletariat ” here are Communist-minded so far, but
the authorities fear that the demagogues (who are believed by most people to be
aided and abetted by the Russians) will gradually work upon them to cause
unrest and later revolt against the established order. One of the largest new
“ parties 55 is called “ Tuda Azerbaijan,” tuda meaning people or populace, and
its aim seems to be to interest the lower classes, who so far have never been touched
by political ideas. Its newspaper, Azerbaijan, edited by a formerly down-at-heel
ne ’ er _(io-well, who was known for years as a Bolshevist sympathiser, prints
twdce-weekly cartoons of wretched peasants and farmers being beaten and bullied
by hard-faced landlords, or drawings of rich capitalists cheating poor, ragged
workers of a half-penny while handing out large banknotes to dancing-girls at a
cabaret, and so on. The latest cartoon depicts a group of officials being driven
out by a number of peasants and workers throwing brickbats and waving sticks.
The party held a large meeting at the theatre this week to pass a resolution
whereby the wide main thoroughfare of Tabriz had its name solemnly changed
from ” Khiaban Pahlevi ” (after the ex-Shah who created it) to “ Khiaban Sattar