On the subject of the borrowing of books a volume or two might be written, with material of arresting interest to both borrower and lender, as well, perhaps, to the general public. Such a work would be incomplete without reference to the recent borrowing by the Iranian Foreign Ministry at Tehran of a volume from the British Embassy there. This was a modest pamphlet entitled: “Protocol to be observed in severance of diplomatic relations.”

When Premier Mohammed Mossadegh announced last week he was breaking relations with Britain, the Embassy requested the return of the book. [Book or pamphlet??] Obviously the ambassadorial staff, which is not confronted with such a situation every day in the week, wished to bone up on correct procedure to be followed under the circumstances forecast by Mossadegh.

The Embassy was told that the book was still in use by the Iranians. The use it was being put to became evident when formal announcement of the diplomatic break was made on Wednesday.

Distasteful as the Iranian move may have been to the British, they, sticklers for such things, may derive some consolation from the fact that it was made with due respect to protocol.

It has been written that some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested. Apparently this borrowed volume went through all those processes.