A LAND OF REVOLUTION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1928, Page 2

A LAND OF REVOLUTION

(Auckland “Star.’ 'Pile threat of war between the South American Republics of Bolivia and Paraguay reminds us of the continual ferment going on in that part of the world, of which we hear but little. Revolutions have been very frequent in Paraguay during the last thirty years, but have generally been dismissed with a brief cable notice, if irnlee they have claimed so much attention from the general public.

The boundary dispute between both countries is of long standing. II the Paraguayan claim is conceded it woub about double the area of the countn (about the size of New Zealand) as shown on tho maps. Only a few months ago, when the writer was in Paraguay (where lie lived altogether for eighteen years), be was assured that' war with Bolivia was only question of time. Already there has been a clash on tin frontier. The writer has experienced some half a dozen revolutions in Paraguay, and the disturbed state of the country was one reason why lie left it. One of these revolutions bad a comic opera commencement and a tragic denouement. Major (afterwards Colonel) Jam, beading a revolutionary clique, bad managed to overthrow' the Government and to appoint a President who was a mere puppet of his. Jura united in his own person the offices of Minister of War and Coniniand-er-in-Chipf; he had the entire army at his beck and call, which meant the real control of the country. It came somewhat as a surprise tlieretorc, when not many months afterwards Jars was himself deposed by a counter-revolut-ion. partied on board a steamer and sent off to Buenos Ayres. It was afterwards said that the counter-revol-ution was got up by Jura himself, who was thus aide to take a well-earned holiday in Buenos Ayres, while lie was at the same time aide to determine which of his supporters were really faithful and to he depended upon. Subsequent events confirmed the tact of this latest revolution being a more mockery for it was discovered that the Paraguayan Government was sending money to the supposed exile, who on tin' outbreak soon afterwards of a fresh revolution was recalled and given an important military command. But Jam. was no longer dictator, and alter quarrelling with the Government, lie suddenly abandoned his post and marched off with the entire army. A few days afterwards lie occupied, without opposition, the town of Villain-ion which lie made iris capital and headquarters. and started another revolution on His own account. The matter was somewhat complicated, as there were now two revolutions (or three different Governments) in Paraguay. The, writer was in Villai'rica at the time, and for more than four months the place was besieged by the Government troops who however did not bombard or attack it. Jara had no money with which to pay his troops, but they were allowed to plunder and commit all kinds of outrages, which suited his 'cut-throat followers heritor than regular pay. Every store in the town was looted. All horses worth seizing were commandeered without compensation among them two belonging to the writer. After four months spent in dialing newly-caught peasants and other preparations Jara made an advance on Asuncion, the capital but bis small army was defeated, and lie himself killed. And so ended an abortive revolution, typical of many of its kind. The Paraguayans, if properly drilled and led, are good soldiers, as they proved in the years ISG3-70, when for more than five years they fought (for a while successfully) the combined forces in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, on whom they inflicted more than one severe defeat. The war only ended with the death in Hattie of their leader, the dictator Lopez. —J. D. DECK I E