WARRING NATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22267, 21 May 1934, Page 7

WARRING NATIONS

SUPPLIES OF MUNITIONS PROPOSAL FOR EMBARGO (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, May 18. President Roosevelt asked Congress to-day to ratify the Geneva Arms and Ammunition Convention in a move to obtain control of the traffic in munitions. President Roosevelt said: " Private and uncontrolled manufacture of arms and munitions and traffic in them have become a serious source of international discord and strife. It is. not possible, however, effectively to control such evil by the isolated action of any one country." The message did not refer to the British proposal for a world embargo on the shipments of arms and ammunitions to the warring nations— Bolivia and Paraguay—but it is believed that the President sought treaty ratifications to join that effort. The President also urged the reconvening of the World Disarmament Conference to set up authority for supervision and control of arms traffic much more far reaching than those embodied in the convention of 1924, which is now before the Senate. ACTION BY PRESIDENT. WASHINGTON, May 18. The United States Government late to-day asked Congress to declare an embargo on arms shipments to Bolivia and Paraguay. GRAN CHACO DISPUTE. HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTED. NEW YORK, May 19. (Received May 20, at 8 p.m.) The Buenos Aires correspondent of »he New York Times says: "While the League of Nations and President Roosevelt are making belated efforts to halt the Gran Chaco war, reports from the battlefront declare that the Bolivian and Paraguayan forces for a week have been deadlocked in the greatest battle of "he two-year-old struggle at Fort Ballivian, Bolivia's headquarters on the Pilcomayo River, the right wing of the 20-mile battle front on which 60,000 to 80,000 men are engaged. The Paraguayans are attacking viciously, and with over 100 75 and 105 millimetre guns directed by the Air Force, hope to dislodge the Bolivians before expected reserves arrive. The reports do not estimate the extent of the casualties, but speak of repeated Paraguan infantry' charges being mowed down by Bolivian machine gun nests. It is estimated that at least three times as many combatants are involved as in any previous engagement."