higher into the structure of the central government until at last the supreme executive, to maintain himself, must become little better than a bandit chief. A patriot like your Majesty, who understands the basis of national order and stability, has surely viewed this problem of local government as one of supreme concern for the progress, for the very existence of the Persian state.
Very humbly, and as true friends of Persia, we suggest that the question of the Bahá’ís of your realm has become a vital issue no longer to be postponed or entrusted to prejudiced or incompetent hands. For the cruel treatment being inflicted upon this innocent people is becoming the cause of absolute anarchy and disregard of law. Not until your loyal Bahá’í subjects receive ful1 justice and protection will these negative forces be successful1y resisted, which will otherwise lead to the total disintegration of civilized customs, manners and forms. When the supreme authority of Persia today reverses the example its predecessors set over seventy years ago, and protects the Bahá’ís resolutely instead of condoning their persecution, then at last can the process of anarchy and disintegration be checked, and the national government, the sole hope of any people, be placed on foundations able to endure.
It may well be that the case of the Persian Bahá’ís has become a vital issue in another direction as well.
Menace to Persia's Economic
Development
Aware of the explicit statements made by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá concerning the future of the relations between East and West, the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada have long watched with the greatest interest the signs of an increasing intimacy between North America and Persia. We have felt keenly the need for a cordial association and mutual spirit of co-operation between these two lands and peoples, in order to offset by an example of international justice and true morality the grievous effects of that previous contact of East and West so frequently founded on national or sectional greed. Is it not evident that Persia would benefit by direct financial co-operation from this country—enterprises of a non-political character intended to develop the natural resources of that economically undeveloped land? But the consummation of any plan of financial co-operation between our people and Persia is impossible until real stability has been effected in Persia itself, and those processes of justice and security have been realized which are absolutely necessary as guarantees that large economic developments can succeed. We have direct knowledge of one important enterprise recently abandoned by American interests for lack of these guarantees.
But such considerations are entirely secondary to our essential purpose, of requesting protection and justice for the Persian Bahá’ís on purely spiritual grounds. No other purpose could have induced us to take this unusual step of addressing a petition directly to a chief of state. It is because all the circumstances are extraordinary, and the issues supremely important, that we felt compel1ed to disregard ordinary custom and place this petition directly in your Majesty’s hands. The news of your accession to the throne gave us great hope that Persia has now been blessed with a ruler not only firm but imbued with modern standards and ideals. We feel certain that your Majesty will appreciate the gravity of the case and determine to uphold the ful1 responsibility of your exalted position as the founder of a new dynasty by hastening to suppress conditions of terror long crying to Divine Justice for amends.
Bahá’í Literature Confiscated
We express the hope that your Majesty wi1l also decide that no useful end can any longer be served by the confiscation of Bahá’í magazines, literature and correspondence sent to Persia from this country, or by the banning of photographs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It is such Im-