The Washington times., 1905-04-09
International Honesty.

International Honesty.
Buenos Aires. Argentina, April s.
All the newspapers condemn Chile S note /
to Peru. La Presna says.
Chile has no argument but strength !
against n small and weak country. NO I
South American nation can have conf .
dence in the stability of its rights nor |
value international treaties while there |
only on the right of strength. Surely i
If Peru had an army and navy the |
language of the Chilean note would be |
qe;Ee different.
In the history Of a thoroughly pa
triotic people there is nothing so pa
'thetic as the sentimental grief occa-
stoned by the cession of part of the
fatherland in consequence Of los
ing war with a neighboring nation.
France of a generation ago had its
poignant sorrow over the loss OF ALL
SAGE and Lorraine, and it has taken
more than three decades Of time to
temper the national yearning for re-
venge The Teuton was the victor,
and the Gaul could but be submissive
for the moment, while nurturing deep
in his expansive heart the hope and
prayer that some day, in some way,
the 'lost provinces" would again
rest secure under the tri-color.
A generation has gone by, and the
same drama is being enacted in an
other part of the globe. History is
repeating itself, with the scene shift
ed from the Old to the New World.
| Chile appears in the role of the un-
relenting victor, imposing its iron
will upon Peru as the penalty of the
latter country's Intellectual effort to
| maintain, by force of arms, its ma
tional obligations under treaty of
alliance with Bolivia. Again two
provinces-richest of their kind in
| the world and held hostage up to
! this time-are claimed by the victor
for permanent occupation.
/ Announcement of this intention on
the part of Chile has been made
4 known to all the world in current
! news dispatches. 1t raises most di-
rectly the question of territorial ag-
grandizement against which, on the
part Of European nations, the Mon
roe Doctrine stands as an effective
. barrier. Taken in connection with
: President Roosevelt's official assur-
) anees at the beginning Of the Santo
Domingo affair, that this country
/ contemplated no extension of its ma
tional possessions, there arises the
pertinent question: Will Uncle Sam
/, the acknowledged big brother" OF
2 all the South American republics, be
: willing to protect all the little
2 brothers" against attack from out
, side. and show no land hunger
5 himself, but still permit the spolia
: ton of the weaker by the stronger
!, within the family Of American re
S publics?
+ There is supposed to be doctrine
Y of right among nations as well as {
e doctrine of might. When nations e
[ to war the victor claims the priv
D lege of making the terms Of peace
The yanquished must agree lest h
t suffer further losses and humiliation
e This had been done, and such a treat,
It had been made by Chile and Peru
S but Chile has now repudiated ii
e This raises the question whethe
n Uncle Sam can look complacentl
s upon its repudiation without a pro
l. test or with Gut directing a few word
= of advice to the little brother win
y fails to live up to his obligations.
l. International politics is gam
n which even the most astute player
v cannot unfailingly understand. TIL
stage is set, the scenes change, tn
IS players move Yet the shrewdest OF
is server cannot always discover the es
Is planation of why some things ar
l. and why some other things are no
% After it's war with Peru, Chile al
r nexed the immensely valuable PERI
h Wan province of Tarapaca,' famOu
If for it's nitrate mines, which hay
If yielded millions. By treaty Per
W acceded to this alienation of terri
IT tory, and yielded ten years posses
;" sion of two additional provinces
IT Tacna and Arica-on condition tn;
at the end Of that time a plebisci