Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎37r] (73/320)

71
garrulous source, the Shah was in the best of health and was not prevented by illness
from doing all the things which had been expected of him. He is probably tired
after the tour, which would explain the shortness of the stages on his return journey
from Bushire to Tehran.
13. This complete aloofness can only be taken as indicating the Shah’s dis"
pleasure with Shiraz and a deliberate intention to show it. Possibly His Majesty
was made aware that the leading industrialists and merchants proposed to present
a petition begging for a revision of the Government’s economic policy, which is
ruining the district and has caused the cost of living to increase 100 per cent, or
more during the last three years. He had also possibly heard that the Pars Manu
facturing Company had decided not to enlarge their mill. It is also reported that
the Shah entered into conversation with an Amnieh guard on the road from Bushire,
who told him that all the people are discontented owing to the high cost of living.
14. The w r hole circumstances of this visit can have done nothing to increase
the popularity of the Shah and of the present regime. No opportunity was taken
of showing the Valiahd to the people or of letting him see anything of value to
himself. It is most unfortunate that he was kept on leading strings and had no
chance for the display of initiative or geniality.
l|L
*2-
( 52 )
(Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter datei 17th June 1937.)
Letter from British Embassy, Rome, to the Right Hon’ble Anthony Eden,
M.C., No. 441, dated 28th May 1937.
With reference to my despatch No. 430 of May 21st, I have the honour to
report that the “ Corriere della Sera ”of May 14th published a message from its
special correspondent in India, Signor Salvatore Aponte, describing the Indian
attitude towards the Coronation. This attitude, he said, was symbolised by an
episode which repeated itself every evening throughout India : when the British
national anthem was played at the end of a show, while the Europeans and high
Indian officials in the gallery stood up, the crowd in the pit ostentatiously aban
doned the hall. The most splendid jewel of the “ British Crown ” remained
absent from the London celebrations. Of course, the Maharajas, the Nawabs,
etc., and the officials chosen by Delhi had gone to London, but the former repre
sented none but themselves, and the latter could only represent the authority of
the rulers. The Indian people were absent.
2. But also about the state of mind of the Indian rulers and high officials there
was something to be said. Whatever the real feelings of the Indian Princes to
wards their British protectors might be, the idea of the great Indian Federation
had provoked violent confusion in their ranks. Their first reaction was one of
conditional approval, but it had rapidly changed into coldness and also open
hostility. Also those Indians who held aloof from the non-co-operation movement
and accepted jobs from the British authorities, had begun to show the will “ to
think with their own heads ”. At the last general election numerous officials of
every class cast their votes in favour of the Nationalist candidates. Still more
significant was the attitude of the prominent Indians who had been invited to
attend the Coronation. On leaving for London, they had made declarations
which were certainly neither friendly towards the British nor flattering for British
achievements in India. In taking leave of their fellow-countrymen some of them
had expressed their devotion to the idea of Indian independence.
3. This was perhaps one of the most notable phenomenons of the present
evolution in Anglo-Indian relations, which was characterised by a rapid decline
in the prestige of the whites. The fact that thousands of Indian youths went to
England for their studies had not helped to keep up British prestige in India. On
their return to India, these educated, good-mannered and often very intelligent
Indians felt irritated and aggrieved at the presence of numerous Englishmen who
not only occupied highly-paid posts, but also treated them with “ an implacable
and undisguised racial animosity
J