GRAN CHACO WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1933, Page 8

GRAN CHACO WAR

SPECIAL NEUTRAL COMMITTEE

The conflict between Paraguay and Bolivia in the Gran Chaco arose over Bolivia’s dein/nd for. .a -port on the Paraguay, River,. Last October, at Geneva the special neutral committee for bringing about peace, between, them reported >to the Leaguie-’ off • Nations Council. It, f-dvised. Council that it had recommended v ' : to the neutral nations i n Washington th-"b Bolivia and Paraguay be invited- to withdraw their, troops beyond the zone- wherein there wa 8 danger of physical contact. The committee also proposed, to the neutrals that, a f military, officers be sent to thq ; soene to assist. th e . opposing commanders in reducing the danger, of local fighting. The Goun> cil approved the action of the commit--tee, : but the peace efforts . had very practical -effect. Shortly., after, the j committee had reported the Paraguayan newspaper El Orden- in a mood-of bitter complaint; against Bolivia, charged it. with, having deceived, the neutrals. : -It anid;_

“Every day the neutrals are losing, prestige, and for that, reason, every day the likelihood of. thei r intervention for. peace proving fruitful,, grows. Jess. From, the outset the neutrals have vacillated,sometimes giving way before- .Bolivian pressure, and, sometimes varying their conduct according, to changing degrees of Bolivian, audacity. ■

■‘‘Bolivia, hoe fooled- the neutrals with a’i,di will continue to., fool them because they fol’ow the policy of Useless diplomatic notes - and threats of moral condemnation which cannot in-; fluence-people who live beyond the - pale, preferring to resort to w*r rather thyn law to obtain their ends.” : Bolivia, contends she has always ma interned; that her; territorial rights -extend. to the Paraguay River, a claim which Paraguay, has denied, following the denial with peaceful penetration until, i. n 1928, when th©.'-last big dispute arose, Bolivia .asserted that .Parar gray had. occupied; the .whole of the Chaco. Frontier- . incidents while the question of- boundaries- was- in dispute led to Bolivia’s breaking off diplomatic relations in, were n ot fully resumed until, May, 1a 7 A when -a- judicial body, chosen by the; Pan-American Unian, took -up..the- dis-* pute. Its, efforts, also proved abortiveMatter s , seemed:-to be,.earning to. a head, early last. August when; the Bo'iv-. ian Ministry of , .War., ; oroered the. mobilisation fo‘f all -classes /-oB Bpliyian youths between the -ages ..of '2& and. 29; in anticipation of w'ar - with Paraguay.: in the Gran Chaco region. •• A., /'i;gh official stated that- Bolivia would .%! form the! League-of Nations, that . ~iiimmediate settlement of the Gran- Ghaoo dispute must be reached or she would go to War.