723.2515/2069: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Collier) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:30 p.m.]
50. [Paraphrase.] Like you, I had never thought that Chile’s acceptance of good offices meant that there should be no suspension of plebiscitary activities. Until day before yesterday there was nothing in my conversations with the Foreign Office to give me any such impression. I had supposed that terms used in your memorandum and in Chilean replies meant merely that authority of Plebiscitary Commission and general arrangements were to remain unaffected. I am not prepared to say, however, that Chile is showing bad faith. It may be honest difference of interpretation and of opinion over best way to make the good offices effective.
Today’s papers report official instructions and public sentiment which make plain how extremely difficult and probably impossible it will be to get Chile to consent to postponement, but I will do all I can to obtain consent. In the meantime, I urge most strongly that until this misunderstanding is cleared up, or until an arrangement is made, or unless there is disorder or gross fraud in the registration, the registration be not interrupted, and that there be no failure to [Page 362] execute program adopted last Thursday by the Commission. Otherwise we shall be charged with bad faith and inconsistency by Chile who will probably assert that we have abandoned plebiscitary proceedings and she will act on this assumption. She will be sustained by a great body of South American opinion. [End paraphrase.]
Peruvian refusal to register yesterday has in the opinion of Chile furnished concrete evidence to support its reiterated declaration that Peru because of lack of votes would never attend the plebiscite and that it sought merely to delay and evade.
I shall endeavor to see Mathieu at once and if I can not find him today will certainly see him tomorrow morning. [Paraphrase.] I will impress strongly on Minister for Foreign Affairs the views expressed by you in your telegram No. 35, March 27, 5 p.m., and in most tactful but forceful way point out perils of situation for Chile as indicated in your No. 32, March 27, 10 a.m. [End paraphrase.]