723.2515/3364
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (White)
The Bolivian Minister,24 accompanied by Doctor Boyd, Counselor of the Legation, called on the Secretary on Friday afternoon, April 26.
[Page 777]The Minister stated that he had come about a matter of great importance to his country. His Government had learned from very reliable sources that an agreement has been practically arrived at between Chile and Peru. He said he thought that Mr. White would bear him out in the statement that Bolivia had never attempted to interfere with any direct negotiations between Chile and Peru, and that it would be glad to see a proper arrangement concluded. There was one provision in the agreement which he understood provided that neither party would transfer any portion of the territory in dispute accorded to it without the previous agreement of the other, and that there would be no change made in the international railroad system without the agreement of the other.
This matter was of the greatest importance to Bolivia as it would definitely shut out Bolivia from the seacoast. During the forty years that this question has been pending, Peru has told Bolivia that she would be willing to give Bolivia a seaport on the basis of an alliance between Peru and Bolivia and, similarly, Chile had promised Bolivia a seaport on the basis of an alliance between Chile and Bolivia. Bolivia had not wanted to make any such arrangement but wanted an arrangement concluded between the three interested parties. This suggested proposal would effectually close the door on Bolivia’s aspirations of an outlet to the sea because Peru’s interests with respect of Bolivia were contrary to those of Chile and vice-versa, and any arrangement Bolivia might be able to make with either party would be vetoed by the other.
Furthermore, the Minister stated that Bolivia is very anxious to extend its railroad south of Lake Titicaca through Puno in order to have a direct outlet to the sea, but this of course would be contrary to Chile’s interest as she would want to have traffic come over the Arica–La Paz railroad. This provision, therefore, would damage Bolivia commercially and is also considered by Bolivia as contrary to her sovereignty. These facts, the Minister thought, justified the request of Bolivia that she should be heard in the matter.
The Minister stated that the question of an outlet to the sea for Bolivia was of such importance to his country that it had taken the matter up in the League of Nations and also in Washington. This aspiration is a very just one. The War of the Pacific had robbed Bolivia of its seacoast. Now this settlement was being made to liquidate that war which was a war not merely between Chile and Peru but between three countries, Bolivia, Peru and Chile. Now the two countries, the one that had lost the least, and the one that had gained the most, were making an arrangement utterly disregarding Bolivia. …
Bolivia feels that its only hope is in the United States. It knows that the United States only champions just and honorable causes [Page 778] and it feels that it can come to the United States, lay its position before it, and be assured that the United States, on account of its high moral authority throughout the continent, will not see this injustice perpetrated on Bolivia. Bolivia has the more reason to believe this because Secretary Kellogg suggested to Chile and Peru that the whole territory should be turned over to Bolivia.
The Secretary told the Minister that the situation then was quite different—this was a case between Chile and Peru and this Government could not bring in any third party unless the two parties directly interested should request it. Mr. Kellogg had made a number of suggestions to Chile and Peru at the direct request of those countries and this request for suggestions had made it possible for him to propose turning over the territory to Bolivia. This has not been accepted and the situation was now different. The negotiations were going on directly between Chile and Peru at Lima and Santiago and he did not see how this Government could make any suggestions regarding an outside country.
The Minister stated again that his Government did not wish to hamper a settlement but that the provisions he had mentioned were so palpably unjust to Bolivia in definitely closing the door on the hope of Bolivia’s receiving a seaport that Bolivia felt it could come to the United States as its one and only hope of having its rights respected. He did not think that a great powerful nation like the United States, which had once suggested the turning over of the provinces to Bolivia, could sit by with its arms crossed and see such an injustice done.
In the course of the conversation, the Minister also referred to the economic interest of the United States in Bolivia on account of the developments going on there largely through American capital which would be greatly hampered if Bolivia were cut off from direct access to the outside world. He also stated that Bolivia desires a pacific solution of this matter; that Bolivia is a young nation with great resources, and that when it is more fully developed, unless it has an outlet to the sea, the demand on the part of the people for such an outlet would be so great that nothing would stop it from obtaining its just rights.
The Secretary thanked the Minister for his frank statement of the matter and said that he did not see exactly what he could do at the present moment but that he would carefully bear in mind what the Minister had said. The Minister said he was not asking for an immediate answer—he would like the Secretary to think it over and let him know at his convenience. The Secretary said that he would give the matter his most careful consideration.
- Eduardo Diez de Medina.↩