My very dear Miss Addams:
As I had the great misfortune to have a bad attack of Grippe in Lima, Miss Woods said she would write you all about the Lima Conference.
I met with a body of Peace women when Miss Woods was not there. They said that they had an organization of 60 women and that they were then about to ask you for incorporation into the International body in Geneva. They said the Tacna and Arica trouble cannot be discussed here as it has passed from the intellectual to the emotional plane. They fear trouble over the Columbia boundary and are beginning now to try to do something about it before it goes over to the "emotional plane."
All the Peruvians I talked [page 2] to are sure that Pres. Coolidge will give Peru Tacna & Arica. The Bolivians are sure he will give them Antofagasta -- and this notwithstanding the fact that he can only decide whether there shall be a plebiscite.
Chile is less concerned it appears. Of course she has the loot, so is not excited about it. At the Y.W.C.A. a few days ago I met a young Chilean girl -- an artist -- who said "Peru has every reason to feel sore toward Chile. One of the Prof. in the university said this last year and he lost his position. He was pronounced unpatriotic." When I asked if there was a movement for Peace and understanding here she said -- "There is among the young people -- the college students who have united with a small body of [illegible] similar people in Peru and Bolivia who are working for Peace and understanding."
After my paper was read at the [page 3] Conference in Peru -- Miss [illegible] made a speech of praise. Then another Peruvian ↑woman↓ said -- "Peru can't talk of Peace as long as Tacna and Arica are in foreign hands." She had much applause.
The foreigners to whom I have talked all agree that Tacna & Arica are now worthless. The nitrate has all been removed and that these places are now only an expense to Chile which they say she would be glad to give up if she could save her face.
They say Chile will govern these places much better than Peru. Facts are difficult to obtain here as elsewhere. Opinions are easy to secure. Antofagasta is similar to Tacna & Arica -- now only an expense which Bolivia could assume without troubling Chile, except to add to her ↑Chile's↓ treasury.
Chile is so much more concerned with [her] immediate, internal troubles. Her papers do not ↑seem concerned↓ [illegible] about Tacna & Arica & Antofagasta. But every edition tells just what Pres. Alessandri is doing in Italy. Some say if the President returns next month as is expected, as his six month vacation? is over, that there could be a bloody revolution. All I have talked to say Alessandri is an honest man, but he has dishonest friends ↑[about him?]↓.
Yesterday, Sunday there were two big demonstrations -- [one] by the bakers requesting no night work, the other by protestants against high rents. They carried red flags march [through] the streets [illegible] went to the [Alameda] where there were what [appeared?] to be fiery speeches with much applause. There were thousands in the crowds. They demand 25% reductions in rent. The elevator man here said last night "They are asking too much; 5% reduction they might get but 25% never."
This is the cleanest, best city we have seen so far in South America with water we can drink. [written down left margin] Max. temp yesterday was 86º Min [51]º. This is an extremely dry summer as last winter's rain failed -- had [illegible] of 20 inch.
[written up left margin of page 1] With much love I am always
Zonia Baber.
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