Arizona republican., 1922-05-12
SOUTH AMERICAN
ONFERENCE At
CAPITAL MONDAY

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE
problem of defining the exact scope
of the Chilean Peruvian conference
here is developing some interesting
ramifieations as the preliminary dis
cussions Of the two delegations near
a conclusion.
Outwardly all delegates expressed
confidence that as soon as the con-
ference has been initiated formally at
next Mondays plenary session, the
question of arranging a satisfactory
program will be easily and quickly
settled
These predictions are made, how
ever, in full realization that certain
factors of uncertainty hover in the
offing
One factor which promises at once
to center attention on the question
of Tarpaca Is the presence in the
United states Of a delegation of ma
tive Tarpacans who are expected to
come to Washington in advance of
the conference opening to present to
President Harding a memorial de-
claring void the treaty of Aeon by
which their province was ceded by
Peru to Chile Another undetermined
question is whether the government
of Bolivia, which once sought un-
successfully TO be made party to
the Washington negotiations, will
find an opportunity before the con-
ference is over TO formally press its
plea of INTERESTING the disposal Of
Tacna- africa.
The possibility or these and other
elements which are. strictly speaking.
outside the conference proper. are be-
ing borne in mind by the Chilean and
Peruvian delegations as they COM
plete their preparations for the Sc
cret meetings which are to follow
Mondays opening session Again to-
day the delegations held separate
meetings with their advisors and the
ambassadors OF their governments
here, going over ninutely the points
of negotiations which are expected to
come first ito the attention of the
conference. The two delegations were
brought formally together for the
first time today at a luncheon given
at the White House by President
Harding. at whose invitation the con-
ference is to be held The Chilean
delegates were accompanied to the
luncheon by the Chilean ambassador
and the Peruvian delegates. Al
though the White House visit was
SdlQ 10 De purely SOCldl III C0alacLcTs
it is understood that President Hard
ing took the lead in giving the oc-
casion an air of the greatest cor
diality, expressing informally and
impartially his hope that a satisfac-
tory solution OF all Chilean Peruvian
difficulties would result from the ne
gotiations here
Another angle OF the : conference
was called to the attention of Amer
lean, Chilean and Peruvian officials
when DR.. Virgilia Beteta, of Guat-
emala, and James w. Brown of New
York, representing the World Press
congress offered the assistance of
the newspapers OF the world in max
ing the conference a success and
asked that open diplomacy and a
broad policy of publicity characterize
the conference sessions. They were
told that arrangements already had
been made Tor the admission of the
newspaper correspondents to the
plenary sessions and ii was indi-
Gated also that daily communiques
might be issued covering the secret
meetings.
The possib lity that the problem of
Tarapac may come prominently into
the negotiations at their outset has
aroused lively interest in the Latin
American diplomatic circles generally.