Evening star., 1934-11-18
LEAGUE MAY ACT
BOLDLY ON CHACO
Boycotts Possible in Effort
by Body to Regain
Prestige.
BY ALBIN E. JOHNSON.


dwindling prestige, which is about as
low as it has ever been, the League
of Nations is ready to make test case
of the Chaco dispute.
The extraordinary assembly. called
for Tuesday, will be the third in the
Leagues career. The first two-one
which dealt with Germany's abortive
attempt ct entry, and the second over
the Sino-JapaneSe dispute-ended dis
astrously. Germany had to wait Eve
months before the boards were cleared
for her admission, and Japan has
withdrawn from the League rather
than surrender Manchuria.
Whether or not the League-using
the pressure of world public opinion
and some 50-odd governments-will
be able to force Paraguay and Bolivia
to cease their internecine warfare, re-
mains to be seen. Every possible form
of conciliation has been tried, and the
proud South American republics con-
tinue fighting in the jungles of the
Gran Chaco. In her last war, Para
quay fought until practically every
able bodied male who could carry q
gun had been exterminated.
May Designate Aggressor.
The object of the extraordinary as
sembly is to apply Article XIV of the
covenant, as 1t did in the Manchu-
rian question. Unless hostilities have
ceased before it meets, it will draft
a report, fixing the responsibilities, in
SO far as possible, and designating the
"aggreSsor." The next step in the
case of Manchuria was to pledge its
members not to recognize the puppet
state of Manchoukuo. In regard to
Paraguay and Bolivia, the assembly
may go even further and propose
financial, economic and even diplo-
matte boycotts. It can, If it desires,
even recommend sanctions against the
transgressor. The aggreSSor will un-
doubtedly be the state which refuses
to cease fighting pending conciliation
or arbitration proceedings, either un-
der the Hague Court or specially
designated body.
Paraguay is bound to accept COM
pulsory arbitration by The Hague.
Bolivia has agreed to such procedure.
The difficulty thus far has been the
shifting fortunes of battle. When
the Bolivians were winning La Paz
was intransigeant. When the tide
turned in favor of Paraguay, the
Asuncion government refused to talk
peace unless certain territory was
evacuated and certain concessions
pledged in advance.
The Cancellation Committee of the
League-which consists of the Coun-
Gil members and representatives of
Sweden, China, Ireland and Vene-
Zuela-has been in continuous session
almost since the end of the Septem-
ber Assembly, in hopes that the two
governments would act to avoid
showdown. It's efforts, like those of
the United States, Brazilian and Ar
gentine governments, who attempted
to arbitrate, have been fruitless. One
thing that the joint American Brazil
ian-Argentine effort did accomplish,
however, was to reveal the virtual i'm
possibility of friendly conciliation. It
cleared the deck for vigorous and de-
cisive action on the part Of Geneva.
Strong Action Urged.
That the League will have to face
the issue squarely is the opinion Of
DR.. Edouard Benes. foreign minister
of Czechoslovakia, who has been
chairman of the Assembly, Cancellation
Committee. BeneS' views are shared
by other League protagoniSts, such as
Lord Cecil, Osten linden of Sweden,
Salvador de Madariaga of Spain and
Eamonn de Valera, President of the
Irish Free State. The League is being
criticized by its opponents, who
charge that it is equally as impotent
in settling quarrels between small
states as it proved itself to be in re-
spect to large powers like Japan.
"a real weakness in the Leagues
record is the fact that for two years
two South American states, both
members, have been at war over the
Gran Chaco," says Benes. During
that time the covenant has been in
disputably violated and the Council
of the League, although it has been
acting in this matter, has been unable
to put an end to the conflict. The
question is now before the Assembly,
which will have to face its RESPONSE
bilities. It must face them conscious
of its high duties, for 1t still has the
possibility of saving both the honor
and the moral and material strength
of the League. Will it do so? I be-
lieve and hope it will"
One factor in favor of the League
Is the united support OF the South
and Latin American states. Wash
ington and the Brazilian government,
neither of whom are members Of the
League, also are backing its efforts.
Both Paraguay and Bolivia have said
that a settlement through Geneva is
impossible without the cooperation of
those two nations.
Soviet Is Interested.
Soviet Russia, which only recently
became q member of the League, is
taking a lively interest in the contro-
versy. Foreign Commissar Maxim
Litvinoff has repeatedly stated that
Moscow believes in strengthening the
peace-preserving machinery OF the
League wherever possible. Had Rus
sia and the United States been in the
League, the Manchurian affair would
never have arisen, the Russians be-
ueve. The Bolshevists would even
approve military, economic and f1nan-
cial sanctions against disturber OF
the peace. They are out to establish
a precedent which might, IN the not
far distant future, serve them well in
case of Japanese aggression.
That there are 'sordid and power
full interests" operating under cover
to prevent reconciliation between the
belligerents is the charge made by
Salvador de Madariaga, Spanish dele
gate and former Spanish Ambassador
at washington and Paris. De Mada-
riaga hints broadly at arms manu-
facturers-with ample justification.
When the League put into operation
an international embargo on arms
and war munitions for Paraguay and
Bolivia, the Italians managed to COM
plete deliveries of huge orders. Even
washington permitted delivery OF
contracts made before the embargo
was proposed. At the present time,
however, the ban on war material
going to the Chaco is practically COM
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