The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-04-22

prepared by the National Geographic Sc
> ciety. Washington. d. c.
| In taking the first step toward
solution Of the famous Tacna-Aric
controversy, primarily between Chill
and Peru, by deciding that a plebiscit,
snail De held President Coolidge
CHOSEN by the two countries as um
pire, has helped to heal wound thai
mas remained open since the some
what grandiloquently named "War OF
the Paclfic." That conflict, between
Chile on one side, and Peru and 30.
llvia on the other, closed In 1884 with
Chile the victor
Inc Tacna and africa question can
perhaps best be understood, If it is
taken as rough American equivalent
OF Alsace-Lorraine, Italia Irredenta.
and the Danzig corridor, all jumbled
together On the surface, the Tacna-
AREA matter in late years may appear
to have been merely question of
whether plebiscite should be held
and how, but there is great deal
more Dehind it. AS a matter Of fact
IL Is intimately concerned with ques-
lions that involve Bolivia as well as
reru and Chile, though the first-named
country has no claim to the Tacna-
AREA area itself and has not been rem
resented in the Washington negotia-
lions. Wars, treaties that are none too
clear, indemnites fiIibustering exna-
ditions, valuable mineral deposits.
strong military positions, national
senslbilities and politics-these are
some OF the many cross-currents that
allect both the two-sided and three
SIDED aspects of the problem.
Before the War Of the Pacific. Peru
not only included Tacna, the norther
most division now under Chilean adj
mlnistration (what is now known as
lacna then consisted of two di-
visions, "Tacna" and "Arica"). but
also Tarapaca. the next province to
the south. Peruvian territory, in 9th
er words, then extended some 800
miles farther south than the southern
boundary of Peru now shown on the
maps Tarapaca is nearly three
times as large as Tacna, and in if
are much more extensive nitrate de-
Dosits than there are in the Iatter
The loss of Tarapaca, therefore was {
u much greater moment to Peru than
ne loss of Tacna (Tacna-Arica).
larapaca does not enter the present L
controversy, however. The treaty that L
the War of the Pacific L
eded this rich province to Chile with. a
ut qualification. Tacna was not ced- a
u Inc treaty provided that Chile IL
mould have control of it for ten years u
fter which pebiscite was to he held II
determine its future sovereignty
lie plebiscite was not held as provid- tf
! and Chile continued to administer p;
lie territory while Peru protested es
President Cooidge's decision This CO
''ayed plebiscite is to be held in the OF
ar future. Though its nitrate de. Ia
sits are not so great as those TO the
uth still they are sufficiently large
make lacna worth striving for. so
Bolivia Looks On. Pi
ho'lvla has been and continues to ''
deeply Interested spectator in all 49,,
EQUATIONS between Peru and Chile No.
the same war Bolivia lost her con- ~
'tion with the Pacific. the present oa''
ilean province of Antofagasta. She sa'
I'd later TO buy corridor" TO the ~. .I'
from Chile. That country would Wy
sell any of her own territory but w..
willing 10 sell a strip of disputed ats
ma. Peru raised an emphatic oh. 80
ION TO this; so Bolivia has had RI IT. IT.
ain Isolated nom salt water. but IA" "S
tinues to hope that whichever wav rs"
final decision goes she can acouira spe'
lth Of her own to the ocean. "n
hough much of the land In Tacna
ather desolate. and water. in bor- Of :,
attached to. mules by ropes, is be- pro,
hauled across the great desert TOR
les to many localities. the river moo,
ays are fertile, and the climate of o.
city of africa and the coastal strIp Ion;
eiightful. africa has been called I,no
most beautiful port between Pan. 70 y
and Valparaiso" FL MORO. which po,,,
rs S55 feet above sea Lowell. shell serv,