723.2515/2351: Telegram
The Consul at Arica (Von Tresckow) to the Secretary of State
From Lassiter.
1. Conditions in the province are becoming increasingly unsatisfactory. Instances of violence at Tacna reported today by American personnel there, similar to that at Arica on May 14, are outlined below:
On May 22 a Chilean electoral official stated openly in presence of two Americans of my staff that the Chileans no longer felt themselves obliged to respect the guarantees for Peruvians and that in near future there would be numerous disturbances. Later events reflect accuracy of this forecast. That afternoon an automobile in which a member of the Peruvian legal staff and a member of my staff were riding was fired upon on the public road near Tacna by a man in a building where an armed guard is maintained by a Chilean political society to restrict freedom of travel. The evening of the same day two Peruvians were assaulted on streets of Tacna by some ten Chileans, one of whom is alleged to be a sergeant in the Chilean Army. A member of my staff later inspected the wounded men. On the afternoon of May 23, three Chileans in the uniform of a local political organization forcibly entered a Peruvian house in Tacna and insulted the inmates, two of whom attempted to complain to the local American representative. On their return they were assaulted and stoned. A member of my staff was a witness to the stoning. The same house was repeatedly molested during the night, although the police were aware of the earlier attack made on it. On the evening of May 24 incidents of evidently organized lawlessness took place. Peruvians were stoned in the park, and later a member of my staff saw Chileans stoning Peruvian houses in the same locality with no interference from police. Later a Peruvian was set upon by a large band of Chileans and severely beaten; attempting to flee, he was fired at; a member of my staff heard the [Page 449] shots and later inspected the man’s injuries. The victim stated that he had appealed for protection to a policeman who refused to escort him to a place of safety. Still later in the same evening another Peruvian was assaulted, apparently without provocation, and badly injured; he, too, was examined by a member of my staff. Victim alleged that a policeman arrived as he was fleeing from pursuit by his assailants, but arrested none of them. Details have not arrived of other assaults reported as having taken place same evening.
Incidents reported elsewhere include one of stone thrown through glass door of Peruvian house in Arica, witnessed by member of my staff. … On May 10 an American electoral official in Pachia was insulted and threatened with a revolver by an intoxicated man in presence of local carabineers, Chilean electoral officials, and others. All Chilean witnesses later denied being present at any such incident. On May 20 the judge of the Special Tribunal sentenced a Peruvian to three years for engaging in street fight at Tacna with Chileans whom he alleges assaulted him as he was passing. Peruvian used no weapon except his fists. The judge is the same one who punished no one for the mob attacks on Peruvians at Tacna on January 6.
2. I have detailed the above incidents, as they are illustrative of the conditions which now obtain here. Everything points to an attempt on the part of Chilean authorities to force action of some kind, and I can not continue to maintain attitude of mere inaction towards the plebiscite. Situation might develop here which would not only be prejudicial to the negotiations but also to our prestige and to the interests of the three countries involved. In absence of any clearly defined statement of policy, my position is very embarrassing. In my effort to maintain status quo I am unable to deal adequately with serious situations arising. Nothing is to be gained, I am sure, by attempting to resume plebiscite. I should like to have your views as soon as possible on policy I am to follow. Lassiter.
- Telegram in two sections.↩