BOLIVIA AND PARAGUAY

Evening Star, Issue 21723, 18 May 1934, Page 7

BOLIVIA AND PARAGUAY

ARMS EMBARGO BRITAIN PRESSING FOR ACCEPTANCE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright GENEVA, May 17. (Received May 18, at 1 a.m.) Captain Eden asked the League Council to place an immediate embargo on the supply of arms and munitions to Bolivia and Paraguay. PRINCIPLE AGREED TO (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 17. (Received May 18, at noon.) After an earnest appeal by Captain Eden all members of tbo League Council agreed in principle to accept an embargo on the export of all amis to Bolivia and Paraguay. A draft convention embodying his proposal will be considered to-morrow. BOMBING OF TOWNS BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S PROTEST. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 17. (Received May 18, at 1.30 a.m.) The British representatives at La Paz and Asuncion have been instructed to represent to tho Governments to whom they are accredited tho concern felt by the British Government regarding the bombing of towns of no military importance and threatened reprisals in contravention of the Hague convention of 1899. CAPTAIN EDEN'S APPEAL (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 17. (Received May 18, at 1.30 p.m.) Captain Eden proposed that a census be taken to secure an embargo on anna destined for either Bolivia or Paraguay. He recalled that only a year ago lie asked the council to take steps to levy an embargo on the supply of arms to these countries, A commission had visited South America, but the conflict continued. The British Government expressed the hope that tho council would send a telegram to the seventeen Governments whose co-operation was necessary to inquire whether they were prepared to agree to the embargo proposal. It might bo that in some cases the Governments had not at the moment the necessary powers to_ put an embargo into effect. Where this was so the British Government trusted it would be found possible to take tho necessary legislative action as an emergency measure.

Captain Eden also recalled that the report of tho commission on the dispute expressed tho view that the neighbouring countries, more especially if the two belligerents refused to accept an honourable and just settlement, should exercise stricter control over the transit of traffic as a complement to the control that the other nations should exercise over certain exports. ‘‘To these countries,” said Captain Eden, “I would address a special appeal to forbid the transit of war supplies across their territories to Bolivia and Paraguay. The senseless loss of life, tho utterly unjustifiable imposition on human suffering, and the meaningless destruction of the best resources in men and material of these two countries have already endured too long. It is our privilege and responsibility to bring them to an end.”