891.711/44
The Chargé in Iran (Merriam) to the Secretary of
State
No. 1023
Teheran, March 26, 1937.
[Received May
13.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the
Legation’s despatch No. 1003 of February 26, 1937, with respect to
the delivery of second-class mail matter in Iran.
The general prohibition against delivery lasted for about two weeks
only. At the end of that time publications were again received from
all countries but the United States. The situation thus reverted to
the pre-French crisis status with the exception that while American
publications which had been mailed out from various European and
Near Eastern countries were delivered prior to the French trouble,
after it they were no longer delivered. Apparently the Imperial
Police had discovered this method of evading the restriction. As a
consequence, the Legation has not been receiving Departmental and
other
[Page 730]
second-class mail
matter forwarded by our Despatch Agent in London since the early
part of January.
In this treatment of French mail and British mail, as contrasted with
the treatment accorded American mail, there is manifest
discrimination. By any impartial standard it seems obvious that the
American press during the past year has given no more cause for
complaint than the French or the British press. The American press
has produced nothing, for example, to compare, in general
offensiveness, with Innocence and Design, a
book which appeared under a London imprint, and with which the
Department is acquainted.
Under the circumstances, it seemed that representations to the
Foreign Office of some sort were clearly indicated at an early
moment while the facts giving rise to the discrimination were still
fresh. On the other hand, the Legation did not feel that the matter
justified expenditure for a long telegram of explanation to the
Department in order to obtain authorization to protest. Accordingly,
the expedient was adopted of formulating the approach as an inquiry,
a request for information which would necessarily be laid before the
Department. The conversations which have been held on the subject
are enclosed herewith in the form of memoranda. The reply of the
Foreign Office, however, cannot be expected prior to the return of
the Shah, which is expected on March 27th, from his journey in the
south.
It may be added that it seemed best to take advantage of the
favorable atmosphere now existing due to the recent consummation of
the Hart concessions.17 It would have been
unfair to Mr. Hart to inject a delicate element of this sort before
his concessions were legally completed on the Iranian side, but now
that they are complete this objection has lost its force.
Admittedly, the whole question is one to be handled with caution. But
the French have now been tarred with the same brush as ourselves;
they received a very thin coating, quickly removed, whereas we have
been wearing a very thick one for a long time. To the Legation it
has seemed justifiable at this time to ask the simple question:
“Why?”
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure 1]
Memorandum of Conversation Between the
American Chargé (Merriam) and the Chief of the Third Political Division
of the Iranian Foreign Office (Massoud-Ansari), March 16,
1937
The Chargé d’Affaires, accompanied by the Legation interpreter,
called on M. Massoud-Ansari for the purpose of reminding the
Foreign
[Page 731]
Office of our
proposal for an extradition treaty. After this matter had been
disposed of, the Chargé said that he wished to speak of the
situation which had existed for some time of the non-delivery in
Iran of American second-class mail. This was a matter which the
Legation has been observing with attention, and in view of
recent developments the Chargé found that he would be obliged to
submit a report to his Government. There were several
circumstances for which he could not find a satisfactory
explanation; consequently, before sending in his report, he had
thought it well to ask the Foreign Office about them.
The Chargé went on to say that there had been a pretty complete
ban on American second-class mail for eleven months. During this
period of time the Legation had watched items appearing upon
Iran in the American press and in the press of other countries
where expression was free, and it had come to the conclusion
that the American press was not more at fault than the press of
some other countries.
He added that recently a certain Government had had difficulties
over the press, that the publications of that country had been
stopped for only two weeks, and that delivery had now been
resumed. The Chargé emphasized at this point that it was not his
purpose to make trouble for anyone else. But the truth was that,
although the facts were similar, the delivery of American
publications had been withheld for eleven months, whereas those
of another country had been withheld for two weeks. He could not
explain why this should be, and would appreciate receiving an
explanation from the Foreign Office. The United States postal
authorities had addressed several inquiries about the matter to
the Iranian Posts and Telegraphs and had not even received the
courtesy of a reply.
M. Massoud-Ansari said that the matter would receive his earnest
attention and that he would discuss it at his next meeting with
the Foreign Minister. He quite understood that it was not the
Chargé’s purpose to make trouble for others.
The Chargé asked what possible interest, for example, the Iranian
Government could have in not delivering such a magazine as Yachting, which had never published a
word about Iran and probably never would. He pointed out that
with perhaps one or two exceptions American publications,
despite the fact that they had been barred in Iran, had remained
thoroughly friendly in tone and attitude toward this country and
it seemed that they should be rewarded for this, not penalized.
The situation had in some respects become absurd. For instance,
the American College had ordered some textbooks from the United
States which were required reading for the Government
examinations. They had not been delivered. The position was
therefore that the Government prohibited the importation of
books which it required to be read. The College had not
requested the Chargé to do
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anything about the matter; he merely spoke
of it to show the absurdity of the situation.
M. Massoud-Ansari, who had been taking notes, promised again to
make inquiries.
The Chargé then drew his attention to the fact that two
second-class mail communications from the Department, marked
“Official Business,” had been opened before delivery. They
contained official forms and copies of the Congressional Record. Most of the material sent out by
the Department by second-class mail had latterly not been
delivered at all.
The Chargé concluded by saying, smilingly but emphatically, that
if all the remarks in the American press which had given offense
to Iran during the past ten years, and all the remarks which
would give offense during the next ten years were added
together, he felt sure they would not equal in offensiveness the
anti-American campaign in the Teheran press of a year ago.
[Enclosure 2]
Memorandum of Conversation Between the
American Chargé (Merriam) and the Chief of the Third Political Division
of the Iranian Foreign Office (Massoud-Ansari), March 24,
1937
M. Massoud-Ansari called at the Legation and after the subject of
his visit had been concluded, the Chargé referred to their
previous conversation on the subject of American second-class
mail matter. He said that it had just that morning come to his
attention that the Consulate had no income tax forms. The
Department of State sent these by second-class mail and they had
apparently been stopped like everything else. The result was
that Americans residing in Iran, unless they obtained the forms
in some other way, could not submit their returns and were
liable to penalties under the law.
M. Massoud-Ansari replied that he had submitted a full report on
the matter to the Foreign Minister and that he would inform the
Chargé of the latter’s instructions as soon as they were
issued.
