Evening star., 1934-01-01

Ban:shment of war conditions among
The western nations is hailed in the
armistice accepted by Paraguay and
Bolivia in the long dispute over the
/ Chaco area The conflict has been
/ called q triumph for the former ma
/ tlon. although the terms OF the arml-
Stice are believed in this country TO
assure some rights TO both parties.
Action by the World Court is expected
ultimately and credit for the peaceful
/ outcome is given 10 Secretary of State
Hull. acting through the Pan-American
Conference
Tt Is to be hoped the New World
has witnessed its last war" says the
san Antonio Express. with the state
ment that the United States has been
urging the belligerents TO arrange an
armistice ever since fighting was re-
sured In June 1882" The Express
feels that Paraguay has shown a
generous spirit toward Bolivia" and
offers the history OF the conflict:
"Paraguay's army entered the struggle
under heavy handlcaps. 1t lacked a
general staff, and its highest t-ranking
officer Col Luis Estigarribia. had no
experienCe in large scale warfare. How
ever he long had studied military al
fairs and had been trained in the
methods developed by Marshal Ferdi-
nand FoCh. EStigarribla soon welded
a few regiments into a small but eff
ciert army that endured heavy losses
unfinchingly- AS a rule. the Para
euavan soldiers are Guaranl lndlans,
accustomed to life under hard condi-
tjons The hot, damp Chaco Boreal
did not seriously affect them; but 1t
worked havoc with the Bolivians, who
dwell in an elevated region where the
weather generally is cold and clear
The Bolivian troops had to fight at
a great distance from their principal
towns" explains the New York Times
nointine out that the Bolivian chief Of
Staf was a former German military
ofticer of high rank. who was appar-
entIv unable Ito transmit to his pupils
the secret of good soldering which
other German instructors Of nom
European armies have usually been
ahIe to convey" The Miami Daily
News observes that they fought to
exhaustion over a tract Of worthless
land--worthless, save as it gives one
of them path to the sea"
PARAGUAY is called a fighting re-
,,ihIic" bv the Salt Lake Deseret News
which sees bloody conflict probably
bro,0ht 10 an end" Relative merits OF
the contesting military forces are dis
cussed by the Deseret News, with the
'The reason for the war in the first
n1are was BoliviaS recurring eagerneSs
Tor waterway to the Atlantic through
Tho tributaries to the Parana River,
which flows into the River Plate. The
Chaco region is also valuable terri
torv though little inhabited. Paraguay's S
successful drive against the BOLIVIAN
forces and capture OF her forts brought
the Bolivians to a realization OF the
honelessness of the struggle. This little
indian republic. with less than 600 900
inhabitants, against Boliyia's 5000, ,0OO,-
400 has a tradition in battle that no
other Latin American republic possesses.
For five years, 1855 to 1870, the Para
p1layans fought at one tlme 6razll,
Argentina and Uruguay, and only we're
brought to terms of peace when her
soldier President was killed IN oattle.
He had been preceded by 10000 OF his
people. The country was 4eIt q haIIon
~ women and children.
"Why must national dignity be oatneo
in blood to vindicate itself?" asks the
Omaha World deTalu, iioluLIs eios ~
nearly two and a hall years PARAGUAY
and Bolivia have been at war over a
question of dignity and territorial rights
in a wild, unexplored hinterland OF little
y W nlparent present value 10 either the
0paha paper adds that national dig
rity and national honor demanded that
each defend its somewhat prontiess
claim with the blood OF its young man