Page 358 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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evident th-t the authorities of the Khorb. r Department
\.2re miking this 211 opportunity of filling their own pock­
ets snu tlie Gunner in *.iiich every possible obstacle was put in
Lhe nay os ts.o-e v.iio niched to bay cloth etc. at Government
shops became on open ccoxbol# The American Director Gene r-? A
of Finance, who arrived during the middle of the year «=c»
^j(3g strsnuou- efforts to etfect a ^ro**er ai^trication end
; is efforte \.ere to 3 large extent succeesful# Frequent
uiotricationa of tea, ..u^r, cloth, ci^srettsu etc. tended
to m-ke thir.w- easier fer the poorer cl-'Sce*. The ocnor-
hi^h prices in the o^en market aro, ;ed ccr—iaer^bly
during t-'ese aiutri utior.s, but always returned to their
hir;. level ix .ediitely v ftsr them. The news of Allied
successes in the 3urcp2.n theutte or the vvsr > rd the con­
sequent feeling of nervousness v.hich it produced cn profit­
eers often mode prices fluctuate v.ildly, but generally
ope-, king, they rex: ire d at 0 level veil beycr.^ the resch of
the xidv-le •'.nd lower clueses. A conservative ecti-.-te 01
the increase in the cost of living 5s ccm^ored with pre-war
boys was stout 10C0 %•

X. POLITICAL.
The s stisf.ctcry progress of the v;ir curing 12o4 in
favour of the Allied Armed Forces huu ir. it-olf promoted
.--nglo-Fer£i*n relations csnoiaerably, loth in the social
official spheres. Local officials, hove been xoo t
anxious tc co-o..erute ..ith this Consulate and our relations
v.itn both ofxici.-i* 'ai.a rxivste f.xilie^ h. vs user, cf the
xc-t cordial n-ture. In cosmicte antithesis tc the euo-
icion felt -1 the be-inning of the ^reviouu ye .r, th.t the
vhe. t collide^ • ith the hcl. of the Cor.wUl. r Li-iicn Officer
..;u eventually to fi-:t its w. y to the .vlliad Armies, t:.e
lcc.1 people re-..ineb thsii ccnxi^-.r.ce .her. t:.ey recc_.nijai
tr.ut cclx--ctiof.s v.-r- lein^ x-se on t..- i. own bsh-lf .nu
.hen they fount th.-: 3ovsrn.:cnt su—rs u.*«a the lcc.-i market
co:.t-. ir.au uore stocks th-:: ever before.

Prc-1-er.T.sn factions, es such, did net exist in Ker.- :i.
The lxnairm- sr.a swift regress of the Allied Armies cn the
Western Front an- in iUly <ru the lipht^.iin* -lv...ces of
the Russi-ns on the 2 as torn Front left no room for even
remote hopes for sn eventual A>;iM Vic ter in t. - European
theatre, and by the end of the yesr, public opinion was
wholeheartedly in favour of the Allies.

The inherent distrust 2nd fear of the Russians and
of their ultix-te asei-ns on this country continued to gain
1 round during the year. These feelings were et their
. eight toward-; th? ena of the year when "he Russian dex-nd
for >n oil concession in the ?.Torth became known# The
belief that they never hud any intentions of leaving the
country a-xter the sustention of hostilities became stronger
than ever ana the nsw aspect of ?n angry Russian wolf without
it*s sheep’s ciothin gave rise to feelings of indignation
ana fear.
xi# PROPAaA?m.
^er**!Q teot'aCJiU from Lonaon ^nu Delhi were appre­
ciated xo*t during the year# Anker* and Tehran broadcasts
continued to be popular especially the 1-tter which broad-
caat local news# The decline in the popularity of the
•aerxin r-dio continued u» the local inhabitant* had come to .

realise /-