Chile

Farther south lie the great undeveloped regions of Chile—more than half of its available agricultural lands. Though the climate is damp and cold, southern Chile with its shaggy forests and green pas Two of Chile's island possessions are of excep tional interest. Four hundred miles west of Val paraiso lies Juan Fernandez Island, where Alexander Selkirk lived in solitude for four years, inspiring Defoe's great romance, Robinson Crusoe' (see Crusoe, Robinson). Two thousand miles from the coast is Easter Island, where a great row of colossal stone images presents one of the unsolved enigmas of the world. Of the mysterious race who carved and set up these mighty idols on this remote bit of land nothing is known.

The progressiveness of the Chilean people is shown in the development of their railways, the extent of which exceeds that of any other of the republics of the Andes. More than 5,600 miles have been con structed, including a road running nearly 3,000 miles of the length of the country. The famous Trans Andean road is, in point of difficulty, perhaps the most astounding achievement of the railroad engineer.

Climbing hills so steep that part of the way it travels by a cog-wheel apparatus, this road links Valparaiso, Chile's greatest seaport, with Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, and reduces the 11-day journey by boat through the Straits of Magellan to 40 hours overland.

"The Yankees of South America" The Chileans are sometimes called " the Yankees of South America," and they are indeed the most enterprising and energetic of the peoples on the Pacific side of South America. Their long coast line, open to enemy attacks, has forced them to build a powerful navy, and their army is one of the most efficient in South America. Chile ranks with Brazil and Argentina—the so-called " A.B. C." powers—as one of the three leading powers of the continent.

of her only strip of seaboard, and also deprived Peru of the rich nitrate district of Tarapaca, and the province of Tacna-Arica. Disputes over these terri tories disturb the diplomatic peace of South America to the present day.

A few years later civil war broke out in the term of President Bal maceda, who advo cated a more democratic govern ment, education of the people, and separation of church and state.

Balmaceda's forces were defeated and he committed suicide. During the war Chilean feeling was aroused against the United States, through the belief that this government favored the cause of Balmaceda.

United States sail ors were attacked in the streets and several were ' seriously or mortally wounded. The dispatch of two American warships to Chile brought a speedy apology and compensation. Chile was one of the few sovereign states during the World War of 1914-18 which failed either to break off diplomatic relations with Germany or to declare war.

Though Chile has a republican constitution, literacy and property tests disfranchise more than half the men of voting age, and the political power is almost entirely in the hands of the rich landowners. In form the government is a cen tralized, not a federated, republic. The country is divided into 23 provinces, administered by governors appointed by the president. The smaller political subdivisions are admin istered also by appointed officials. The only officials of the local government elected by the people are the munici pal boards. The president is elected for five years by "electors" chosen by the people. There is a congress of two houses. Trial by jury exists only for suits involving the question of abuse of the freedom of the press. The Roman Catholic church is the state church and is supported at public expense. (See Santiago; Valparaiso.)