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The Neutrality of Chile During the European War

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 May 2017

Beltran Mathieu
Beltran Mathieu*
Affiliation:
Ambassador of Chile in the United States of America
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Extract

If the neutrality of Chile be considered with calm judgment in the light of historical reality, it offers no occasion for surprise during the period that extended from the breaking out of the European War until the date at which the United States entered it as a belligerent, that is, from August, 1914, until April, 1917. It is in no wise surprising, I say, since the unneutrality of Chile would be inconceivable at that stage of the war, owing to the circumstances that existed at the time in our hemisphere. Beginning with the latter date, the neutrality of Chile, if, indeed, much less onerous, stands out as a more significant fact, because several of the Latin-American countries “theoretically” adopted the attitude of the United States by declaring war upon the German Empire, while another group of these countries confined itself to breaking off diplomatic relations with that Power. Of the five republics that maintained their neutrality until the end, Chile was, without doubt, the one that had to show greater zeal to keep within the law and to retain the confidence that had always been reposed in her by the most powerful nations of the world.

I have said that the neutrality of Chile, up to April 6, 1917, does not constitute a strange historical phenomenon, because the entire American continent decided frankly in favor of neutrality from the breaking out of the war. No authority upon international law could condemn this attitude by germane arguments, nor would all the eloquence of sentiment possess weight against it.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , July 1920 , pp. 319 - 342
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1920

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References

1 Memoria del Ministro de Relaciones de Chile, December, 1914—December, 1915, Santiago, Chile, 1918, pages 83-84.

2 A decree that attracted attention was the one that established as a jurisdictional sea of Chile, and therefore neutral, the interior waters of the Straits of Magellan and of the southern channels, even in the parts in which the shores are more than six miles distant from each other. This gave occasion to an exchange of notes With the Government of the Argentine Republic, which expressed itself as satisfied with the explanation of Chile.

3 The Government of Chile took steps at once to abate abuses in the expressions of the press and in public demonstrations, and to regulate telegraphic communications with the outside world and postal correspondence with the Central Powers, the relations between the foreign diplomatic agents and the Chilean functionaries, the issuance of passports, et cetera.

4 The official communications of the Minister of Foreign Relations to the Minister of Marine of August 14, 1914, contained in the memorial cited, pages 84-86.

5 This last provision was made in compliance with a demand presented by the Minister of France, October 8, 1914, supported by the Minister of Great Britain. The Minister of France said: “Referring to a conversation which I had the honor to hold with your excellency the first of this month, I consider it my duty to bring to your excellency’s knowledge some new information which I have received with regard to the employment of wireless telegraphy in Chile in the interests of the German naval forces, and which constitutes an infraction of the rules and regulations of neutrality laid down by your excellency’s government. According to this information, which may well be a subject for serious investigation, stations of wireless telegraphy appear to be operating in Valparaiso, not only between the Grerman ships anchored in the bay, but also with a station installed at Valparaiso, and which might perhaps be found in the German hospital, located in the upper part of the city, or in the very house of the manager of the German line of steamers, the Kosmos, at the end of Plaza Ancha.”

6 Memorial cited, page 116.

7 Decree of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of July 7, 1915.

8 Message to the Congress of the United States, December 6, 1915.

9 Address of March, 1917.

10 Memorial of 1914–1915, page 156.

11 Note of von Eckert, Minister of Germany in Chile, replying to a proposal to set at liberty within the territory the crew of the Dresden, provided they would give their word not to participate again in hostilities.

12 Memorial of 1914-1915, page 197.

13 Note of August 15, 1914.

14 N o t e of October 6, 1914.

15 Note of November 1, 1914.

16 Note of November 6, 1914.

17 Note of November 7, 1914.

18 Note of November 23, 1914.

19 Note of December 3, 1914.

20 The New York Sun of December 11, 1919.