723.2515/1818: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Collier)
5. Yesterday, acting on your suggestions, I called in separately the Argentine Ambassador and the Uruguayan Minister and informed them of the talks you had had in Santiago with the Bolivian Chargé and the Uruguayan Minister, as you reported to the Department on December 15,76 and your talk with Argentine Ambassador to Chile, as you reported on December 17;76 I then informed them of the attitude of this Government as set forth in Department’s telegram No. 85 to you, of December 22, 1 p.m.77
Today I have telegraphed our Ambassador in Argentina,76 with instructions to repeat to Brazil and Uruguay, my instructions to you and to Ambassador Poindexter about United States intervention, also the substance of your conversations with the Uruguayan Minister and the Argentine Ambassador, which you reported on December 15 and December 17, and the substance of my telegram No. 85 to you. I have told them that they are not to approach the Governments to which they are accredited but are to be ready to explain attitude of this Government if they are approached.
In my conversations with the Argentine Ambassador and the Uruguayan Minister they expressed themselves doubtful that time had arrived when Peru would listen to any suggestions from any country about a settlement. I think they will report to their Governments, however, entire willingness of this Government for them to make suggestions as I cabled you.
Department has received your telegram No. 9, of January 8, 3 p.m. I am pleased to learn that you reported accurately to the Argentine and Uruguayan representatives. The information that has come to Department from Tacna and Arica about clashes between Chileans and Peruvians is not encouraging for success of the plebiscite. I shall probably have Mr. Cox78 return to Washington. The President will appoint for General Pershing’s place someone who has not been at Tacna and Arica and has not been in any way heretofore connected with the plebiscite. The new appointee will probably be on the ground before Mathieu arrives in view of delay caused by latter’s illness.
[Page 269]I shall give full consideration with the President to suggestions you have made about advisability of this Government’s offering its good offices for a diplomatic settlement.