Show INTERESTING LETTER TELLS OF CONDITIONS iN TROUBLED IRAN Word Vord of conditions in Iran and 7 celebration celebration celebration cele cele- of the Persian New Year bration are contained in a letter received recently by Mr and 1 Mrs Ray P. P Dyreng The letter letteris is from their daughter Mrs Glen Glyn Gagon Marjorie who is with her husband and family in Iran Mr Gagon is with the Point 4 program in that country Parts of Mrs Gagon's letter 2 the first letter received from heri her since the recent riots there follow fol fol- I fol-I i r c low We Ve are just getting over the Ruz No Persian New Year holidays here That means ten days of visiting your friends and receiving visitors and wish well ers at your home It is an extra heavy load in Shiraz because it itis itis itis is the most here at att t that h a 3 t season March 21 and everyone comes to Shiraz to spend No We Ve had an L D S family from Tehran here with us They had just gone and the holidays over when the ambas- ambas ador decided to visit Shiraz There were six in his party and they were here for 4 or 5 days Of coure coore we were kept awfully busy entertaining them and be being being being be- be ing entertained It takes a lot lotof lotof lotof of energy to keep up with all of these things but we have some good opportunities and md ex ex- ex These people had just gone when we had to get ready to togo togo go to Tehran with Glen It is a full 2 days of driving over rough roads and no place to stop for food except the hotel where we stop at night in Isfahan This is the only time we have gone to Tehran with Glen since coming coming comIng com com- ing to Shiraz and I surely feel that we were guided and pro pro- Usually I am home alone with the children while he goes to conferences in Tehran I I hope you received our telegram We Vc didn't know what the news would be like in the papers at home We Ve were staying with Berryessa's sas sa's and Petersons Peterson's and were really shocked when we heard the news about our peaceful Shiraz It seems that on V Wed Wed- ed- ed Continued on page 2 Letter Tells Yells of Conditions in Iran Continued Continue from page 1 night about pm p.m. a group of 2 or 3 thousand were staging a demonstration at the telegraph office which is just justa a block from Pt 4 offices The people in Iran arc are always staging staging staging stag stag- ing demonstrations for something something something some some- thing Part of the mob broke off and went into the Point 4 1 office Fortunately none of the American staff were in the building however howe they completely completely completely com com- destroyed two floors of the building Glens Glen's section was located on the main floor so it took the brunt of the damage They pulled light fixtures from the ceiling mashed stoves files desks and other furniture burn burn- ed files and carried off anything anything anything any any- thing they could use On Thursday Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day they again organized and destroyed another Point 4 supply compound and then proceeded to some of the lie American homes Fortunately the soldiers were able to turn the mob at the gates of Halls Hall's and Andersons Anderson's and enabled the Americans to all take refuge in a large garden garden garden gar gar- den owned by the tribal chiefs The chiefs had ten thousand armed men in the hills lulls I around Shiraz and the mobs were afraid to attack their garI gar gar- dens The rue tribal chiefs issued I an ultimatum to the lie army and I II I government officials to restore i peace pence and protect the Americans or the tribes would take over the city The tribes are staunch supporters of 1 and undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- un- un the strongest faction of force in all Iran including the army pro-British pro forces religious and communist elements clements elements ele ele- ments so it is good to have their protection I The Americans stayed in the tribal gardens until the army and government officials had been replaced d an-d protection was assured assured by 1 himself It is strange to be in the middle middle middle mid mid- dle of all these forces and not be on anyone's side We Ve thought this incident was communist- communist backed ackerl but there is very strong evidence it was others who had been opposed to Point 4 from the start Point 4 has been the means of supplying foreign currency to Iran to enable them to buy staples in the Iranian life liCe Without this foreign exchange ex exchange exchange ex- ex change Iran would be forced into submission on the oil ques ques- tion or orbe be forced to turn to Russia which up up to now they have not wanted to do It 11 is known that a lulah I Moslem 1 Priest engineered this demonstration These religious leaders preach that the more you suffer in this life the lie greater great great- er will be lie your reward in heaven so accept their life of misery and do not want a change I Iguess Iguess I Iguess guess the present policy would assure them of that Point 4 oJ will vill not pull out at this time that is just what the lie the opposition wants If they did pull out it would the country going communist because these people would do that before g giving ging ing into the Bri Bri- tish We Ve had decided to come homon homo home on a month 4 leave and then come back for two more years year but since this incident it looks like we will be home to stay in September In spite of the tense political situation we arc are having a beautiful beautiful beautiful beau beau- spring The air is fragrant with roses and other flowers and the nightingales sing us to sleep every night In a way I will hate to leave this place May lay the Lords Lord's blessings be with you Man Marj Glen and Family n 0 |