Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
BY CASTOR NERVEL.
Authority on Latin American Affair

Authority on Latin American Affairs.
TINE Presidents of Peru and Chile
are about to reach an agreement
respecting the final status of the
i Tacna-Arica provinces. 1t has
been so announced by the daily
newspapers. and these further empha-
sized that the settlement will consist in
the division of the territory in dispute,
Tacna for Peru and the africa province
for Chile. Thus would come to an end
the old controversy over the territory in
question, which for many years has
threatened the peace of the American
continent
Will this agreement forever solve the
long-drawn Southern Pacific problem
as forecast by the newspapers? It is
quite impossible to believe 1t, when one
of the countries most interested in the
territory, the one which has most heav-
lily suffered the consequences of the war
which gave rise to the problem, is
wholly disregarded in the participation
Of such an agreement.
The Tacna-Arica controversy may
probably be settled through the diplo-
matto channels of the governments Of
the two republics involved, but it will
not Solve the whole problem of the Pa
cihc. This will always remain the same
and. II anything, will become more com-
plicated day by day, as long as there
exists nation hemmed in between
mountains, deprived of her ports be-
cause of war the spoils of which are
about to be settled without her partici-
patton, and to whom the freedom of the
seas has been denied.
Bolivia Not Considered.
The world at large will rejoice, no
doubt. at the news of a direct agree
ment being reached between Peru and
Chile, for it embodies a peaceful move
deserving of praise. The Tacna AFRICA
dispute has, on several occasions, threat
ened armed conflicts in South America.
1t has impaired the friendly relations
between Peruvians and Chileans to such
Sn extent that until recently their dip
l0matic relations were severed. Every
civilized man will laud the decision OF
the Chilean and Peruvian governments
10 submit to a division of the territory
n the only means to bring about solu-
ton of the litigation. However, many
VIII question the fact that, Bolivia, port
less and isolated, and the real victim OF
the War of the Pacific, is ignored in the
present agreement.
The problem may be clearly under
stood Chile and Peru have an extern
sfye sea coast. to which, unqueStionably,
n due their greater economic and politi-
cal development. Both possess several
p0rts Of vital importance to their COM
t6ercial relations with foreign markets.
And numerous others which facilitate
their communications and assure the
0Dmplete autonomy OF those nations.
That is to say, both are fully exercising
their sovereign rights without reStric-
lions or impediments, for they are free
70 intercourse with any other country
IN the world. They are what you may
call, in its real sense, sovereign states.
Now Semi Sovereign Nation.
Bolivia, on the other hand. since the
war of 1879, has been a semi-sovereign
nation. All her ports fell to the hands
Of the conquerors after a war in which
she saw the flower of her youth use
sessly sacrificed. And in losing her ac-
cess to the sea, she lost her economic
independence and her liberty of action:
b other words, the main attributes of
sovereignty. Without coast, without
direct communications with the rest of
the world, Bolivia has been condemned
to q life of isolation. A portless nation
Is like house without doors. Such is
the case with the Bolivians, walled In,
watching the world from distance and
denied the right to leave the house
without the permission of her neighbors.
This because her natural access to the
seas reposes in the hands Of others It
l. well known that Bolivia cannot free
" carry on commerce with the rest of
1ee world. She must do it, II at all,
through the Intermediary Of Chile or
Peru.
A sovereignty without enjoying free
commerce, without economic independ-
epce, is only but half of what the word
9hples. Will nation continue to live
N this manner for very long without
compromising her very existence or that
Of her neighbors for the sake of saving
her own? This is an issue that con-
Germs the South American continent.
Matter of Life or Death.
Whether or not Bolivia has ports IS
something that affects either directly
or indirectly the republics of the con-
tipent. To Bolivia it is a matter Of
lie or death. A well known Peruvian