Evening star., 1928-12-16

American affair was very similar-yet,
yet (here the noble voice sank to a
whisper, while all shifted their gaze
fearfully, this side and that different,
so different. Not even BRAND dared to
speak the dread name. At last the
councillors pulled themselves together
sufficiently to draw up a resolution to
be forwarded to La Paz and ASuncion
expressing their conviction that the
two states, which by signing the cove
nant have solemnly pledged themselves
to seek by pacific means a solution
of disputes arising between them, would
have recourse to such methods as
would be in conformity with their in
ternational obligations and would ap-
pear in the actual circumstances to be
most likely to insure together with the
maintenance of peace settlement of
their disputes"
The League.-Then there's the old
inStrumentality of mediation. Despite
certain reports, 1t is very doubtful that
a formal offer of mediation has been
made by any government, though no
doubt there have been discreet ap-
proaches in that sense. On the other
hand, plausible dispatch asserts that
President Irigoyen of Argentina, strong
man, stands ready to intervene peremp-
torily, should other ''instrumentalities"
clearly prove inadequate.
1t will be recalled that a Pan-Amer-
lean Conference at Santiago, Chile, in
1928, adopted a convention Qater, be-
lleve, ratified by the states participating
in the conference) by which the sigma
tory and ratifying states are pledged
not to go to war with one another until
an international committee shall have
investigated and reported on whatever
matter may be in dispute, provision
being made for two permanent COM
missions, one at Montevdeo and one at
Washington. My understanding is that
Bolivia did not participate in the con-
ference and has not adhered to the
convention, but that Paraguay has in
voked action by the Montevideo COM
mission.
The Washington resolution cited above
states the truth. The means at hand
toward a pacific settlement are ample,
and it would. under present circum-
stances, be peculiarly discouraging to
world hopes should war be joined.
Hal new development! On Decem-
Der IA the Washington conference re-
solved ito proffer its good offices to
the interested parties for the purpose
of promoting suitable conciliatory meas
ures with the aim of preserving the
principle of Cancellation and arbitration
as solid foundation of international
life" and the proffer was telegraphed
by Mr.. Kellogg, chairman of the con-
ference. 1t is understood that. prior
to the vote on the resolution, the Ar
gentine government (as having espe-
cially interested itself in the contro-
versy) was courteously sounded, and
that 1t cordially assented to the pro-
posed move. failure to which seems
almost unthinkable
Happily the Bolivian government
seems to have appreciably receded from
its originally uncompromising attitude
1t may, however, seem rather curious
that the kellogg pact has been so little
mentioned in the present condition.
The population of Bolivia is in the
neighborhood of three millions that
OF Paraguay about million. 1t may
be pertinent to add that that of Ar
gentina approaches nine millions.
United -PreSident-elect Hoov-
er arrived at Buenos Aires, Argentina,
on December 13, having crossed the
South American continent by railway
dncluding the ascent and descent of
the Andes) from Santiago, Chile. To-
day he is being taken by an Argen-
tine cruiser to Montevideo. After a
brief visit in Uruguay he will board
the battleship Utah for Rio de Janeiro.
On December IA, the Senate passed,
81 to IL, the Boulder Dam bill some
what modified from the form in which
las passed at the last session. 1t went