Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
DISPUTE is LONG STANDING
Commission of Inquiry and Cancellation
Soon to Meet Here to Attempt to
End Difficulty Over Boundary.

MaEldIiO bdptlSId, minister at ASunClOu.
Under date of December 20 of that year
Minister Baptista addressed a note to
the Paraguay government proposing
that either former treaty be agreed upon
anew, and ratified by both governments,
or that the dispute be submitted to ar
bitration. The Paraguayan foreign min
lister, Venancio Lopez, in reply stated
hat as he had been away from his coun-
try for period of 81 years, he could not
at once enter into a discussion of so
delicate problem. Baptista left Asun-
cion, his mission being at end, as he no.
titled the Paraguayan government In c
document dated in Buenos Aires on
February 4, 1892. Dr. Telmo Ichaso
presented his credentials in Asunciop
as Minister Of Bolivia on July 20, 1894.
Four days later he began to negotiate
with the Paraguayan foreign minister,
Don Gregorio Benitez, and, In order that
both diplomats might have an ampler
field for their deliberations, it was
agreed by protocol of August Of that
year to declare the treaties Quijarro-
Decound and Tamayo-Aceval void and
null. After long pourparlers and lively
volley back and forth of ancient docu-
ments 1t was found convenient to accept
the good Offices Of the Uruguayan Min
lister in Asuncion, Don Adolfo Bazanes.
uruguay AIDS IN New Treaty.
Uruguay's mediation served in a new
treaty being drafted and signed on
November %. 1894. BY this third treaty
Bolivia made greater concessions than
ever, but she now awaited its ratif1-
ton by Paraguay before submitting 1t
to her own Congress. Paraguay never
ratified it; never considered it even;
rather, on May 10, 1896, her Parliament
authorized the executive power to send
commission to study and define the
boundary with Bolivia in accordance
with Paraguay's historical titles"
So the years went by and no solu-
ton ever was apparent. In 1901 the
government of Bolivia sent new mis-
sion to Paraguay. accrediting DR.. An
tonic Quijarro as confidential agent in
Asuncion. DR.. Quijarro seemed at first
to be making Roadway with Paraguay.
By agreement with Don Fabio Quierolo,
the Paraguayan foreign minister, the
Ichasco- Benitez treaty was declared
null and void; but while a compromise
was under study, the Paraguayan exec
utive introduced in the legislative cham
berS resolution for the creation Of
new Paraguayan electoral districts, one
of which was to include Fort Olimpo,
Bahia Negra and Villa Hayes, in dis
puted territory. On behalf of his gov
eminent, DR.. Quijarro fled due pro-
test and declared his mission at end.
Bolivia's foreign minister, DON Claudio
Pinilla, while In Buenos Aires on his
way to The Hague, was invited by the
foreign minister of Argentina to con-
fer with Paraguay's minister of fin
ance, who was at that time in Buenos
Aires. AS result of these conferences
there was signed on January II. 1907,
the Pinila-Soler treaty, an inStru-
ment that granted to Paraguay more
territory than any of the former trea-
ties, the progression being: 4,136 square
leagues granted by the treaty of 1879:
4.808 by that of 1887: 5,266 by that
Of 1894, and 9,124 by this one Of 1907.
In spite of loud-voieed popular protest,
this treaty was ratified by the Bolivian
government on March 6 of the same
year. On the eleventh of that same
month. the government Of Paraguay
ratified it also. Popular feeling ran so
high in Bolivia that the very able
diplomat, DR.. Emeterio Cano. was chos-
en- to repair to Paraguay and amend
the bad break already made. DR.. Cano
died at his post on November Is OF
that year.
Mujia Takes up Task.
In 1910 DR.. Ricardo Mujia was APP
pointed Bolivian minister to Paraguay,
and, after a long controversy. having
taken up the threads where DR.. Cano
had left them, succeeded on April 5,
1918, In signing with the Paraguayan
foreign minister, Don Eusebio Ayala, q
protocol by whose article fifth the Pin
illa-Soler treaty was declared null and
void. This protocol was ratified by
both governments on July 28 Of that
same year.
On March IS. 1915. the Paraguayau
foreign minister acting as chairman
the conferences between the Bolivian
minister. DR.. Ricardo Mujia, and the
Paraguayan plenipotentiary ad hoe,
Don F. Moreno, for the drafting OF q
final treaty. having arrived at no con-
cluSion within the time specified In the
protocol of April S. 1918. this term was
extended to July %, 1916. The pleni-
potentiaries referred to above continued
their study and examination OF the
royal charters that bore evidence on
the ownership Of Chaco. but were I'M
able to reach any agreement, for which
reason the term that had been fixed
for the negotiation of the final treaty
twice again was extended; on Novem-
Der 81, 1916, for q year, and on June
IA. 1917. for period that was not to be
longer than the former extensions.
pointed foreign minister Of Bolivia, was
Obliged to return home; but before
leaving Paraguay he agreed with that
government to have the negotiations
transferred to Bolivia. for which pur-
pose Plenipotentiary F. Moreno was to
be appointed Paraguayan Minister In
the Bolivian capital.
On June z, 1918, the negotiations
were resumed in La Paz, where, by
agreement signed on the seventeenth
of that same month and year, 1t was
agreed: ITO extend the last extension
established for the negotiations as until
such day when any OF the proposals
for a direct agreement might be de-
fined" and I'm case no direct agree
ment can be reached. the last term
within which arbitration must be re-
sorted to shall be declared In proto-
COL"
A year later Senior Moreno submitted
a formula for agreement establishing
a free zone upon the right bank Of the
Paraguay River, a proposition which
the government Of Bolivia could not &C
cept. Plenipotentiary Moreno having
left Bolivia, the negotiations remained
indefinitely postponed. In 1924, the
pointed Eduardo Diez de Medina am
bassador extraordinary for the inau-
guration of the new President Of Para
quay. Ambassador Diez de Medina
availed himself Of his stay at Asuncion,
In fulfillment Of the instructions given
him by the La Paz foreign office, TO
propose to the state department OF
Paraguay the appointment Of q COM
mission of delegates from both govern
mentS to meet in washington, where
they should strive to solve the differ
ences existing between the two coun-
tries and where, should they come to
no direct agreement on the matter,
they should submit their dispute, for
arbitration, to the President Of the
United States of America.
Certain Regions Excluded.