Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-27
South Americas Var Cloud

nISMEMBERED Peru passionately seeks
- the return of her lost provinces" Chile,
her neighbor, as fervently hopes to retain
the rich fruits of her overwhelming victory
in the terrible little war; of 1s79-1sS4. This
Is the primary significance of. the ominous
war cloud darkening the Pacific coast OF
South America at the present moment.
That such a shadow should be cast almost
Immediately upon the cessation of an ap-
palling era Of International strife furnishes
at first blush ammunition for the cynlc
Scorn OF human shortsightedness, following
the most tragcal exposition of wars agony,
may spring readily from the lips of the
thoughtless
But the charge in this instance would be
both unjust and parochial. Two nations
capable of notable contributions to the worlds
progress are not squabbling over trifes. An
issue scared with memories both of bitter
ness and triumph a question of INCREASINGLY
disturbing intrlcacy calls for final settlement
If any system of international safeguards
are to be operated on basis of equity.
TNHERE are certain striking analogies be-
l. tween the protracted "lost provinces
crisis in South America and what was once
the Alsace-Lorraine problem The pride OF
Peru on the continent of South America in
1879 bore vivid resemblances to that of
France on the continent of Europe in 1870.
Both nations fought with desperate courage
a foe FAR better organized, far better equipped
with material advantages in war Both
nations suffered destructive invasion and
Welded provinces which were extremely i'm
nj of
The parallel, however, cannot be carried
much further. France and Germany had
taken opposing courses for centuries. Peru
and Chile had undergone common Spanish
oppression, had waged war as allies and We're
closely akin in race, traditions and ideals.
The violent clash of these two nations was
perhaps intensified by their very ties, as was
the impact Of the North and South in our
own Civil War
As so often happens in history, a struggle
between major contestants was oocasioned by
a third party, which eventually played sub
ordinate role. Bolivia, in 1879, extended to a
small coastal strip between the territories of
Peru and Chile. Nitrate deposits of enormous
value had been discovered there, and the
Chilean Nitrate Company had developed and
worked them near the then shabby little port
OF Antofagasta.
Claiming that the Bolivians had sought to
impose conflscatory taxes on the export of
this treasure and that in so doing they were
egged on by Peru possessor Of similarly rich
domain in Tacna and africa, to the north, the
| Chileans took possession of Antofagasta
| without declaration of hostilities.
In March. 1879 Bolivia declared war and
| Peru Immediately offered her services
| mediator. But this effort the Chileans inter-
| preted move against them, since they
had learned of a secret treaty already eX-
| listing between Bolivia and Peru. The blame
| for involving these three republics in a war,
| which, Judged even by recent standards. was
| bitterly sanguinary, has never been authori-
| tatively fixed.
| Peru still asserts that her treaty with
| Bolivia was for defensive purposes, and that
| Chile not only lusted for the Antofagasta
| region, but for the equally lucrative PERU
| Wan provinces Of Tacna and africa. Chile,
! maintaining as she still does, that Perus
| diplomacy involved a breach Of faith, insisted
| that Peru should cease defensive prepara-
| tons, annul the treaty with Bolivia and
| declare her neutrality. Peru scorned the ulti-
| matum and the war broke out.