The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-07-27
Latin-American Arbitration
BY FREDERICK J. HASKIN

A crisis was. recently averted in
Mexico after the armies of two nations
had already met in one struggle and
war feeling was running high on both
sides of the border.
Among tair observers of all opinions,
it is generally agreed that the threaten
ed crisis would have been a disaster to
both countries; for it would not have
forwarded any purpose or plan. but
would simply have been bad feeling to
bloodshed. 1t would have beed per
manent blot upon the record Of Pan
American relations.
1t is generally known that during the
emergency, repeated offers Of mediation
came from various Latin American
governments; and that the best news
papers in South America expressed the
hope that peace could be preserved for
the sakeSf the Pan-American spirit.
1t is not SO generally known that the
corps of Latin American diplomats in
Washington were an active force IN
preserving peace. A close observer
who has an intimate knowledge of what
transpired IN Washington following the
CarraZal incident states that Ignacio
Calderon, Minister from Bolivia, and
Dean of the Latin-American diplomatic
corps, ought to receive the Nobel Peace
Prize as recognition from Europe of
the broad minded spirit of cancellation
which had grown up IN the New World,
and which helped to avert bloodshed
and disaster when both seem unavoid-
able. Men have been honored with this
award for writing books on peace, and
for concluding treaties between nations
exhausted by war. 1t has never, so
far, been awarded to anyone who pre-
vented a war.
Although the fact is realized by few
in the United States, Latin-America
has record for the settlement of dis
putes by arbitration which Europe
ought to envy. There is no Hague
Tribunal south of Panama, but bloody
wars have repeatedly been averted by
the appointment of referees, and it is
not on record that the prestige and
dignity of the Hague Tribunal have
ever achieved as much.
! The most famous. because the most
picturesque incident in the history of
Latin American arbitration is the one
which brought into being the Christ
of the Andes. Chill and the Argen-
tine were on the verge of war over a
border dispute. Certain broad minded
statesmen in the former country de-
! termined to avert the bloodshed which
they believed was unnecessary. But
feeling was running high and the ro-
nance and lust of war had blinded both
! peoples. The leaders knew the char
acter of their people, and realized that
something as spectacular and stirring
as war itself would be necessary to
avert IL. Wherefore, it happened that
the brass cannon of the Chilean army
were melted, and cast into an heroic
figure of the Saviour This was erect
ed upon the disputed boundary as a
message of peace and good will to the
enemies of Chill. The people of Argen-
tine met the spirit of Cancellation fairly.
and the boundary dispute was settled
by arbitration. Incidentally, a small
cast in gold of the Christ of the Andes
was sent to the Hague Tribunal as a
message to Europe that in South Amer
lea arbitration is a reality.
The most fertile cause of trouble be.
tween the different nations in Latin.
America has always been their boun.
daries. These were nearly all first de.
termined in the brave days when Spain
was exploring and conquering America,
and when the King granted to his ad-
mirals and Captains lands las far to
the West as the eve can see," and by
other equally vague definitions, which