Saber noise
Encyclopedia
Saber-noise or saber-rattling may be used to refer to a historical incident in Chile
an history that took place on September 3, 1924, when a group of young military officers protested against the political class and the postponement of social measures by rattling their sabers within their scabbards. This is not the origin of the phrase, however; in speaking at an American Congressional hearing of the need for Pacific coast fortifications to address the rising militarism of Japan, on February 21, 1921, Congressman John F. Miller made repeated reference to Japan as the place "where the saber is rattling", and it is apparent that it was regarded as a common figure of speech at the time.
The term is now applied generally to cover any indication of military aggressiveness. In a sense, strategically timed war games
can serve as an explicit form of saber-rattling, in that the extent of a country's military muscle is put up on display for other countries (namely, adversaries) to see.
s, was suffering the effects of the discovery of artificial nitrates during World War I
. On the other hand, Chile was politically paralyzed by a conflict between President Arturo Alessandri
and the conservatively controlled congress, who refused to discuss any of the drafts that he sent them.
On February 1, 1924, the political parties signed an agreement to change the parliamentary procedures in order to limit the censure votes (a procedure used to force cabinet ministers to resign), to allow the closure of debates by simple majority and in general to eliminate all dilatory tactics, specially those dealing with the national budget. As an additional measure, they agreed to create a parliamentary stipend (30.000 pesos for the senators, 15.000 pesos for the deputies). This program was received with public outcry, mainly because it was the only law that had been produced by the governing coalition while the social measures prepared by President Alessandri had been postponed time and again. In the Army, the news were especially bitter since they had been waiting for a salary increase for a long time.
and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
, attended the session where the congressional salary discussion was to take place. They quietly sat in the public tribunes, and waited for the topic to be breached. At that point the president of the chamber, feeling intimidated, demanded that the public be cleared, as the discussion was to be secret. As the officers silently started to leave, they began to rattle the sabers they wore as part of their dress uniform within their scabbards, as a way to indicate their discontent with the political class in general, and in sign of support to Alessandri's social agenda.
, the military had been excluded although they were very dependent from all political groups for their advancement. It is also one of the events that mark the end of the so-called "Parliamentary Republic
" (1891-1925), also known as the "pseudo-parliamentary period" because the executive was subject to the legislative but checks and balances of executive over legislative were weakened.
The very next day the same group of young military officers involved led by Colonel Marmaduque Grove
and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
, created a "military committee" to defend themselves from possible punishments by the government. On September 5, the "military committee" demanded that President Arturo Alessandri
dismiss three of his ministers, including the minister of War and Navy Gaspar Mora; the enactment of a labor code, the passage of an income tax law
, and the improvement of the military salaries.
Faced with almost open military insurrection, Alessandri had no option but to appoint General Luis Altamirano
, the Army Inspector General (Chief of the Army), as head of a new cabinet. On September 8, General Altamirano appeared in front of Congress to demand the passage of eight laws, including Alessandri's labor code. Congress dared not to protest, and the laws, which had been languishing for years, were passed in a matter of hours. These included the Eight-hour day
, suppression of child labour, clear rules for collective bargaining
, legislation on occupational safety, legalization of trade unions, a law on cooperative
s and the creation of courts of conciliation and labour arbitrage.
At that point Alessandri felt that he had become just a pawn of the military, and, on September 9, he resigned and requested asylum at the US Embassy. Congress refused to accept his resignation, and instead granted him a six-months constitutional leave of absence. He left the country immediately for Italy. General Altamirano assumed power as Vice President, and on the 11th, a military Junta was established to rule the country on the absence of the titular president, Alessandri.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an history that took place on September 3, 1924, when a group of young military officers protested against the political class and the postponement of social measures by rattling their sabers within their scabbards. This is not the origin of the phrase, however; in speaking at an American Congressional hearing of the need for Pacific coast fortifications to address the rising militarism of Japan, on February 21, 1921, Congressman John F. Miller made repeated reference to Japan as the place "where the saber is rattling", and it is apparent that it was regarded as a common figure of speech at the time.
The term is now applied generally to cover any indication of military aggressiveness. In a sense, strategically timed war games
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
can serve as an explicit form of saber-rattling, in that the extent of a country's military muscle is put up on display for other countries (namely, adversaries) to see.
Context
In 1924, Chile was in the throes of an economic and political crisis. The economy, heavily dependent on the export of nitrateNitrate
The nitrate ion is a polyatomic ion with the molecular formula NO and a molecular mass of 62.0049 g/mol. It is the conjugate base of nitric acid, consisting of one central nitrogen atom surrounded by three identically-bonded oxygen atoms in a trigonal planar arrangement. The nitrate ion carries a...
s, was suffering the effects of the discovery of artificial nitrates during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. On the other hand, Chile was politically paralyzed by a conflict between President Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma was a Chilean political figure and reformer, who served twice as the President of Chile, first between 1920 and 1924, and then again in 1925, and finally from 1932 until 1938....
and the conservatively controlled congress, who refused to discuss any of the drafts that he sent them.
