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"Fundamentally Sound," The sequel to this patriotic Persian attempt to shake the foreigners down was a hasty visit to Teheran by Anglo-Persian's suave Board Chairman and "Petrol Diplomat." Sir John Cadman carried through the ensuing negotiations of high public policy on the private basis that "the Shah is my personal friend." The result was a new concession for Anglo-Persian running until 1993, but His Majesty squeezed down the area under lease to Anglo-Persian by more than half and while leaving Anglo-Persian in possession of its pipe lines deprived the British of exclusive Persian oil pipe-line rights (TIME, May 15, 1933). Observed a cynical Soviet diplomat well posted on Sir John Cadman's negotiations: "Persia is fundamentally sound. They will sell you the country six times over, but that makes no difference. They are always on the lookout to sell it again. Da, da [yes, yes], Persia is fundamentally sound!" It was this fundamental of Persian policy which made oil such a pleasing subject of converse last week at Ankara. The stronger the two nations become, the more firmly they knit bonds of Moslem unity across the Near and Middle East, the stronger will be Shah Riza's hand the next time he feels like tearing up an oil contract. Dictator Kemal for his part was anxious to talk Persian oil for the Turkish fleet. He was said in Ankara to have turned down British firms and ordered ten new Turkish cruisers built in—of all places —Japan. "The peoples of Islam are intensely admiring of the Japanese," said an Ankara official. "The Japanese have made themselves strong without rejecting their ancient faith or paltering with Christianity."
Dictators to earthquake. Neither the King of Kings nor President Kemal lacks personal courage. During the fêtes, rejoicings, fireworks, skewered lamb and champagne at Ankara last week news came of severe earthquakes in Western Turkey, the very region through which Host Kemal was about to escort Guest Pahlevi. Neither showed the slightest desire to cancel these plans. The royal Persian junket became an earnest inspection trip through the shaken area down to Smyrna with homeless families watching the Near East's two Strong Men.
As their chief relaxation the two old campaigners stopped at the Battlefield of Sakarya and General Kemal explained with gusto how he beat the Greeks in 1921. So close grew the confab of host and guest at this point that Turkish and Persian journalists reported ecstatically afterward: "They have become real friends, personal friends and brothers!" At Smyrna, to his grave delight, the King of Kings received personal command of some Turkish troops who pitched under his orders into an exciting sham battle with airplanes raining "boom bombs."