First Step

Three weary years of mediation by representatives of the U. S. and five South American nations last week ended. At Buenos Aires a peace agreement was reached, officially closing the 1932-35 war between Paraguav and Bolivia over the steamy, sumpy Gran Chaco region. Within the red stone walls of the Argentine Government's Casa Rosada, the Foreign Ministers of Paraguay and Bolivia advanced to a huge oval table, formally scratched their signatures to a peace treaty. "Peace between the Republics of Paraguay and Bolivia is re-established," read Article I.

Far from being the final settlement of the Chaco dispute, however, the mediators realized that this accord was merely the first step. Three more important steps remain: 1) the treaty must be ratified by the two nations within 20 days, in Paraguay by a plebiscite, in Bolivia by constitutional assembly; 2) within two months of this approval, representatives of the mediating nations must establish the boundary in the Chaco; and 3) Paraguay and Bolivia must accept it. On the last step, however, the Chaco settlement may stumble. Fortnight ago Paraguayan Politician Dr. Geronimo Zubizarreta, so far sole candidate for the September Presidential election, indicated that as President he would toss out any ruling the Chaco mediation arrived at (TIME, July 25).

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