CHACO WAR FOES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 207, 2 September 1936, Page 15

CHACO WAR FOES.

THE FINAL EXCHANGE. PRISONERS REPATRIATED. BUENOS AYRES. With repatriation of captives completed officials here are hopeful that quicker progress may be made in final solution of the boundary differences between Bolivia aiul Paraguay that led to the Grail C'haco war. Repatriation of Paraguayan prisoners was completed on June 17, when 94 officers and 2391 soldiers were released. Approximately 10,000 Bolivian prisoners were repatriated by July 9, thus completing the exchange of captives. To ensure fulfilment of the provisions of the exchange by both nations the Chaco Peace Commission will conduct an investigation to determine whether there are any captives remaining in either Bolivia or Paraguay against their will. This investigation will be made before the payment of 2,400,0(J'0 Argentine pesos by Bolivia for the care of its soldiers is made to Paraguay. Officials of the commission said that every exchanged prisoner, before he was returned to his native land, was asked if he wished to remain in either Bolivia or Paraguay, and none replied that he so desired. The Paraguayan practice of "lending" prisoners to farmers may cause some complications, it was believed here, because there have been scattered reports of Bolivian soldiers, in isolated sections, being without knowledge of the repatriation. The Bolivian prisoners were used as labourers during their internment in Paraguay, it was said, when they were "lent" to farmers. The commission intends' to make a survey of the disputed Cliaco boundary to prepare an equitable solution for presentation to both nations. That the boundary question is still a live topic in Paraguay is shown by editorial comments in Asuncion newspapers. "Noticias" declared that Paraguay had realised nothing from her victory in the Chaco war as result of the signing of the peace protocol.