MODERN PERSIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 21 February 1931, Page 11

MODERN PERSIA

“POLICY OF PROGRESS” “Under the regime of Roza Shah PahJevi, ‘progress’ has become one of the watchwords of t|ie country,” writes Dr. Linton, Bishop of Persia, in the “International Review of Missions.” “For example, roads are being constructed with feverish rapidity all over Persia, from tho Caspian to the Persian Gulf, and from Iraq to tho borders of-Afghan-istan and Baluchistan. Motor transport is comparatively safe, and aeroplanes carry passengers and mails between tho most important cities. In education, 100, progress is the watchword. The Persian Government is opening village schools on a wide scale throughout the whole country, and middle schools in all the larger towns. Persia is determined to wipe out the stain of illiteracy among all classes. National unity is another aim of the Siiah. Now, think of a country three times the size of France, with such widely diverse elements as are found in Persia: from the ailtured, educated gentleman in tho capital who speaks two or three European languages, to the nomadic tribespeople, speaking their, own dialects which few outside the tribe understand. Add to these tho Kurds Armenians, and Syrians, each speaking their own tongue, and you will sympathise with the Shah in his insistency that all schools shall use the Persian language as tho vehicle of instruction up to a certain school standard. How otherwise could he hope to attain to a national unity, with such a babel of languages?”