The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-28
WAR CLOUD IS GATHERING
OVER CHILE AND PERU
ONCE MORE.
By John sNURE.

Another war cloud, one rather big
ger. too. than a mans hand. has arisen
TO the south. II has attracted little
uotice generally, but it has not escaped
the keen attention Of the diplomatic rep
essntatives in washington, who are
forever scanning the horizon OF events
and alert for trouble ahead. This time
it is a South American controversy, not
the welI-known one between Brazil and
Argentina, but On the other side or the
continent between Chile and Peru.
Many still recall the horrors OF Inc
LONG and bitter struggle thirty years
ago between Peru and Chile 1t is not
i1nossible that old struggle Will be
renewed At any rate, the feellng pc
tween the two republics Just now y &c
cidedIy ugly and in Chile in particular
there has bven strong popular clahioE
for war The Chilean minister has quit
Lima. the capital of Peru and diplo-
matte relations between the two coun-
tries are practically severed.
Long Hard Struggle.
The war a generation ago between
these TWO countries. both then weak
and undevelOped. was no childs play.
II was marked by hard lighting At sea
and on land, by great slaughter, great
suffering and great fortitude. If there
should be another struggle. now that
both countries have grown in popula-
of even more serious proportions
The Immediate cause OF the present
breach concerns so small a matter as
the proposed laying OF a wreath on
peruvian monument by the Chilean
government. AS is well known IN the
war that begun in 1873 between the Two
countries, Peru. was Nanqulsned aHu
Chile was triumphant. Lately Peru mas
contemplated the erection OF Inotu-
ment in honor Of her fallen soldiers.
Chile proposed as an act or gracious
ness and courtesy TO aad i'5 - -
monial to the bravery of the Peruvian
soldiers by laying wreath ana crown
on the monument.
Peru would have none of IT and, suu-
denly and abruptly, the Chilean minister
left Lima, returned TO his own country
and was received by his felloW-cltlzehs
there with riotous demonstrations OF
approval. In this delicate situation the
matter rests Tor the present.
Romance of Nations.
The story of the relations between
Peru and Chile reads like romance
Their troubles originate in the fact that
both countries have coveted the rich
deposits of nitrate and guano lying In
what is now northern Chile. Originally,
Bolivar W. s part of Peru. After Bolivar
dispelled The Spaniards, his great mill
itarv CHIEF a greater warrior than Boil
war Sucre. drove the SpanlardS out OF
the back country and Bolivia was estao-
lished as a separate nation carved Out
of the upper part OF Peru. Upper Peru
was never understood to have any sea
coast. but Suc~e gave Bolivia an out
let to the sea. About 1870 guanO ana
nitrate deposits were discovered In this
region. which lies in the Atacama des-
ert. Exploitation was begun from the
Chilean end. The southern boundary
of Bolivia. between Bolivia and Chile,
was underlined Chile claimed all of the
territory embraced in the Old captaincy
general of Spanish times up TO a de
grees south. Bolivia claimed as far as
- south finalIy they agreed 10 fiX the
boundary at -. leaving the territory
one degree north anc one degree south
of the boundary as i neutral zone FOR
the extraction of e>suate.
The exploiters were All Chileans. Bo-
llvia wanted 10 put high export tax