Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24


/ on Arbitration will hold Ses-
sions in Washington. This commission
was created for the purpose of investi-
eating the recent incidents concerning
the Bolivian-Paraguayan boundary dis
pute, which Sprang out of the attack
on Bolivian fort by the Paraguayan
military troops two months ago. The
Bolivian delegates to the commission
are Enrique Finot and David Alvestegui.
The Paraguayan delegates are Enrique
Bordenave and Francisco Chavez Senior
Alvestegui and Senior Bordenave have
been foreign ministers in their respec-
tive countries Senior Finot was Bolivian
minister to Chile and Senior Chavez
was a member to the Bolivian-Para-
| guayan Conference of Buenos Aires
last year. Besides the representatives
of Bolivia and Paraguay, five neutral
| American nations will have delegates
to the commission of inquiry and con-
Citation. The other delegates will be:
United States, Gen. Mccoy, former
/ head of the military Intervention in
Nicaragua; Mexico, Senior Gonzales
Roa, former delegate to the Pan-Ameri-
can Conference on Arbitration: Cuba,
Senior Marquee Sterling; Colombia,
Senior Rivas; Uruguay, Gen. Rupretch.
Outstanding Problem.
Thus. one Of the most outstanding
international problems of South Amer
lea will come once more to the limelight.
A brief history of the territorial con-
troversy between Bolivia and Paraguay
and the several attempts made to settle
the dispute for the last so years follows:
| Paraguay declared her independence
in 1911. Under the rule of the famous
| dictator Francia, she refused to hold
| friendly intercourse with the other ma
lions of the world. At that time the
great liberator, Bolivar, ruled Bolivia's
destinies. 1t was his desire to establish
cordial relations with Paraguay and to
| that effect sent to ASuncion a diplo-
matte mission intrusted to Capt. Ruiz.
Francia rejected Bolivars friendship
and Ruiz was obliged to leave the die
tator's capital the day of his arrival
there. After the dictator's death the
| government of Paraguay was taken over
by triumvirate Of conSulS, and con-
| greSS that convened on November IS,
1872, proclaimed Paraguay'S independ-
ence anew and announced to the world
her intention of cultiyating internal
tional relations The National Conven-
ton of Bolivia by law of June II, 1843,
granted Paraguay recognition as an in
dependent nation and expressed to
| al a6udy tAAC OCcnC VI CulbifdtulB WIFI
| her relations OF an1ity, commerce, navi-
| cation and all others tending to the
prosperity of both countries" And al
though for reasons not Of willingness 1t
was several years before Bolivia had in
Asuncion resident representative. Re-
lationS were cordial between the two
| governments.
Bolivia Files Protest.
But in July, 1852, in the course of set
ting her boundaries with Brazil and the
Argentine Republic, Paraguay signed
with this latter nation a boundary
treaty, article 4 of which reads as fol-
lows: 1.-THE Paraguay River belongs from
side to side under perfect sovereignty
to the Republic of Paraguay as far as to
| where said river meets with the Pa
rama" This clause caused the Bolivian
representative in the Argentine to file a
protest.
President Acha Of Bolivia accredited
in 1854 legation of Bolivia in Asun-
cton and appointed DR.. Aniceto Arce
charge d'affaires of the same, instruct
| ing him to negotiate with President
Lopez OF Paraguay a settlement of the
boundary question with Bolivia. Pres
ident Lopez was too busy preparing for
the disastrous war that was to come and
Boltvia'S efforts were useless.
On May /, 1865, there was published
the secret treaty of the allies-Brazil.
the Argentine and Uruguay-by virtue
OF which these countries divided among
themselves Paraguay's territory.
Until Article 16 of this instrument
1t was stipulated by Clause that: 1.-THE
Argentine republic shall be divided from
the Republic Of Paraguay by the Rivers
Parana and Paraguay, UP to the bound
aries Of the empire of Brazil, which
are on the right (western) side of the
Paraguay River up to Bahia Negra."
Bolivia made this clause grounds for
a strong protest which the allies needed.
The Bolivian foreign minister, Jose P.
| Taborga, in the note addressed to the
allies, recorded that : Nothing has
altered her (Bolivia's) perfect right to
the territory which extends on the
| western banks of the Paraguay River,
having said river for its natural bound
ary." In the replies given by the three
nations to whom the protest was adj
dressed, they manifested that Bolivia's
rights had been Safeguarded.
New Treaty Signed.
But once the war was over. Paraguay
signed with Argentine on February 3,
1876, a final treaty of boundaries by
OF which both former enemies in a most
amicable way divided up among them
| selves portion Of Bolivia's territory.
| The matter was later submitted to the
arbitration Of President Rutherford B.
Hayes of the United States; but despite
| the fact that Bolivia's rights were amply
safeguarded by Bolivia'S protest of the
same date as the second treaty of 1865,
the decision OF the arbitrator favored
Paraguay in her litigation with the
Argentine. Since then. the Chaco ques-
! q bat DAIlN sd =
/ has been live issue, threatening at
times to shatter the peace of South
| America, which 1t would have done for
| the forbearance of Bolivia.
Since 1879 Bolivia and Paraguay have
sought to settle this question by pacific
means. On october IS of that year DR..
Antonio Quiiarro, Bolivia's representa-
tive. and Don Jose Segundo Decound,
the Paraguayan foreign minister, signed
treaty establishing the boundaries be-
tween both countries in a way that
granted the better part to Paraguay. 1t
was the best bargain that Bolivia then
could make. engaged as 1t was at the
time in an unequal war with Chile.
Hunger Stalked in most Bolivian towns,
while Paraguay was flushed with the
victory recently won by her by the
| American Presidents award. BY law of
August 3, 1881. the Bolivian National
Convention ratified this treaty, with the
only reservation to the effect chat
there be negotiated the acquisition by
Bolivia of one or more ports on the
eastern side of Pilcomayo River south
of Los Banados." But this reservation
being unacceptable to Paraguay, the
treaty was made null and void as by
Bolivian law of November IL. 1886. Par
aguay never did submit this treaty to
the consideration Of her Parliament.
Bolivia Wants to Settle Question.
DR.. Isaac Tamayo, Bolivian plenipo-
tertiary, and Don Benjamin Aceval,
Paraguayan foreign minister. signed, on
February 16. 1887, a new treaty even
more favorable to Paraguay than that