![Caricatura Arturo Alessandri 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Caricatura_Arturo_Alessandri_3.jpg)
In
Chilean political history, the ''ruido de sables'' () was an event on 3 September 1924, when a group of young
military officers protested against the political class and the postponement of social measures by rattling the
scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. As well, rifles may be stored in a scabbard by horse riders. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring carbine rifles and lever-action rifles on the ...
s (
chape
Chape has had various meanings in English, but the predominant one is a protective fitting at the bottom of a scabbard or sheath for a sword or dagger (10 in the diagram). Historic blade weapons often had leather scabbards with metal fittings a ...
s) of their
saber
A sabre (French: sabÊ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as the ...
s against the floor.
The term has since become a metaphor in Spanish-speaking countries, referring to a military conspiracy.
Background
In 1924, Chile was in the throes of an economic and political crisis. The economy, heavily dependent on the export of
nitrates, was suffering the effects of the discovery of artificial nitrates during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. At the same time, Chile was politically paralyzed by a conflict between President
Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma (; December 20, 1868 â August 24, 1950) was a Chilean political figure and reformer who served thrice as president of Chile, first from 1920 to 1924, then from March to October 1925, and finally from 1932 to ...
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, especially 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 was especially bitter since they had been waiting for a salary increase for a long time.
Event
On September 3, 1924, a group of 56 young military officers (mostly lieutenants and sub-lieutenants coming from
middle class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Com ...
es or
working class
The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colo ...
es), led by Colonel
Marmaduke Grove and Major
Carlos Ibåñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibåñez del Campo (; 3 November 1877 â 28 April 1960) was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as President twice, first between 1927 and 1931, and then from 1952 to 1958, serving for 10 years in office.
...
, 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 broached. 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 scabbards (chapes) of the sabers they wore as part of their dress uniform against the floor, as a way to indicate their discontent with the political class in general, and in sign of support to Alessandri's social agenda.
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 Chilean Civil War, 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
Marmaduke Grove and Major
Carlos Ibåñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibåñez del Campo (; 3 November 1877 â 28 April 1960) was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as President twice, first between 1927 and 1931, and then from 1952 to 1958, serving for 10 years in office.
...
, 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 Fortunato Alessandri Palma (; December 20, 1868 â August 24, 1950) was a Chilean political figure and reformer who served thrice as president of Chile, first from 1920 to 1924, then from March to October 1925, and finally from 1932 to ...
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.
Outcome
Faced with almost open military insurrection, Alessandri had no option but to appoint General
Luis Altamirano
Luis Altamirano Talavera (July 5, 1867 â July 25, 1938) was a Chilean military officer, minister, Vice President of the Republic and finally president of the Government Junta of Chile between 1924 and 1925.
He was born in ConcepciĂłn on th ...
, 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
The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses.
An eight-hour work day has its origins in the ...
, suppression of
child labour, clear rules for
collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The ...
, legislation on
occupational safety
Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...
, legalization of
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
s, a law on
cooperative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...
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
A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...
was established to rule the country on the absence of the titular president, Alessandri.
See also
*
History of Chile
The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 3000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory was a colony between 1540 and 1818, when it gained independence from ...
*
September Junta
*
List of Chilean coups d'Ă©tat
References
External links
Historical Analysis of the Military Coups in Chile {{in lang, es
History of Chile
1924 in Chile
Political metaphors
Metaphors referring to war and violence