Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
u. S. PRESTIGE AT STAKE,
In TACNA-ARICA ISSUE
South American Dispute Frought With
Grave notwithstanding 1nflu-
ence Likely to Promote Settlement.

|, and naval expedition to impose a
Tacna- africa settlement. A contin-
gency that is much less remote, and
one that gives American officials a
good deal more food for thought than
the possibility of forcing Chile and
Peru to compose their differences, is
the League of Nations factor.
Seventeen Latin American nations,
including all of the principal repub-
lies, belong to the league. At present
Brazil and Uruguay are on the league
council. Our sister republics went
into the league wholly regardless of
our determination to stay out. They,
of course, did so In the expectation
that the leagues machinery, some
how, some day, would serve Latin
American purposes, even though the
covenant expressly eXemptS regional
understandings like the Monroe doc
trine" from league activities.
Leagues Interest Sought.
League antennae, Notwithstanding,
have on one or two more or less I'M
portant occas ions been in contact with
Latin American questions. BonVla,
for instance, tried and failed to get
the league interested in the Tacna-
africa controversy.
Only recently Chile made an "infor-
regarding the present status of the
Tacna- africa business. A year or two
ago, Sir Eric Drummond, secretary
general of the league. made certain So
called Inquiries" regarding some diff
ferenceS among some of the Central
American republics. There were I'M
official. but meaningful, indications in
the United States that league inter
vention in the affair in question would
not be agreeably regarded at Wash
ington. Nothing further was heard
out of Geneva.
Yet the leading Pan-American au-
thorities in Washington have repeat
eddy pointed out that there is stead
lily perceptible veering of Latin Ameri-
can sentiment in favor of the League
of Nations With Germany becoming
a member, and with the new prestige
that has come to the league through
Locarno and the forthcoming disar-
mament conference. it is recognized
that league stock in South America
faces a bull, rather than bear, mar
ket.
A Question for United States.
1t is considered entirely within the
realm of practical possibilities that if
Chile and Peru are not able to adjust
Tacna AFRICA under American auspices,
they might, rather than night about It.
seek league auspices. Could the United
States reasonably object If they did
so? And, if they did SO, where would
it leave the prestige of the colossus
Of the North" in the eyes of Latin
America?
Charles Evans Hughes had far
sighted vision on all these counts.
That is why, as Secretary of State, he
threw himself with his amazing vigor
into the settlement of the Brazilian
Peruvfan-Colombian boundary dispute,
which was settled as the eleventh-hour
achievement of Hughes last March.
Secretary Hughes embraced with no
less zeal the opportunity to use the
arbitral offices of the United States to
settle the Tacna-Arica dispute. Many
of Hughes Latin American. intimates
always were persuaded, that he en-
visaged the day when Pan-America
might, for any of a variety Of reasons.
prefer the League of Nations to the
United States as a sanctuary on con-
troversial occasions. 1t was to post
pone that day as long as possible that
Hughes worked