New-York tribune., 1918-12-23
Chile Pertgarbeti
Over Coal Famine,
Not Peru Quarrel
Territorial Trouble Is Mere
Incident, Says New Ambas-
sador, Here Seeking Ships
10 End the Fuel Shortage


If the matter were left to the people
of New York, they probably would give
Beltran Matthew, Ambassador to the
United States from the Republic of
Chile, credit for very shrcwd sensc
of relative values.
Ambassador Matheu won his title to
something fthe kind, at least, when,
III an interview at the Waldorf Astoria
last night, he rcsolutcly refused to ac-
cord the Chilean. Peruvian "situation"
anything like so mucn Importance as
q conl famine which just now has the
South American republic in its grip.
"The affair with Peru" said Senior
Matthew. "Oh, that has been much
exaggerated. But the coal famine
well, 1t has not been talked about
enough And he proceeded to talk
Of it,
Senior Mat!lieu succeeds the former
Chilean Ambassador, who died about a
year ago. He arrived IN Washington
from Chile last month and has been
in New York for several days on bust
ness ss-connected, by the way, not with
the Peruvian troubles, but the coal
famine
Not only Chile" said the ambassa-
dor, but the whole OF South America
anxiously awaits the resumption of
shipping on a large scale with the
United States. Many important i'm
ports clrtually are unobtanable. while
the prices Of all are exceedingly high"
IN an effort to bring abouH the need
cd traffic the difficulties Of Chile are
being taken up by it's representative
with the Shipping Board
Ihe more readily to make the am
bassador's attitude understandable, it
may be stated that the price of coal
just now IN Chile is about 500 a ton
American money. Chile hasn't the
winter climate OF New York, but it has
railroads and mines and factories and
we'll, New York knows what it means.
Even when it was pointed out that
the withdrawal of consuls would indi-
cate something like an international
situation Senior Matheiu refused to
concede that it was very important.
That" he explained, "was mostly
the result of Misunderstanding. The
whole thing is really very simple. In
ended IN 1883, the title to all disputed
territory, except the provinces of africa
and Iacna, was settled. In ten years
a pleblscite was to be held in those
provinces and they were to exercise
the principle of self-determination that
IS now being talked about so much.
Also the country which got them was
to pay $10,000,0O0 to the one which
didn't. In the mean time, they were
to remain under the sovereignty Of
Chile.
"Well, the pebiscite, for various
reasons with which the Chilean gov
ernment is in no way connected, has
never been held.
Recently some Of the suggestions
Tor settling the international tangles
OF Europe have furnished a pretext for
Peruvian agtators to demand that the
provisions of the trcaty of 1883 be
abrogated, WHICH, of course, is non
sense. However, the talk excited some
CT the population, and the Peruvian
Consul at lquique rather prematurely
withdrew, which resulted in the gen
eral withdrawal of consuls But there
IS really nothing serious about it, and
| nave no question that it eventually
will be settled by arbitration. Mean
while, the important thing, so far as
Chile is concerned. is to get coal"
Quite aside from the immense coal
trade which is impending, Senior Ma
thleu looks for an unprecendentedly
large after-the-war commerce between
the United States and Peru
"All our cutlery and 3 big percentage
Of our agricultural Implements came
from Germany, so did many other i'm
portant articles of commerce. A golden
opportunity awaits the United States.
"The general commercial situation
IN my country, except that which is
connected with the shipping situation.
is good. Employment is plentiful and
wages are high. We look for big
business development within the next
year or two, and we hope confidently
Tor the Establishment with the United
states OF trade relations which Will
bring US together as closely in COM
merce rs We arc already in sympathy
and political understanding.
THE Importance given to the Peru
Wan affair is really unjustihed. At
worst, it IS q misunderstanding which
can easily be settled by peaceful