Page 259 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

17.
Prices of other essential goods, oopeoially sugar and
tarn, hare remained high, resulting In oonsideruble distress
Lioni the pooror olaooon. The rioh, who represent a nuoh high­
er peroen togo of the population than In Kerman, here known
how to look after theaselvos.
The distribution of raw food donated by the Anglo-Iranian
Relief 'fund oeased early in the sunnier. In December relief was
resumed with the opening of a food kitchen on the lines of that
established in Kerman. Free medioines hate also been provided
for the poor throughout the year.

9. Politic al Affairs.
Politics is Yezd are dominated by the division of the Town
into two main parties, one led by Dr.Tahiri and Syed Kazim Jal-
-ili and. the other by Aqai Kohammed Hussain K&v/ab and Acai Koh-
-anxaad Gol3han. The rivalry came to a head during the elections
for the Central Assembly. In the previous elections Tehiri, Jal-
-ili and Hawab had been deputies. At the recent elections there
W2S a fourth candidate in Aqai Kasim Herat! who stood openly for
3llianoe with Great Britain. The chances of Hawab and his party
were ruined by the arrest shortly before the elections of iluswi-
-zad eh one of their principal supporters,for anti-AAlied activi­
ties. Dut Herat! the anglophile candidate, v/ho eventually came
ou.t fourth, would’have been elected had it not been for the last
ainute candidature of Syed Ziauddin Tabstsbal who had for years
been in exile la Syria.
At present therefore the party of Tahiri and Jalili, who
were both reelected, is in the Rsaendant and has the unconcealed
support of all the principal officials. But the other faction is
by no means dead and troubled times for Yezd may well be aheadt
especially if Kaw&b succeeds in enlisting Soviet and trade union
support.
As in other places pre-German sentiment has cooled off or
*t least is now more carefully concealed. But this does not mean
that there is widespread pro-Dritish feeling in Yezd. There is a
nucleus of aaglophile families, especially among those v/ho have
bad trade connect! ons v/ith Soabsy, end the general public now
understand our aims and objects better ©wing to our propaganda,
but the politically minded are more governed by party feeling.
-be fact that Tahiri has friendly eentaet v/ith the British Legation,
ind that the arrest of one of the*.principal supporters happened to
• •inoide with the elections undoubtedly inclined the L’awnb party
to take an aAti-British view though at present they are eareful to
bide this.
10* Fro paranja.
wur propaganda has Soda considerable progress in the Yezd
*'e new have two Heading Rooms in Yezd itself (one of them
ror ladies only is believed to be unique in the previnees) and
Haers at Ardekan and Main. Cur daily news bulletin has a wide
iPiuliUea ani ie dieplayed on public notice boards. In addition
loud-speaker has been set up outside the Consulate fro* which
r*U8l# commentaries are broadcast. One day a week is
ros®rv<li ®®hool children when the address is writ­
ten by one of the local oohooloasters.
Aa'lo-Irani!^ T1**1 ** relief work undertaken by the
S.si Aranian Relief Committee and the reassuring re-ultn mt
!^“,C^f?ren°e has had considerable effort,LI w Hal a lll-
•tnr^Yif0 Vla YSZdJ? V/!r° seelnff ®nlY side #f the pie-
iz. that given by the Axis radios) has now been overcome!

*«rcan, H.U’s Consul.
26th February 1944.