Evening star., 1933-01-26
j. s. SEEKS PEACE
IN LET|C|A DISPUTE
Stimson Sends Note to Peru
Hoping for Accord With
Colombia.

BY the Associated Press.
The United States has asked Peru
to settle its controversy with Colombia
over the town of Leticia in peaceful
way and not resort to warfare.
Secretary of State Stimson addressed
a note to the Peruvian foreign minis
ter calling upon that nation to respect
its obligations under the Briand-Kel-
logg peace pact
This note was sent last night as a
fiotilla of Colombian gunboats sailed
up the Amazon toward Leticia, where
Peruvian troops were stationed to pro-
tect Peruvian nationals who seized the
town from Colombian authorities in
September
Colombia was given the town by
treaty in 1922 and has refused all con-
ciliation efforts pending its return to
her on the ground the question is an
internal one.
Confers With Ambassador.
The Stimson note went forward
after the Secretary had sought to mar
shall world opinion under the Kellogg
pact to prevent fighting between the
two South American countries. He
conferred Tuesday night with the AM
bassadors CT Great Britain. France,
Germany. Italy and Japan as repre-
sentativss Of powers signatcry to the
Kellogg treaty
Ambassador Claudel of France dis
cussed the Leticia difficulties with
Secretary Stimson during conference
at the State Department today.
Stimson expressed concern in his note
over reports Of military preparations and
urged that peaceful means be employed
should revision of the 1922 treaty be
considered necessary.
At the same time, Francis White, as
sistant secretary for Latin America,
sought the aid of other Kellogg sig
natories in an effort to have other
notes of protest sent to the peruvian
government to prevent an open break.
Meanwhile. Brazil continued efforts
to avert hostilities by making possible
a temporary settlement until the two
nations can settle the whole boundary
dispute.
Conference Planned.
Foreign ministers of Argentina and
Chile plan an early meeting at Men
doza, Argentina. presumably to discuss
revNing the old alliance OF Argentina,
Brazil, and Chile with view to achiev-
ing South American peace and sta
bilfy.
ii should not be frank" Secretary
Stnnson's note said, IF I did not can
didly state to Your Excellency that
have been much disturbed by the state
ment in your telegram of January IA
= that the military measures taken
by the Peruvian authorities at Loreto
were undertaken because of the meas
res which the Colombian government
is obliged to take to re-establish the
: the Colombian authorities deposed in
the Leticia territory.
Warfare Threatened.
The Secretary said his apprehensions
were heightened by statement OF the
Peruvian Ambassador in Washington
on January 23 that Peru felt that If
the Brazilian government, in endeavor-
ling to find satisfactory solution OF
this situation. insists that Leticia
should be delivered to Colombia she
will fail in her endeavor to prevent
war because the LoretanoS people OF
Loreto) are decided to oppose forcibly
any use of force by Colombia and that
Peru cannot stand by passively when
Tie ulLeItS VI LOlelO dIe dI SldhC.
The note cited Perus acceptance of
the validity of the treaty by which
she acknowledged Leticia as Colombian
territory and disavowed any official
connection with the seizure of the ANA
zon town by her citizens. Stinson re-
viewed the history of the territorial
settlement which eliminated in estab-
lishment of the present boundary line
by the treaty of 1922, and urged that
vision of the treaty be considered
necessary.