Evening star., 1922-05-28
LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS
MAY CUT DOWN ARMIES
Dispute Between Chile and Peru, Now
Being Adjusted Here, Considered Chief
Obstacle in the Way.

comment following each days ses-
sion of the armament conference and
the meeting at Genoa, the develop
ments Of the Chilean-Peruvian meet
ings, until yesterday. as the pub
lie is concerned. have been nil.
With the exception of the Chilean and
Peruvian replies to the applications
of Bolivia for hearing, nothing has
come out of the council chamber ex-
cept the delegates themselves and
terse, dry 'communiques" announc-
ing what was self-apparent-that the
conference met and adjourned.
Conferees Unwilling
To Discuss Subject.
A belief in certain quarters last
week that the conference had hit
ths rocks before getting fairly un-
derway was strengthened to a GER
tain extent by a reticence on the
part of the conferees to discuss the
subject at all. Perhaps IL they were
little more familiar with the ways
of the American press, the Chilean
and Peruvian delegates might have
thrown out a morsel now and then.
which could have done no harm in
itself and which certainly would have
served to dispel an atmosphere
growing thicker every day.
1t was with decided relief, there
fore, that. those interested in the
outcome of the conference learned
at the close of yesterdays session
that the delegates at last had agreed
upon some formula" of procedure.
The inability on the part of the con-
ferees to decide exactly what they
intended to do has been the cause Of
delay SO far, for as a matter of fact,
they have not yet approached the
stage of a deadlock
What the future plan of action
adopted by the confereee is remains
to be seen. But many believe it
to be one of two courses which have
been offered from the outset: First.
the settlement between Chile and
Peru of their own difficulties, and,
second, mediation.
The opinion held by many long
since, that the dispute will have
to be mediated by a third party.
has gained strength in the ap-
parent unwillingness by either the
Chilean or Peruvian delegates to
yield an inch from the stand taken
by their respective countries since
the forty-year-old dispute started
Both parties are aware of the ire
pnepdous puhlic Sepfip,opt ;o hntl
Chile and Peru against surrendering a
single point, and both know the DEL
icacy with which this sentiment must
be dealt and the consequences which
would follow move in the wrong
direction.
Uncle Sam May Have
To Take Steering wheel.
Mediation. many believe, will be
the ultimate course adopted. But
even that is fraught with difficulty
There remains the question of wheth-
er the issue to be mediated has to
deal only with the territories OF
Tacna and africa, or whether it will
embrace. as Peru would have it. the
questions of the Pacific" which in
clude other disputed points arising
from the treaty of Ancon.
The most hopeful thing about the
whole conference is the fact that the
prestige of the United States in Latin
America is at stake, and that this
country does not intend that this ef-
fort to remove the most serious OBJ
stacle in the way Of amity and friend
chin IN latin America shall fail II
the delegates themselves fear to even
approach the rocks. there is pilot
who will take the helm and head for
them, with fair prospects Of getting
clear.