Ext 5001/41 'PERSIA – INTERNAL (Miscellaneous despatches).' [‎89r] (177/248)

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dissatisfied and eventually a number of them went on strike in the early part of
April.
37. The Government having failed to negotiate with the engineers, the
strike began to spread : agricultural engineers of the Ministry of Agriculture
and a group of professors and teachers of the Ministry of Education joined in.
Various promises were held out by the Government to the strikers but as, by the
i^^dle of May, no settlement of the problem appeared to be within sight, repre-
seixcations were made by His Majesty's Legation to the Prime Minister who
succeeded in bringing about a compromise with regard to the agricultural
engineers and the teachers. The other engineers, however, still remained unsatis
fied and their case was referred to Dr. Millspaugh. In a public statement issued
on the 31st May, Dr. Millspaugh made it clear that he could authorise no increase
in the salaries of the engineers unless a similar increase were authorised in the
salaries of other Government employees. He went on to attribute various motives
to the strikers, one of which was that they were acting under the influence of
political agitators. This statement was immediately interpreted by the Council
of the Representatives of the Engineers and University Teachers as evidence of
Dr. Millspaugh’s intention to arrogate to himself the right to interfere in the
political affairs of the country. It was also seized on as a weapon to attack
Dr. Millspaugh by those who were anxious to prevent the passage of his Income
lax Bill. Eventually the strike was brought to a conclusion by the personal
intervention of the Shah, who gave orders that the claims of the engineers and
teachers were to be attended to. Various appointments which have since been
made in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and in the Ministry of
Communications indicate that the engineers’ claim to have a greater say in the
control of technical departments is, in fact, being satisfied.
Press.
38. After the suppression of twelve of the more extreme papers during the
latter part of April and the beginning of May, the general tone of the press
became quieter and no more directly anti-British articles appeared. Other
factors, notably the improvement in the food situation and the victory in North
Africa, no doubt contributed to this. In commenting on the war situation the
press in general has adopted a more favourable attitude towards ourselves and
our Allies. Although the majority of the suppressed papers have since re
appeared under their own or other names, the energies of the press as a whole
have been devoted largely to attacking their own Parliament, Cabinet and Prime
Minister and to discussing internal affairs such as the new Income Tax Bill and
the coming elections. The Income lax Bill has received the strong support of the
left-wing papers but has been vehemently attacked by papers representing vested
interests. A particularly violent attack on the Prime Minister and the Deputies,
in which the latter were accused of being entirelv unrepresentative of the people
led to the resuppression of two papers on the 13th June. Shortly afterwards the
Deputies met in secret session and, as a result, the Prime Minister placed a Bill
before the Majlis on the 17th June which, if it had been accepted, would have
reduced the number of Tehran papers from approximately thirty-five to seven. In
open debate the Bill met with lively opposition and it was then withdrawn.
Anglo-Persian Relief Committee.
39. The Anglo-Persian Relief Fund Committee has continued its work
m providing meals, clothing and medical relief to the destitute in the lar°er
provincial towns in the British zone. Full publicity has been given to this work
in wireless broadcasts and in the press, and it has undoubtedly had a favourable
influence on our popularity in some circles, especially in the southern provinces
In addition to the total of £40,000 contributed to the fund by His Majesty’s
Government, donations have been received from the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
(£5,000), and the Imperial Bank of Persia (£1,000). ' The Persian merchants
of Ahwaz have made the record contribution of over £5,000 to the local branch
of the fund.
40. While dealing with the subject of relief mention must be made of the
medical relief afforded to the Persian population by the British military
authorities. The provision (mentioned in my despatch No. 139) of a large typhus
hospital for Persian civilian patients, complete with equipment and staff has
undoubtedly had the happiest effect on public opinion, and the travelling
dispensary which is now on tour in the Kermanshah district is making an
excellent impression. This legation has recommended to the Minister of State