723.2515/441

Memorandum of the Acting Secretary of State

The Peruvian Minister called and discussed at length the Peruvian-Chilean difficulties. He gave me the attached note,43 which in effect states they will present this demand at the Peace Conference for a settlement of the Chilean-Peruvian difficulties.

I had a very frank talk with the Minister and told him I thought it would be bad policy to present that note now to the Peace Conference; I thought it was sufficient to hand them [it] to us so we would know what their intentions were if the question could not be settled in some other way. …

I told him we could take the position that this was a question that should be settled by the Pan American powers, and then if we found they could not, it would be time enough for his Government to appeal to the Peace Conference. He seemed to be impressed with the suggestion, and said he would ask his Government not to present the matter to the Peace Conference yet.

. . . . . . .

F. L. P[olk]
  1. Not printed.