(2 of 5)
"Persia must learn to do without foreigners!" is a favorite dictum of Shah Riza, himself a masterly adept at playing foreigners off against each other. Issuing banknotes used to be the profitable prerogative of the Imperial Bank of Persia, a prerogative well paid for by the bank's British backers. When they had been well squeezed, the Government founded the National Bank, with Germans in charge, and let them issue banknotes for a consideration. Belgians were next in favor and only this spring did the King of Kings give his Belgian Treasurer-General (in charge of customs) notice and bounce the leading German banker in Persia, pompous Herr Doktor Horschitz-Horst. The National Bank then became 100% Persian under a Director who. besides being His Majesty's personal favorite, has thoroughly studied banking methods abroad. His Excellency Riza Ghuli Khan Amir Chosrowi.
Before this fiscal favorite returned the King of Kings was asked whether it was altogether wise to send such highly placed Persians abroad for training from which they might return less Persian. "I hope,'' growled the King of Kings, ''that the men we send abroad will realize that civilization is different for every country. The Persian has a mighty tradition behind him, the Empire of Darius! I want to make out of my countrymen the best possible Persians! Ah, there is so much to do! I am always dissatisfied. I cannot do it quickly enough!"
With thundering quickness the King of Kings denounced two years ago the concession of Anglo-Persian, claiming these British oilmen must be cheating his Treasury since they no longer paid in as big royalties as before (TIME, Dec. 12, 1932). Seething with hate of "the British dogs," Persia's Press, which always exactly mirrors His Majesty's views, called for the auctioning off forthwith of "the Persian heritage of oil" to the highest foreign bidder.