Evening star., 1932-10-04
A RAZON, La PaZ.-The Presi-
dent Of the republic received in
audience a committee of mer-

audience committee of mer-
- chants and manufacturers who
placed In the hands Of the chief
executive some documents and Stats
tics and gave also oral testimony to
their views on the present customs
schedule. After long interchange of
ideas the President manifested his de-
sire to consider carefully the observa-
tons Of the petitioners and to relieve
and expedite In any way he could the
affairs of native commerce and industry,
at present in most dolorous state.
The consensus of the discussion
seemed to be that the merchants and
manufacturers must first themselves
reach an accord on what fiscal pro-
cedures will mutually be of the most
benefit. Only two stipulations were
definitely accepted: First, that the
importers and manufacturers will pro-
rate among the various concerns what
business yet remains; and second, that
the government will not clear any for
eign consignments of non-necessary
merchandise through customs while
there yet remains in this country a
superfluous stock of the same articles.
This embargo will obviate the purchase
of silks, liquors, automobiles, phono-
graphs and gaming devices.
The adoption of these measures will
undoubtedly benefit the local merchants
by facilitating the movement OF goods
already on hand, without incurring fur
ther obligations, and their customers
will find more encouragement to spend
their money for things that are actu-
ally necessary and indispensable.
X \ + X
Airship's Place In
Future War Feared.
Voelkerbund, Geneva-Hardly any
thing has so stirred up interest, fancy
and hope, in the post-bellum period, OF
the expert, poet and peace enthusiast,
respectively, as the airship, and the sort
Of war to be expected because OF 1t. A
case is made either for or against TINS
weapon, according as the attitude OF the
critic is one based upon. facts or upon
some sort of weird speculation. IL Is
generally admitted that the next war
will be a war of the air, and earnest
efforts to secure a ratification OF per-
petual peace among the nations, even
when and where they are the most sue
cessful, are able to quiet only IN rant
degree the apprehensions suggested py
| the mere thought of air raids. This Is
| rather strange, since the actual loss OF
| life through aerial warfare in the great
conflict Of 1e14-1e18 was negligible and
non n-combatants suffered scarcely at all
There were exceptions, Of course, to this
| immunity, say in the case OF LONDON
and Karlsruhe, both of which suf1eree
undeservedly from attacks even then
scarcely believed permissible;
| But the back areas were little threat
ened in those days, and the reason L
not hard to find. The aircraft OF tina,
day was capable only Of short night
| and was virtually q secondary or sup
Elementary weapon. But the rapid de-
velopment of the flying machine has
indicated clearly that the most dread
full visions and speculations anent fu-
| ture warfare may indeed become reali.
ties. These fears have been heightened
| by the association of aircraft with an
other new means of attack-that is
| chemical warfare. No frontiers, natural
or artificial, afford any longer the least
protection against this conjunction
The immunity Of Great Britain's islanc
kingdom has gone, and 1t is not likely
it will return. Dangers such as viii
threaten Great Britain in the event o.