Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-05-15
CHILE-PERU
DISPUTE MAY
BE ADJUSTED
Washington Scene of
Another Peace
Meeting.
AN ANCIENT FEUD
European Parallel in
Alsace-LOrraine
Question.
AN ANCIENT FEUD
Special to Indiana Daily Times
and Philadelphia Public Ledger.

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
WASHINGTON, May 15.-Another
Washington conference for the preserva-
ton of peace is on today. It concerns
the peace Of South America, menaced In
termittently for nearly forty years by
the ancient feud among Chile. Peru and
Bolivia over the west coast nitrate prov
.nces of Tacna and africa. By good
omen the conference, officially known
as The Chilean Peruvian negotiations,
will be held on the premises OF the Pan
American Union, immortalized for all
time as the scene Of the successful Wash
ington conference on naval armament and
the Far East. Secretary Hughes will
formally inaugurate proceedings with an
address of welcome and then retire from
them, for the United States is not Of.
fcially a party to the negotiations.
The conference was instigated by Presi-
dent, Harding, in pursuance of his policy
of Graduating causes Of international
strife, by negotiation, rather than by
war. For more than a generation Tacna
and africa, known as Peru's lost prov
inces" since the war Of the Pacific" In
1870, have formed the "Alsace- Lorraine
question" Of South America. Periodical
Iy, as its European nanesake did. the
question threatened to embroil the three
republics that fought in 1S79-Chtle
against an alliance Of Peru and Bolivia
In another and far bloodier conflict.
Efforts to remove causes Of strife proved
futile. The treaty Of Ancon, ratified In
1854 and signed in the mutual belief that
1t would promote peace, remained dead
letter. It's provision for plebiscite to
decide the final ownership of Tacna and
africa has never been carried out. Mat
49, lrfr h.A T.,
worse. Chile and Peru armed against
each other from year to year just as Ger
many and France did, in preparation for
a final reckoning on the field and sea of
battle.
CHILE PROPOSES
TO OBSERVE TREATY.
In December 1921 Chile submitted to
Peru a proposition for the carrying on,
of the plebiscite proposal of the treaty
of Ancon. Peru did not reject the prop
osition outright, but suggested q gen,
eral arbitration covering the whole ques
tion growing out of the war OF the
Pacific" This was unacceptable to Chile
on the alleged ground of the impossible
ity of revising a treaty which was II
force and fulfilled in all its provision!
except the one now in question tplebis
cite).r col
1t was at this point the Chilean Pc
ruvian direct negotiations broke down
amid an atmosphere Of the greatest
tension on both Sides President Hard
ing's influence was thrown into the
scales. By instructions of the President
Secretarr Hughes on January Is, 1922
sent identical notes to Chile and Peru
inviting their governments to send pleni-
potentiaries to Washington for a con.
ference with view to securing set
Element Of the unfullflled clauses OF the
Treaty of Aneon. The United States
note was inspired lin the interest Of
American peace and concord and empha
sized our anxiety ito assist In a manner
agreeable to both governments concerned
in finding a way to end this longstand
ing controversy"
BOTH GOVERNMENTS
RESPOND FAyORABLY.
Both the Chilean and Peruvian gov
ernments responded favorably. They ac
cepted President Harding's suggestion
and named plenipotentiaries. Chile 1!
represented at the negotiations by Senol
Carlos Aldunate Solar. a lawyer, sen
ator and counsellor of state and Senol
Luis Isqnierdo. Chilean minister to the
Argentine Peru's representatives are
Senior Herman yelartle. Peruvian minis
ter to the Argentine and Senior Melton
Perras, q former minister of foreign at
fairs.
Bolivia Is not a direct participant In
the negotiations, Int Is as vitality inter
ested in their outcome as either of the
conferees. The territory In dispute be
tween Chile and Peru bars Bolivia from
an outlet to the Pacific. She fervently
hopes her Shattered window" somehow
may be opened by the time the Washing
ton conference is ended. Shortly after
President Harding proposed negotiations
In Washington to Chile and Peru, Bolivia
through her president, Senior Saavedra
made an impassioned Geographic appeal