Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-27
Latin-American Arbitration
BY Frederic Y. Haskin

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,
the emergency, repeated offers Of me-
diation came from various Latin-Amer-
lean governments; and that the best
newspapers in South America express
sed the hope that peace could be pre-
served for the sake of the Pan-Amer
lean spirit. 1t Is not so generally
known that the corps Of Latin-Ameri-
can diplomats in Washington We're an
active force in preserving peace. A
close observer who has an intimate
knowledge of what transpired in
Washington following the Carrizal in
cident states that Ignacio Calderon,
minister from Bolivia, and dean of the
Latin-American diplomatic corps,
ought to receive the Nobel peace prize
as a recognition from Europe of the
broad-minded spirit of Cancellation
which has grown up in the new world
and which helped to avert bloodshed
and disaster when both seemed I'M
avoidable. Men have been honored
with this award for writing books on
peace, and for concluding treaties be,
tween nations exhausted by war. It
has never, so far. been awarded to
anyone who prevented 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-mind
ed statesmen in the former country
which they believed was unnecessary.
But feeling was running high and the
romance and lust of war had blinded
both peoples. The leaders knew the
character of their people, and realized
that something as spectacular and stir
ring as war itself would be necessary
to avert it. Wherefore, it happened
that the brass cannon Of the Chilean
army were melted and cast into an
heroic figure Of the Savior This was
erected upon the disputed boundary as
message of peace and good will to
the enemies of Chilli. The people of
Argentine met the spirit of concilia-
ton fairly and the boundary dispute
was settled by arbitration. Inciden-
tally, small cast in gold Of the Christ
of the Andes was sent to the Hague
tribunal as message to Europe that
in South America arbitration is a real
ity.
The most fertile cause Of trouble
between the different nations in Latin
America has always been their boun-
DIARIES. These were nearly all first
determined in the brave days when
Spain was exploring and conquering
America, and when the king granted
to his admirals and captains land "as
far to the west as the eye could see,"
and by equally vague definitions,
which might be interpreted in dozens
of different ways. In addition to these
boundary disputes there have, OF
course, been the wars which brought