IRAN THE MUNIFICENT KING ONCE AGAIN THE STREETS OF TEHERAN RANG WITH 
ANGRY SHOUTS . TWO THOUSAND WORKERS INVADED THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS TO 
BATTLE STUDENTS . IN THE TEEMING BAZAAR, STEELHELMETED POLICE BEAT BACK 
RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO WERE ATTEMPTING A THREE-DAY STRIKE . ALL THE 
EXCITEMENT WAS OVER THE SOCIAL REFORMS OF IRAN'S 43-YEAR-OLD KING OF 
KINGS, SHAH MOHAMMED REZA PAHLEVI . AFTER YEARS OF HESITATION, THE 
SHAH AT LAST WAS TEARING THE LAND FROM IRAN'S FEUDAL VILLAGE 
OWNERS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS, DISTRIBUTING IT TO THE PEASANTS, AND FORCING 
FACTORY OWNERS TO GIVE WORKERS A 20 PER CENT SHARE OF 
THEIR PROFITS . THE MOSLEM MULLAHS (PRIESTS), WHOSE SHRINE LANDS WERE 
UP FOR LEASING TO IRAN'S LANDLESS FARMERS, DID NOT LIKE THE 
IDEA AT ALL . STUDENTS PROTESTED THE SHAH'S DISSOLUTION OF THE 
MAJLIS (PARLIAMENT) A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AFTER THE LEGISLATORS 
RIGGED ELECTIONS, THEN CRIPPLED THE ROYAL LAND REFORM BILL WITH 93 
AMENDMENTS . SINCE THEN, RULING BY DECREE, THE SHAH HAS DISTRIBUTED 
2,000,000 ACRES OF PRIVATE LAND (WITH COMPENSATION TO OWNERS) TO SOME 
50,000 PEASANT FAMILIES IN 3,500 VILLAGES . IT WAS SOME RECORD 
FOR A MONARCH WHO ONCE SEEMED INEFFECTUAL AND POWERLESS TO STAVE 
OFF THE GROWING DISCONTENT OF IRAN'S POOR MASSES. A DECADE BEFORE, 
FEW WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT WORKERS AND FARMERS WOULD BE CRYING 
HIS SLOGANS, WAVING HIS BANNERS . BUT THERE THEY WERE ON 
THE EVE OF THE BIG REFERENDUM CALLED TO GIVE THE NATION'S 
YES OR NO TO HIS SWEEPING PLANS FOR AID TO NEEDY 
RURAL AND CITY IRANIANS . WOMEN, WHO GOT THE VOTE FOR 
THE FIRST TIME IN IRAN'S HISTORY, GATHERED AT POLLING PLACES TO 
SHOUT, " LONG LIVE MOHAMMED REZA SHAH FOR GRANTING US FREEDOM 
. " THE NATION'S POOR WERE EQUALLY ENTHUSIASTIC, FLOCKED TO CAST 
THEIR BALLOTS IN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS . THE SHAH EXPECTED A LANDSLIDE 
VICTORY, AND SURE ENOUGH, EARLY RETURNS BACKED HIS REFERENDUM BY THE 
LOPSIDED MARGIN OF 1,000 TO ONE . THE POPULAR ENTHUSIASM WAS 
DOUBTLESS AIDED BY THE SHAH'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS 
THAT HE WAS GIVING UP THE LAST OF HIS OWN ROYAL 
LAND, 3,500,000 ACRES ON THE CASPIAN'S CAVIAR COAST . 