723.2515/931a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Peru (Sterling)

[Paraphrase]

43. The Department has received information which indicates that the Government of Peru intends to raise the question of the return of the Province of Tarapacá at the next meeting of the conference. You will request an audience with President Leguía at once and impress upon him the apprehension that this reported intention of Peru has caused the Government of the United States, as it is felt to be entirely inconsistent with the definite understanding which brought about the conference. This Government’s invitation and the acceptance of the Government of Peru made clear the fact that the conference was to deal with “the unfulfilled provisions of the Treaty of Ancon.” Had this not been made clear, the Government of the United States would not have extended the invitation. The assurances which you report in the last paragraph of your telegram of January 19, 7 p.m.,8 were that the Government of Peru accepted fully the views of this Government in regard to the purpose of the conference.

You are to impress upon President Leguía the fact that this Government is convinced that a demand made by Peru that the [Page 466] Province of Tarapacá be returned to her can only bring about the complete failure of the conference, and that the Government of Peru would be solely responsible for this failure. The Government of the United States cannot believe that President Leguía, who by accepting this Government’s invitation has demonstrated his lofty and patriotic spirit of conciliation, will wish now to assume, in the eyes of other nations, this responsibility. It should be understood that in an effort to bring forward demands which are outside the scope of the invitation to the conference the Government of Peru cannot expect any aid or support from the United States, nor can the Peruvian Government be relieved of the consequences of action leading to the disruption of the conference.

Hughes
  1. Ante, p. 449.