Evening star., 1925-03-09
CHILE WINS TACNA
DISPUTE IN AWARD
MADE BY COOLIDGE
Issue With Peru Over Prov
ince Will Be Settled
by PIebiSCite.
LATTER COUNTRY SCORES
IN BOUNDARY CONTENTION
Commission of Three Provided to
Arrange Vote-United States
to Name One Member.

TO Name One mcHUcI.
President Coolidge handed dowr
his award in the Tacna and africa
arbitration case today, determining
the major contention between Chile
and Peru in favor of the Chilean
viewpoint that the question of per
manent sovereignty of the two ter
ritories must be finally decided BY
popular vote.
The arbitration lays down, however
specific conditions as to the ultimate
pebiscite which covered the question
of determination of qualification OF
votes and also that of supervision OF
the plebiscite by special commission
set up for the purpose consisting of
three members, one to be appointed
by Chile, one by Peru and one by
the United States.
Meet Within Six Months.
The commission is to be appointed
within four months, and to assemble
in the city of africa for its first
meeting within six months and i'm
mediately fix the date of the plebi-
scite and the time and places of reg
istration and voting.
The arbitrator holds that "any per
son of Peruvian or Chilean national
fly who has resided continuously ir
Tacna and africa for two years prior
TO July 20. 1922, the date of the ar
bitration protocol, and who has con
tinued to maintain his residence
therein until the date OF registration
should be entitled to vote"
The arbitrator further holds tha'
any person of other nationality who
has resided continuously in the ter.
ritories under the same condition:
land who makes a solemn declaration
in the form to be provided of his in
tention 10 continue to reside in the
province and to seek naturalization un-
der the laws Of the country successful
in the plebescite should be likewise en-
titled to vote"
Women Cannot Vote.
Women shall not vote, as woman
suffrage does not exist either in Chile
or Peru. A literacy qualification
shall not be required of those resi-
dents of the territory who own real
property; military persons of al
ranks and civil employees of both
governments born in the disputed ter
ritory shall be permitted to return
and vote. No person imprisoned fol
non-political offense, no person un.
der guardianship and no person Of
unsound mind shall have a vote.
No person who during the required
period of residence has been in the
military, government police, secrer
service of gendarme of either gov
ernment or been a government civil
official or employe of either country
shall have a right to vote.
" i ~
and Chilean Ambassadors at the
White House today by the President
Conditions of the plebiscite will be
in accordance with some of the con.
tentions of each of the nations party
ITO it. The decision would provide &
fair election to represent the wishe:
of the people.
Summary of Decision.
A brief semi official summary OF
the decision follows:
The opinion and award is not holly
favorable to either party, but it is
in no sense a compromise. 1t Is q
clean-cut decision on the merits OF
each of the three questions sub.
mitted to the arbitrator.
The first question, plebiscite or nc
plebiscite, is decided in favor OF
Chile's contentious that the ultimate
dispositions of Tacna and africa
should be determined by popular
vote.
The second question, namely, the
conditions of the plebiscite, involve
the determination of number OF
important matters, such as the quail.
f1cations of voters and the super
vision of the plebiscite. Some OF
these matters are decided in accord
ance with contentious made by Chile
wifi G
made at one time or another by Peru
All of them are decided in the in
: terest of free and fair election
which VIII truly represent the will OF
the people of Tacna and africa.
Peru Wins on Boundary.
The third question, which concerns
the northern and southern boundaries
Of the trritory of Tacna and AFRICA is
decided outright in favor of Peru as
far as 1t concerns the northern boun-
dary. including the province OF
Tarata.
The dispute regarding the south
ern boundary is remitted to a special
commission for a report upon the
location of the old Peruvian inter
provincial boundary lines This
means that the most important
boundary question involved has been
decided in principle in favor of Peru
Chilean Envoy Pleased.
Ambassador Matthew of Chile saic
he was very pleased at the outcome
and the decision was a complete vim.
dication not only of Chile's thesis but
of her conduct during the whole con.
troversy.
He added that owing to Coolidge's
high character and judicial qualities
ne had always been confident that
the final decision would take into ac-
count the full merits of the case.
The Peruvian embassy had no com
ment to make on the award. officials
stated that they were waiting fol
instruction from Lima before ex-
pressing any opinion on the decision
DELICATE ISSUE INVOLVED.