On February 1, 1924, the political parties signed an agreement to change the parliamentary procedures in order to limit the censure votes (a procedure used to force cabinet ministers to resign), to allow the closure of debates by simple majority and in general to eliminate all dilatory tactics, specially those dealing with the national budget. As an additional measure, they agreed to create a parliamentary stipend (30.000 pesos for the senators, 15.000 pesos for the deputies). This program was received with public outcry, mainly because it was the only law that had been produced by the governing coalition while the social measures prepared by President Alessandri had been postponed time and again. In the Army, the news were especially bitter since they had been waiting for a salary increase for a long time.
Saber noise
On September 3, 1924, a group of 56 young military officers (mostly lieutenants and sub-lieutenants coming from middle classes or working classes), led by Colonel Marmaduque GroveMarmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove Vallejo was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932.-Early life:...
and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
, attended the session where the congressional salary discussion was to take place. They quietly sat in the public tribunes, and waited for the topic to be breached. At that point the president of the chamber, feeling intimidated, demanded that the public be cleared, as the discussion was to be secret. As the officers silently started to leave, they began to rattle the sabers they wore as part of their dress uniform within their scabbards, as a way to indicate their discontent with the political class in general, and in sign of support to Alessandri's social agenda.
Consequences
This event was the culmination of a process that marked the increasing desire by the military corps of a more active participation in Chilean politics. Since the 1891 Civil WarChilean Civil War
The Chilean Civil War of 1891 was an armed conflict between forces supporting Congress and forces supporting the sitting President, José Manuel Balmaceda. The war saw a confrontation between the Chilean Army and the Chilean Navy, which had sided with the president and the congress, respectively...
, the military had been excluded although they were very dependent from all political groups for their advancement. It is also one of the events that mark the end of the so-called "Parliamentary Republic
History of Chile during the Parliamentary Era (1891-1925)
The Parliamentary Era in Chile began in 1891, at the end of the Civil War, and spanned until 1925 and the establishment of the 1925 Constitution...
" (1891-1925), also known as the "pseudo-parliamentary period" because the executive was subject to the legislative but checks and balances of executive over legislative were weakened.
The very next day the same group of young military officers involved led by Colonel Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove Vallejo was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932.-Early life:...
and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
, created a "military committee" to defend themselves from possible punishments by the government. On September 5, the "military committee" demanded that President Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma was a Chilean political figure and reformer, who served twice as the President of Chile, first between 1920 and 1924, and then again in 1925, and finally from 1932 until 1938....
dismiss three of his ministers, including the minister of War and Navy Gaspar Mora; the enactment of a labor code, the passage of an income tax law
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, and the improvement of the military salaries.
Faced with almost open military insurrection, Alessandri had no option but to appoint General Luis Altamirano
Luis Altamirano
Division General Luis Altamirano Talavera was a Chilean military officer, minister, Vice President of the Republic and finally President of the Government Junta of Chile between 1924 and 1925....
, the Army Inspector General (Chief of the Army), as head of a new cabinet. On September 8, General Altamirano appeared in front of Congress to demand the passage of eight laws, including Alessandri's labor code. Congress dared not to protest, and the laws, which had been languishing for years, were passed in a matter of hours. These included the Eight-hour day
Eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life and imposed long hours and poor working conditions. With working conditions...
, suppression of child labour, clear rules for collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
, legislation on occupational safety, legalization of trade unions, a law on cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
s and the creation of courts of conciliation and labour arbitrage.
At that point Alessandri felt that he had become just a pawn of the military, and, on September 9, he resigned and requested asylum at the US Embassy. Congress refused to accept his resignation, and instead granted him a six-months constitutional leave of absence. He left the country immediately for Italy. General Altamirano assumed power as Vice President, and on the 11th, a military Junta was established to rule the country on the absence of the titular president, Alessandri.
See also
- History of ChileHistory of ChileThe territory of Chile has been populated since at least 2,000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to subdue and colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory became a colony from 1540 to 1818, when it gained independence from Spain...
- September JuntaGovernment Junta of Chile (1924)Government Junta of Chile , was the political structure established to rule Chile following the military coup that overthrew President Arturo Alessandri...
- List of Chilean coup d'étatChilean coup d'étatThis is a list of the coups d'état that have taken place in Chile during its independent history:-1780s:...