ated to
the background with the advance of civilization.

PERSIA'S LOSS OF LIBERTY A.D. 1911

W. MORGAN SHUSTER[1]

[Footnote 1: Reprinted in condensed form from the original narrative in
_Hearst's Magazine,_ by permission.]

As told in the preceding volume, Persia in the year 1905 began a
struggle for freedom from autocratic rule. This she finally achieved in
decisive fashion and set up a parliamentary government. Her career of
liberty seemed fairly assured. She had against her, however, an
irresistible force. England and Russia had long been encroaching upon
Persian territory. Russia, in especial, had snatched away province
after province in the north. Of course Persia's revival would mean that
these territorial seizures would be stopped. Hence Russia almost openly
opposed each step in Persia's progress. In 1907, Russia and England
entered into an agreement by which each, without consulting Persia,
recognized that the other held some sort of rights over a part of
Persian territory: a "sphere of Russian influence" was thus established
in the north, and of British in the southeast.

The climax to this antagonism against Persia came in 1911. The
desperate Persians appealed to the United States Government to send
them an honest administrator to guide them, and President Taft
recommended Mr. Shuster for the task. The work of Mr. Shuster soon won
him the enthusiastic confidence and devotion of the Persians
themselves. But in proportion as his reforms seemed more and more to
strengthen the parliamentary government and bring hope to Persia, he
found himself more and more opposed by the Russian officials. Finally
Russia made his mere presence in the land an excuse for sending her
armies to assault the Persians. Seldom has the murderous attack of a
strong country upon a weak one been so open, brazen, and void of all
moral justification. Thousands of Persians were slain by the Russian
troops, and many more have since been executed for "rebellion" against
the Russian authorities. The parliamentary government of Persia was
completely destroyed; it finally disappeared in tumult and dismay on
December 24, 1911.

The country was reduced to helpless submission to the Russian armies.
Mr. Shuster's own account of the tragedy follows. He called it "The
Strangling of Persia."

Of the many changing scenes during the eight months of my recent
experiences in Persia, two pictures stand out in such sharp contrast as
to deserve