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27-513: During most of 1924, Chile had been politically paralyzed by a conflict between the President and the conservatively controlled congress, who refused to discuss the laws that he sent them. On September 3, 1924 a group of 56 military officers protested for their low salaries, in the incident known as the rattling of the sabres . The next day the same group of young military officers, led by Colonel Marmaduke Grove and Major Carlos Ibáñez , created

54-487: 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 ,

81-463: A "military committee" to defend themselves from threatened sanctions by the government in response to their actions. On September 5, the "military committee" demanded of President Arturo Alessandri the dismissal of three of his ministers, including the minister of War; the enactment of a labor code; the passage of an income tax law ; and the improvement of the military budget and salaries. Alessandri had no option but to appoint General Luis Altamirano ,

108-527: A Colonel, in 1914, he was commander of telecommunications and Aeronautical Inspector. In 1919 he became General Director of the Chilean Air Force . That same year he was promoted to Brigade General. As such he was General Commander of the II, III and IV Divisions, between 1920 and 1924. On November 28, 1924 was promoted to Army Inspector General . On January 23, 1925, he was handed the executive power by

135-668: A Conservative restoration was under way. The fears seemed confirmed when Ladislao Errázuriz , head of the Conservative Party and of the Unión Nacional alliance, suddenly presented his candidacy to the upcoming presidential elections. At that point, the Junta lost the confidence of those who had elevated them to power, chiefly among them the military committee . Young military officers began to contact sectors working in favour of Arturo Alessandri 's return, in particular

162-613: A group of young officers that deposed the September Junta , but he declined to hold on to the power alone, and chose to become instead just one of the members of the January Junta that took over the government on January 27. This junta ruled until March 20, when President Arturo Alessandri Palma reassumed his functions. He retired from the army on June 15, 1926. On January 24, 1926, he married María Josefina Rosa Matte Amunátegui, with whom he had four children. In 1930 he

189-516: A law on cooperatives 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

216-470: A law on cooperatives 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 September 11

243-549: A military Junta was established to rule the country in the absence of the titular president, Alessandri. The military movement was not homogeneous, and included an anti- oligarchist wing headed by Marmaduque Grove and Carlos Ibáñez. They expressed their positions in the September 11 manifesto , which theorized a kind of " Manifest Destiny " of the Armed Forces to support the country's development. The manifesto stigmatized

270-419: 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 Ibáñez del Campo , created

297-607: The Comité Obrero Nacional (National Workers' Committee). On January 23, 1925, army troops surrounded the La Moneda Palace and arrested General Altamirano. Following this new coup d'état , the power was handed to General Pedro Pablo Dartnell , who in turn gave way to the January Junta a few days later. The new junta declared that the leaders of the previous junta had "perverted" the intent of

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324-627: The Universidad de Chile , specializing in military engineering. In 1885 he was accepted as an Officer Cadet to the Military Academy, where he studied until 1891. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant on January 15, 1891. During the 1891 Chilean Civil War , Dartnell served with the corps of military engineers, and joined the ranks of the Congressional Army. He participated in the battles of Concón and Placilla. That same year he

351-521: The "corruption of the political life," justifying the coup by an alleged institutional crisis. It also alleged imminent "civil unrest" ( contienda civil ) from which the country had to be protected. The Junta was composed of General Luis Altamirano , chief of the Army and constitutional Vice President; Admiral Francisco Nef , chief of the Navy; and General Juan Pablo Bennett , who became the representative of

378-442: The "military committee". General Altamirano proceeded to close Congress and, declaring the state of siege , assumed dictatorial powers. During his conservative rule, he tried several measures to control the economic crisis and to reform the local bureaucracy. Nonetheless, from the very beginning the Junta proved ineffective in implementing any real changes to the political status quo . The "military committee" started to suspect that

405-535: The 11th, a military Junta was established to rule the country on the absence of the titular president, Alessandri. Pedro Dartnell Division General Pedro Pablo Dartnell Encina (December 24, 1873 – September 26, 1944) was a Chilean military officer and member of the Government Junta of Chile in 1925. Dartnell was born in the city of Linares in 1873, the son of Robert Loder Dartnell and of Carmen Encina Ibáñez. He studied engineering at

432-625: 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 that had been languishing for years were passed in a matter of hours. These included the 8 hour day , suppression of child labour , regulation of collective bargaining , legislation on occupational safety , legalization of trade unions ,

459-564: 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 ,

486-404: The September 11 Manifesto, qualifying them as "traitors" and stating that "oligarchs [were] not the owners of Chile." One of the first act of the new junta was to arrest Errázuriz, while the popular classes supported the new junta at the condition of Alessandri's return to power Saber noise In Chilean political history , the ruido de sables ( lit.   ' noise of sabers ' )

513-426: 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

540-441: The export of nitrates , was suffering the effects of the discovery of artificial nitrates during World War I . At the same time, 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

567-502: 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

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594-442: 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

621-510: 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 scabbards ( chapes ) of their sabers against the floor. The term has since become a metaphor in Spanish-speaking countries, referring to a military conspiracy. In 1924, Chile was in the throes of an economic and political crisis. The economy, heavily dependent on

648-659: Was destined to the navy to help design the military fortifications of the port of Talcahuano. In 1910 he was sent again to Europe, this time as a student to the Ècole de Guerre, in Paris, where he studied until 1912. During his stay in France, he took an active interest in the French Air Service, and prepared a report which was the basis for the creation of the Chilean Military Air Force in 1913. As

675-730: Was elected Senator for the "Talca, Linares and Maule" district, but only remained in Congress until its dissolution by the Socialist Republic of Chile on June 4, 1932. During his life he was decorated with the following orders: Comendador de Isabel La Católica y Gran Cruz al Mérito Militar, by Spain; Grand Officer of the Italian Crown; Officer of the Légion d'honneur and Grand Officer of the Order of Michael by France; Officer of

702-585: Was promoted to Lieutenant and then Captain. After the end of the war, he studied civil engineering at the University of Chile. With the great reform of the Chilean Army, he was sent to specialize in Europe. He travelled to Belgium, Germany and Spain between 1897 and 1899. In January 1900, he was promoted to Major, and commander of military engineers. Three years later he was a commander already. In 1905 he

729-504: 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. 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 Marmaduke Grove and Major Carlos Ibáñez del Campo , attended

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