Office of the Historian

723.2515/2294: Telegram

The Consul at Arica (Von Tresckow) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]
Arica, May 13, 1926—6 p.m.
[Received May 14–3 p.m.]

From Lassiter. Your telegram May 11, 3 p.m. Essential factors regarding Peru’s abstention from registration are following:

1.
In mid-March plebiscitary conditions were so bad that Peru insisted registration should not start until Chile had instituted reforms, [Page 431] and demanded indefinite postponement. As the president of the Plebiscitary Commission did not believe that indefinite postponement would accomplish anything and believed that plebiscite had been frustrated by Chile, he was willing to vote for motion in that sense.
2.
Under these circumstances Department interposed in hope of obtaining solution by good offices.
3.
As result of Department’s interposition, Peru accepted good offices at last moment. Only other choices left her were complete withdrawal or registration under grossly unfair conditions.
4.
When, on night of March 26, it was ascertained that Chile would not agree to Department’s suggestion to suspend registration, there was no legal way by which its commencement the next morning could be stopped, as one full day’s notice must be given of a meeting of the Commission, and Chile would not waive notice.
5.
Peruvian Commissioner understood that he was conforming to request of our Government when he suspended participation in plebiscitary activities.
6.
During day of March 27 I endeavored to get this situation regularized, but Department insisted that registration, even if unilateral, must go on.
7.
Situation having been prolonged for several days, Chile succeeded in registering sizeable numbers of voters unchallenged and after that it was clear that Peru could hardly be expected to participate in registration until situation could be regularized and Peru be given opportunity to scrutinize all applicants for registration on basis of equality with Chileans.

I wholly appreciate technical case which may now be made against Peru, but taking into consideration circumstances as I have outlined them above, I do not believe that it lies with us to blame her for abstaining from registration. Lassiter.

Von Tresckow