Paris Peace Conf. 723.2515/4: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
23. Your Number 18, December 11, to Embassy. I have conferred with the President in regard to the acceptance of mediation by the government of Peru. Neither of us understood that actual mediation in regard to Tacna-Arica controversy was contemplated, only a suggestion that the present difficulty might be harmonized.
The President does not desire to make a further offer of formal mediation to both countries accepting the Peruvian interpretation. I would suggest that you orally express to the Chilean Ambassador the President’s hope that the question may be settled by some form of arbitration, especially at a time when the whole world is looking toward the avoidance of force in the adjustment of international controversies.
I doubt very much the advisability of laying the Tacna-Arica question before the Peace Conference here.