723.2515/2408: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Collier)
105. Your No. 197, June 6, noon. General Lassiter reports21 that at Plebiscitary Commission’s meeting on Saturday, Edwards pressed earnestly for definite and immediate action to fix date of election, discontinue registration appeals, close registration books, and assign columns to Chile and Peru on the ballot, as required by Commission’s regulations. The Commission neither acted nor voted upon Edwards’ resolutions or upon question of postponement, but as matter of personal courtesy to Lassiter a postponement was arranged until June 9, Wednesday, on which date Lassiter states that he will be compelled to act. Wednesday he intends to introduce a resolution as substitute for Edwards’ resolutions, and unless Edwards makes request that action on Lassiter’s resolution go over until another meeting, Lassiter’s resolution will be passed Wednesday. At Saturday’s meeting Edwards began proceedings with what Lassiter describes as specious and dangerous address in which he censured Peruvians for noncooperation and [Page 469] insincerity and criticized Americans for inconsistency and dilatoriness.22 He also gave notice that he intended to publish this address. Lassiter called attention to fact that the settled practice of the Commission forbade publication; and Edwards stated that his duty required him at least to transmit the address to his Government and that it was altogether likely that the Chilean Government would publish it within a few days.
From the above sketch of situation at Arica you will see that Chile is precipitating action through her official representative. If Chilean Government needs more time it is simple matter for that Government to instruct its Commissioner accordingly. I know of no other way to prevent final action on next Wednesday. This is third time within last few weeks that Edwards has submitted motion to Commission to fix election date, and now he is insistently demanding action under circumstances which give the president of the Plebiscitary Commission no excuse for further delay.
Ambassador Cruchaga reported to me last evening that he had received instructions from his Government to request postponement until Thursday of meeting of the Plenipotentiaries which is scheduled for this afternoon. … Request to postpone today’s meeting here until Thursday was evidently made with full knowledge that decision in Arica was to be taken on Wednesday. Chile apparently has no intention of negotiating for a settlement. At meeting of Plenipotentiaries here on June 4 (Friday) I obtained Chile’s formal rejection of my two general propositions: (1) neutralization, (2) conveyance of entire territory to a third party. I also obtained Peru’s acceptance in principle of corridor to Bolivia, territory north of corridor to go to Peru and territory south of corridor to go to Chile, without defining limits. Cruchaga declined to accept in principle, as boundaries were not sufficiently defined, and also declined to make any other proposition. Both Peruvian and Chilean Plenipotentiaries agreed to consult their respective Governments and to present more specific propositions on Monday; both specifically affirmed their desire to continue negotiations. I have but slight hope that I can get Peru to accept any proposition that will be presented.
At Ambassador Cruchaga’s request I had two and a half hour conference with ex-President Alessandri, who asseverated that no settlement of any kind could ever be put through Chilean Congress. When I explained in detail that the proposition of good offices was suggested by Chile even to details of settlement, Alessandri admitted it and said he had been unaware of it until you had communicated facts to Foreign Office. I then showed him Chilean Government’s [Page 470] last notes which I understood had been sent with authority of Cabinet. He expressed much amazement and said that even that settlement could never be put through Congress. … I said that it was for General Lassiter in the first instance to make any decision as to what should be done; that of course it could come to the Arbitrator by appeal; and that all information I had received from Pershing, Lassiter, and their advisers made it seem impossible that they could hold a unilateral election. I called his attention to 16 separate assaults and outrages committed on Peruvians since May 14. Alessandri attempted no defense but said he believed they grew out of exuberance of Chilean population over their apparent victory. He suggested that election be allowed to proceed and that Arbitrator consider its fairness on appeal. I said that if conditions were inadequate for fair election I did not see how Lassiter could afford to hold it and that it seemed impossible from all reports I had received that Lassiter would hold such an election. Alessandri said that he thought it was better for this Government to decide matter at once one way or other, even if it declared election to be impossible, rather than allow matter to drag along further. He did not say, as Cruchaga has done, that there was danger of revolution. It appears to be impossible to get any support from him for a diplomatic settlement.
I do not know whether I can obtain Peru’s approval of plan you suggested in your No. 18623 and subsequent messages, but I am very doubtful that Chile will make such a proposition and I feel that it is practically impossible for me to obtain Peru’s approval to arrangements that merely give her Tacna Province on present boundaries and no corridor to Bolivia except to north of the railroad.
I am beginning to believe that Chile never intended to accept any solution whatever except plebiscite. I regret situation more than I can tell. For months I have struggled to prevent decision by Commission such as is now impending.
- Telegram of June 5, 12 p.m.; not printed.↩
- Text of statement printed in El Arbitraje de Tacna y Arica, tomo segundo, p. 646 (minutes of the 35th session).↩
- Not printed. The plan suggested was for a division on existing departmental boundaries with possibly some indemnification to Peru for the land of the old Province of Tacna which had been incorporated in the Department of Arica by Chile (file No. 723.2515/2387).↩