Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-30
Press Upholds American
Attitude on Tacna-Arica

Remarkable unaninity is disclosed
in American press comment on the
failure Of the plehiScite in Tacna-
AFRICA on the disputed jurisdiction of
Chile and Peru. The position taken
by Gen. IaSSiter from the United
States, chairman of the commission,
that fair vote is impossible because
of the activities Of Chile, is accepted
in this country as based upon justice.
Regret is expressed that the United
States was drawn into the matter
and that the cause of international
arbitration has suffered.
blessed are the peacemakers--bu
they are more blessed in heaven than
upon earth by those between whom
they seek to make peace is the com
ment of the San Francisco Bulletin,
which criticiZtS a suggestion by
Chilean politicians that the time has
come to throw off the Monroe doc
trine" and to end the eternal polit-
ical interference of the United States
To this the Bulletin replies: The
principle of Latin America for Latin
Americans does not conflict with but
is included in and protected by the
Monroe doctrine. As for the charge
of eternal political interference. 1t
comes strangely from a representa-
tive of the country that invited the
United States to arbitrate in the
Tacna-Arica controversy
The Williamsport Suns opinion is
that chile appears in a bad light be
fore the world" and the Saginaw
News Courier holds that the example
set by Chile is not an encouraging
one" for that paper contends that
what the Chileans have done in this
matter is not at all helpful to the
cause upon which the nations gen
orally are spending SO much effort
The resolution adopted by the
plebiscite commission is accepted by
the New York Sun as charging that
with the knowledge and approval of
the Chilean authorities q policy OF
terrorism has been employed for the
purpose of intimidatinG Peruvian
voters and thus making certain that
the verdict at the polls would favor
Chile. An accusation of bad faith SO
open and blunt" continues the sun,
sis rarely made in documents having
to do with international relationships.
American opinion and that of all
other informed countries not swayed
by blind partisanship will place the
blame for the breakdown of this dis
Interested attempt to relieve the
South American continent of a fes-
tering sore. squarely where it be-
longs. upon the shoulders of Chile.
And doubtless in many chancelleries
this is a fact which will be filed for
future reference"
"Chile's stubborn attitude" re
marks the Syracuse Herald, lis no
more than a repetition of the familiar
methods practiced by ambitious ma
lions in their temporary occupancy
of territory Professionally intrusted to
them by peace treaties pending the
final decision of the question of own
ership." The Fort Worth Record
Telegram sums up the situation as
follows: THE American nature leans
heavily toward a square deal. That
is particularly true in q case where
we were serving as umpire. We
could have gone into Tacna-Arica and
engineered the most comprehensive
plebiscite that the world has ever wit
messed. Gen. Pershing had one all
ready for the ballots. But the CON
tending nations did not want a square
deal
The Pittsburgh sun views the result
as "a retrogressive step in the field
Of international arbitration" and the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin offers
the judgment that "Chile's whole
course indicates that it never intended
to permit such a fair and free cleo
ton as President Coolidge stipulated,
and as Gems. Pershing and Lassiter
were determined to insure if there
was to be any voting at all"
These two provinces. however, ac
cording to the Reno Evening Gazette,
ARE of value simply because of their
nitrates, and it is a question, not of
people or nationality, but of property,
that actually is involved in the South
American dispute" The Oakland
Tribune. describing the disputed ter
ritory as waste lands which support
no more than $4,000 inhabitants" de-
clares that "only when the people
of Chile and Peru realize the prize
is not worth the effort and can forget
those animosities born in politically