The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1934. THE CHACO WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 21878, 15 November 1934, Page 8

The Evening Star THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1934. THE CHACO WAR.

The worst spot in the world just now, for thousands of human beings, one imagines, is the vast stretch of forest and river country between Paraguay and Bolivia, where the Chaco war still rages. “ Green Hell ” a novelist explorer has called that forest, with its trackless wastes, its brooding silences, its absence of food and water, so that all supplies must be carried through it —and that, was for peaceful travellers. The borders of the rivers, which afford the chief means of communication, with their alligators, their poisonous insects, and their harbouring of malaria, were not much better. ' Even then, six or seven years ago, when no’ war was in progress, Bolivian airmen used to fly overhead spying out the land, because war might happen at any time. War has lasted now for two years and more, and gives no sign yet of reaching its end. Its fortunes have ebbed and flowed in an eddy of death. It was' in December last year that the Paraguayans began to win victories. Several small forts were taken, and two'array divisions of their enemies were virtually annihilated, losses being reported of from 10,000 to 15,000 dead and prisoners. The League of Nations and other American republics brought their influence to bear then to secure peace, but the Paraguayans were flushed with victory and the Bolivians unwilling to admit defeat. In August, it appears now, there was fighting which the cables did not report. The Paraguayans continued their drive to good effect. Now the Bolivians have made a counter-offensive and wiped out most of those gains. Another big battle is expected almost immediately if the rains do not prevent. If the Paraguayans retreat they will be in a better position for fighting, because they will be nearer their base. But gains and losses of twenty-five miles, in this almost illimitable country, are bought dearly with human lives. Both States pleaded their cause before the recent Assembly of the League of Nations. Both declared that they accepted peaceful settlement by the League. But Bolivia, who was still in occupation of a large part of the Chaco, was set upon an Assembly decision under Article XV., for that would be a politicians’ decision, and would probably give her part of the territory she was holding. Paraguay wanted arbitration or a Hague Court settlement, for a legal method would be to her advantage, since her legal claims to the Chaco were the stronger. The struggle may collapse for waul, of munitions, since all the armament and manufacturing countries have refused now to sell further supplies. But it it lasts till the belligerents are tired of fighting it may continue much longer yet. The Paraguayans fought a war in the ’sixties against Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay combined. They fought under a dictator and tyrant, Lopez, who provoked those hopeless odds in his passion to be a little South American Napoleon, and who was plainly mad. There was no proper plan of campaign. When his generals were defeated they were executed, and lucky if they were not tortured at the same time and their wives and families subjected to ignominy. Yet the Paraguayans, who had nothing to gain from even victory and release from a tyrant to hope for from defeat, fought on sullenly, doggedly, till there was hardly a man of military age left in the country, and those who remained bore the appearance of survivors

of a long-besieged city. The Bolivians are not likely to be very different as a race. The objects of the present war were vague at its commencement. They have not been made clearer since, except to the extent that claims to a specially unattractive tract of country are involved. Though oil wells are now mentioned, these are outside the original disputed area. The war has been waged with the latest of arms in the most modern manner. There has been some risk of the conflict spreading to other republics, Chile having been accused of backing Bolivia and Argentina Paraguay, despite their neutrality, but the neighbours of the belligerents seem to have given the least possible ground for such charges. Unfortunately it has been a popular war much more than a war sought by Governments. Earlier Governments quarrelled over the Chaco whenever a distraction was needed by them, till a false value was given to it by their peoples.