AN EASTERN ADVENTURER

Evening Star, Issue 19328, 14 August 1926, Page 12

AN EASTERN ADVENTURER

raa tiiui's rise Riza Khan, the Cossack trooper, wha has made himself the new Shah of Persia, is the subject of a graphic little article by Sir T. Comyn-Platt, in the ‘ National Review.’ Thus far he has calmly succeeded to the throne, and quietly rules, but a difficult and stormy reign lies before him. Teheran enjoyed the coronation in a lazy, dignified way, relaxing with duo solemnity the prophet’s ruling on Prohibition, and proving somewhat reluctant to answer the call of the muezzin at dawn the next morning, reminding it that “Prayer is better than sleep.” It took mouths to put the palace in repair. There was even a shortage of red carpet, the. first necessity for a persian function, but the legations came to the rescue. “ And the centre of this peaceful disturbance, Iliza Khan, the Shah-elect, what of him?” says Sir T. ,ComynPlatt. “He is a remarkable man; there is no gainsaying that. Born the son of an ostler, ‘ and a poor one at that,’ in an outlying province, his ambition and energy made him a leader in a land of fatalism and the idleness that it serves as a creed. At an early age he left the paternal stable and entered the Shah’s regiment of Cossacks,” Ho was a keen soldier, and promotion came quick to him. He saw service in various punitive expeditions against unruly tribes, always acquitting himself with distinction, until at last he reached the top of the military ladder, and finally was appointed Minister of War under the ex-Shah. “The Royal master preferred Paris,” says Sir T. ComynPlatt. “ and even in Persia if proved possible for the stale of the realm to become worse. The tribes became more unruly, disorder and poverty became more widespread and intolerable. Riza Khan was always a patriot, and still more extraordinary in a land where fatalism and egoism are the general rule, he firmly believed that, wisely directed, Persia could again become a great'and powerful nation. _ And so ho bent his energies and directed his' thoughts and actions.” The moment came when it proved possible to notify the ex-Shah that his return was not desired. That monarch accepted his “notice” more contentedly in that ho had taken the precaution to carry with him roost of the Persian Crown jewels, valued by Lord Curzon at £.'1,1100,(100. Riza’s ascendancy was aided by his personal appearance. “ Tall—he is considerably over 6ft and broad in proportion—he seems to tower over all who come near him, a physical advantage very valuable in the East, where stature counts for so much; added to which he carries himself well. _ There is no stoop or shuffling in his gait; sit ting or standing, be never loses a frnotion of his height. Of a dark complexion, bis features are ordinary. Indeed, in a crowd, hut for his height, h< would never he noticed at all, except that perhaps one might ask-as to wnn was the man with the curious eyes.” One of the new monarch’s anriabls characteristics is his love of children, lie remains simple in his tastes, living still in his own home, which is but a “ hideous overgrown villa,” preferable, however, to the Shah’s palace, which is a “ warehouse of horrors,” most of which appear to have come from Birmingham. Riza Khan is very temperate. drinking and smoking opium in moderation; and his sound, stiff training is apparent in his dinner parties. Russian is the only European language which he speaks, and therefore the Belbesvist Minister alone has immediate access to him. But Riza is statesmanlike, and the Moslem faith seems an insurmountable barrier to Bolhsevism. as it is to any other system of ideas. The new Shah’s days arc already overcast with the fear of assassination. He is carefully guarded day and night, dines alone, and certainly never touches a dish before it has been tasted by ono of his entourage. As long as he can affonj to pay the army his throne seems secure, lint, in Sir T. Comyn-Platt’* opinion no one man—no one century — can bring recovery to Persia.