New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-05
DISCOURTESY TO PERU
The McAdoo Slight to a Friendly Nation
a Grievous Breach of Etiquette.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: II has been my earnest hope during
the last week that some well informed per-
son with the necessary ability would bring
more fully to the attention of the public the
grieyou5 breach OF diplomatic etiquette and
international courtesy committed by one OF
our highest government officials in his treat
ment Of the government and people Of Peru.
1t is particularly significant to those who
know Of the relations between the countries
Of the west coast Of South America that the
afront was given after this official had been
guest Of Chill, whose jealousy and barbar
ity toward its northern neighbor are too
well known TO call for comment. II may
have been convenient for the present Adj
mnistration to forget that sailors OF the
United States navy were shot down in the
streets OF Valparaiso, Chill, for indulgng in
horseplay that injured no one. and which
was more ludicrous than otherwise; and that
Admiral Evans delivered an ultimatum as to
indemnity and other considerations that the
Chiians have not forgotten or forgiven to
this day. But why. IN the name Of decency,
should the Administration forget that, al
though Peru has suffered more from our
neglect OF its pleas for our friendship than
any other South American nation and al
though tho men from tho fleet Of Admiral
Evans disportcd themselves in its capital
city with all the freedom which marked their
visit to Chill, nevertheless Peru has always
BEEN and now is, more friendly 10 this coun-
try than any other Latin-Amercsn country?
The Colossus Of the North is somewhat
feared in Peru. but in every other southern
republic, from Mexico and Cuba to the Horn,
it is feared and hated.
Such men as Elihu Root and Philander
Knox can tell Of the distinguished courtesy
with which they were treated in Peru; that
unfortunate country is famous for its hos
pitaity to Americans. Its people are the
aristocrats of South America, for they are
descended in unbroken lines from the great
mobiles of Spain who came to the old CITY
Of the Kings" in the courts Of the viceroys.
in the days when Peru was the centre and
contained within its borders all of South
America. There is no prouder people in the
world, and although Peru's boundaries arc
enormously contracted the traditions of
boundless courtesy to the stranger within its
borders have suffered no curtailment. This
only deepens the gravity of the offence.
The plea of bubonic plague seems too
trivial to those who know the west coast;
il is not epidemic and has not been for years.
II a possible score Of cases annually can be
called endemic. let it go at that; it is about
as dangerous to the traveller as the leprosy
in New York City. The plea that the ship
would have been held up by quarantine reg
ulations is "a puerile as anything could well
be. international jealousy maintains con-
slant quarantine between most of the Pa
cifc ports, and the regular running time from
Panama to Callao IS long enough to prevent
declaration against a ship coming from
the isthmus; the time OF quarantine is regu-
Iarly passed at sea.
That this apparent insult was offered
tacitly or otherwise by a member of the fam
lily Of the Chief Executive OF the United
States makes IL the more serious Il makes
the man Of average intelligence wonder just
now much sincerity there is in the shilly-
shally protcstations of the Administration
against anything that would tend to stir up
III feeling against US in South America and
shows up the various Mexican fascos in
new light g. G. LANSING.
Ridgewood. y. j., May I, 1915.