Though a brilliant people, the concept of Kismet, “whatever is to be shall be,” has prevented the Iranian people from progressing in the Western sense, said Miss Jane Doolittle, principal of a high school-junior college in Iran, who spoke on present living conditions in Iran at a fellowship luncheon at the YWCA yesterday. [Young Women’s Christian Association]

With a cold winter and lack of central heating, no running water, poor wages and expensive living costs, the people of Iran are in difficult straits, she said. The oil situation and the lack of income to the government have caused a very explosive political situation. Communist infiltration of students and the laboring classes have helped the situation to develop further in this course, the speaker pointed out.

Mossadegh’s popularity is running high at present, Miss Doolittle reported, due to the rising idea of nationalization. [Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh] The Iranians are trying to have honest elections and attempts are being made to improve the water system. Transportation is actually quite well adjusted, the speaker noted in response to queries; unfortunately, however, the abandonment by Westernized Iranians of their attempts to change certain out-of-date methods has prevented progress in some fields.

There is an active and growing church in Iran, Miss Doolittle, a member of a Presbyterian mission, stated. There are Catholic missions from France and Italy and a Jewish mission from England.

Mrs. Edmund D. Relyea introduced Miss Doolittle. Women of St. Andrew’s Church were guests at the luncheon with Mrs. Percy Williamson as chairman.