Evening star., 1925-04-03
COOLIDGE ERRED,
CLAIM PERUV|ANS
Note Protesting Tacna-Arica
Award Cites Statements
Declared Wrong.

Several Of the legal premises upon
which President Coolidge based his
award in the Tacns-Arica arbitration
are called into question by Peru in the
note presented by her to the State De-
partment yesterday.
Full details OF the communica ton are
not yet available, but 1t was disclosed
definitely today that Peru had taken
direct issue with a number of state
ments made by Mr.. Coolidge in his
award. and had suggested that on some
points the President evidently was labor
ing under = Misrepresentation.
Without formally petitioning for re-
opening or the case, or directly re-
pudiating the award which both Peru
ana Chile had agreed long in advance
to accept. the Lima government argues
In it's note that; very serious errors have
been made.
Deny Treaty In Fsrce.
The communication states that the
Peruvian government Is unable to
accept the declaration embodied in the
award upholding the legitimacy of
Chilean sovereignty over the territory
of Tacna and africa. or the legitimacy
of this occupation during the years
subsequent to 1894.
The Peruvian government is unable
to understand. the note adds, the ar
since no provision was made in the
treaty OF Ancon for the nuIlification
of that treaty II still Is valid. On the
contrary, says the note, nullification
automatically should have taken place
upon the violation of any provision of
the treaty by either side
The arbitrator. in Peruvian eyes,
also made a fundamental mistake in
translating the paragraph of the
treaty of Ancon which stipulated
that a plebiscite should be held by
using the word after" instead of "at"
The note says President Coolidge
entirely changed the meaning of the
Spanish text. 1t is conceded that
after" was used in the appendix to
the Peruvian case, but it is point I'd
out that lat" was used in this con-
text by the Peruvians in six places
VIII Keep Obligations.
At one point in the note. after re-
citing alleged illegal acts by Chilean
authorities in Tacna-Arica since the
award was announced, the note says
definitely that although these acts
might easily give Peru ground for
rejecting the Presidents findings, she
has no intention of availing herself CT
that alternative.
1t is the invariable policy of Peru
to comply with her international OBJ
legations, the note adds, and she in
tends to carry out the award, despite
the errors which have been pointed
out and in spite of the fact that they.
so deeply wound the sentiments of
justice.
Peruvian compliance with the terms
of the award, however, that is inn
piled, may be dependent upon certain
additional guarantees to insure COM
plete liberty of action to Peruvian
voters in the forthcoming Tacna-
africa plebiscite.
without such guarantees, the note
said, the rights of Peruvian voters
would be destroyed, because they
would be intimidated by Chilean acts
of violence.
Present Six Requests.
Six requests included are:
First-That all Chilean forces be
withdrawn from the two provinces,
not only for the period of the plebi-
scite, but Immediately. If possible,
thew should be replaced by American
contingents.
Second-That the installation and
functioning OF the plebiscitary COM
mission be hastened as much as pos
sible.
Third-That the time limit for the
taxing of the plebiscite be reckoned
from the date of the Chilean with
drawal from the provinces.
Fourth-That any Peruvian citi-
zen who may have resided at some
time for five consecutive years in the
provinces and may have been there
after expelled, be allowed to parti-
cipate in the plebiscite.
Fffth-That all residents be re-
ouired to prove their occupation or
profession before being allowed to
vote, to avoid frauds.
Sixth-That Peruvian citizens de-
barred from voting because of crimi-
nal actions in the past be allowed
a retrial.