SOUTH AMERICA WANTS SHIPS

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 29

SOUTH AMERICA WANTS SHIPS

NEEDED FOP- TRADE EXPANSION. "One of the greatest needs of the South American Republics to-day is a great increase of merchant shipping," says Sir Ismael Tocornal, head of the Chilian Mission, which was entertained recently in England. "We lack ships for the trade of Europe," oenor Tocornal said. "We need ships in abundance if wo are to reach the full plenitude of our mercantile power. We are anxious to expand our trade with England and with Europe in general. With America we have had important commercial associations, and much machinery in Chili is of American or German manufacture.

"To turn to political matters, the recent references to the Republic of Peru in connection with Chili in the European press have perhaps left - unexplained the actual state of affairs, or rather the origin of the qiiestion. There is a treaty which must be fulfilled, and the Chilian Government is ready to meet all its obligations. After our war with Peru and Bolivia (1879-1883) wo received the province of Tarapaea as an indemnity. For frontier purposes we were given possession of Taona and Arica for a period of 10 years, at the expiration of which a plebiscite was to be talcen, and whichever country was chosen by the voters was to pay a "sum of money to the country which lost on the plebiscite. Up to the present moment no plebiscite has taken place owinjr to the intransigient attitude of Peru as to who shall have the vote. Chili wishes everybody to be given the right to vote, but Peru is not in accord with us about this. That is, shortly, the root of tho question. There is no danger of war, however, between the two countries. "We are on very good terms with the othesr two ABC Powers; the frontier difficulties with the Argentine have been satisfactorily settled, of course. Chili was the first South American nation to submit to arbitration, in, 1905, when we accepted

King Edward's solution of the difficulties with the United States. "With regard to the League, of Nations, Chili approved of the scheme without discussion. We fully appreciated the noble intentions of the statesmen who conceived the measure. If it helps, even if only for a time, to make the world tranquil, it will be of enormous utility. To-day we cannot judge it; we must- await results. What we can do is to appreciate the spirit which animated those who brought it into being."