We are accustomed to say that modern invention has made the world a neighborhood. If some leader in Afghanistan is taken ill everybody knows about it in the next morning or afternoon newspaper.

But it is not quite true. For a large part of the world is surrounded by an iron curtain; and nobody knows what is going on behind it. Nor do the people behind it know what is going on elsewhere.

Then there are areas which are not very well covered by the various agencies of news. We are not wholly informed regarding Argentina—for that matter, regarding Bolivia, Brazil or many another country south of us. And now in Iran we are in ignorance. Perhaps the revolution which is now in progress will develop by the time this editorial reaches the reader sufficiently to let him know just what has happened. We did get the coup of the old sinner Mossadegh. Now we have a counter-coup—which, apparently, has been unusually successful. But let us not cheer yet. The Communists are clever and they are behind Mossadegh. [untrue] The army is behind the Shah; but will it remain there? Or will it sell itself to a higher bidder? Persia always has been uncertain territory. We’d better wait a bit before placing our bets.