Science Among Moslems

In his discreet battle against Persian backwardness shrewd Shah Reza, "The King of Kings," scored again last week against the country's Moslem hierarchy.

The hierarchy had contended that

Prophet Mohammed in the Holy Koran set no minimum age for brides. The Government's new law setting a minimum age of 16, argued the Koranic priests, was clearly un-Mohammedan, since all that the Prophet specified was that a bride should be "marriageable." Meeting the Church on its own ground last week the Ministry of Justice agreed to alter the law so that when a prospective bride is less than 16 years old she may petition the Ministry of Health, claiming to be "marriageable" and offer herself for scientific examination. If Science decides in her favor, the law will be relaxed and an exception made in the precocious bride's case.

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