PERSIA: Crown Prince Works

The jaunty, clean-limbed incumbent of the $30,000,000 Peacock Throne of Persia was once a swashbuckling bandit, Reza Khan. Today he is the Shahinshah, Reza Shah Pahlevi: “The King of Kings, Reza Pahlevi, Shah of Persia.” He indulges in such luxuries as to allow to his 10-year-old son the Valiahd (Crown Prince) a civil list (allowance) of $2,000,000. But withal Shah Reza has not grown efféte or enervated. The old eagerness for battle kindled in his veins, last week, when news came that rebellious tribesmen were stirring in Luristan and had assassinated the Shah’s Minister of Public Works, the Emir Lashkar.

Ripping out a brace of terse orders, the King of Kings dynamically prepared to lead an army into Luristan. But someone must reign at home, in Teheran, during his absence. A happy thought! His Majesty would make the 10-year-old Valiahd temporarily Regent of Persia. The lad should do something to earn his $2,000,000 a year.

Swiftly the substance of these ideas was carried out. His Majesty went before the Majlis (Parliament) and presented to that assembly as Regent the boy, Shahpur Mohammed Reza Pahlevi. The lad, trained to drill and play war games from infancy, made a trim, soldierly appearance. The Majlis cheered him and he held his head high. But afterwards his nether lip trembled as his father bade him goodbye and set forth, jauntily, to lead an army into Luristan.