Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-01
CHILE MAY GRANT
=. -
ENTRY TO PLANES
Prospects Bright for U. S.
Argentina Air Mail Service,
= Announced PrematureIy.
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.

BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
News. Copyright, 1929.
SANTIAGO, Chile, October With
the Chilean governments promise to
consider a request for permission to ny
foreign airplanes across the country,
the possibility of an air mail service
between the United States and Argen-
tina, which the Post once Department
At Washington blandly announced
would start october IL, became some
what brighter today.
Lieut.. Col. Arturo Meron Merino, di-
rector of Chilean military aviation, re-
ceived j. B. MacGresor, head of the
Pan-American Grace Anyways, Inc, yes
terday and agreed to consider written
request. Considering the strong pres
sure which the State Department is
exerting on both Chile and Argentina,
there is a possibility of the air mail
service starting next week, as Washing
ton prematurely announced.
Highlights Provided.
The highlights of this comical exhibit
tinn of so-called Washington diplomacy
provide a striking illustration of why
the United States is considered i'm
perialiStic by the Latin American re-
publics. The incident followed friendly
tries proposed on an air mail route to
the United States, which was willing to
support the cost of the service.
They awarded the contract to the
Pan-American Grace Co. last May.
This company then assumed negotia-
tions with the Chilean government
toward establishing the service, WASH
taston withdrawing from the negotia-
tons, until 1t suddenly realized a few
nfPi H0A
rights in their own territories.
Extensive Operations.
w. r. Grace & Co. of New York,
which is big factor in pan-American
airways south of the Canal Zone, op-
crates steamship lines commission
ofnces and even chain stores in South
America. taking advantage of it's sub
Sidy to carry mails.
This company presented demand on
Chile which was inconceivable in this
civilized age. It virtually demanded
everything except the privilege Of APP
pointing the President.
What it proposed to the Chilean gov
eminent as necessary to carry the mails
was the exclusive right to erect hotels
along the route, the right to expropri-
ate land wherever desired, the privilege
OF landing in 200 villages, the right to
construct railroads or to hold a monop-
oily on auto bus transportation. the
entry OF goods without customs duties,
the adoption of New York rules of in
Spection and other equally fanciful and
nationally humiliating provisions.
-. Country Of Savages."
''Washington must think Chile is
country of unciviliZed Savages," was the
comment of one member of the cabinet
when the amazing three-page list of the
demands of the New York corporation
was presented. Chile promptly rejected
the list, specifying in detail why it
did so.
Our State Department never dis
claimed responsibility for this attempt
Of. a corporation to profit on the
strength Of an air-mail contract. and
June a. Chile ordered that there be no
delay in the mails.
"A decree was issued permitting the
cotnpany's planes to come to Santiago,
crossing the frontier either at africa on
the north or Uspallata Pass on the east
through the Andes. The company
started service July 81.
When the extension of the last TOO
miles Of the proposed 6,500-nlile air
course between Miami and Buenos Aires
was reached. the company. on August
81; formally advised the Chilean gov
ernment that it intended to fly planes
CdEIyL1R HldU, CdISO dllO poocShSCAo
through USpallata Pass.
Washington Wakes Up.
Gen. Bartolome Blanche, minister OF
war, replied September 10 that the
privilege Of using Uspallata Pass was
never contemplated for going to Ar |
gentina, but was merely an alternative
route for reaching the United States !
via the Pacific Coast. Washington then |
aWoke to the fact that the air mail,
which had been announced to start Oc- |
tober H., didn't have permission to ny !
to Argentina.
Ambassador W. S. Culberton, on Sep |
TENDER 20, presented an emphatic note |
to- the Chilean foreign office. Ambas- |
sador Bliss, at Buenos Aires, acting on |
similar eleventh-hour orders from the ,
State Department. made the same rep
RESERVATIONS to Argentina.
So far both countries are obdurate.
That's how the Columbus day inaugu-
ration of the air mail between the |
United States and Argentina now
stands. The mail which the United
States post Office is now receiving may
fly, and then again it may not.
(Copyright, 1929. by the Chicago Daily
News, 1nc.)