Presidents' Week

P: With Argentina's vital meat sales to Great Britain at stake, President Augustin P. Justo kept a catlike watch on the Ottawa Conference last week. He let the news leak out that "Argentina has taken the initiative in seeking reciprocity tariff agreements with the United States and other countries."

U. S. Ambassador Robert Woods Bliss gently made known at a conference in the Argentine Foreign Office that present U. S. tariff laws bar U. S. entrance into any reciprocal tariff agreement, however advantageous.

P: Rebel forces from Sao Paulo State, Brazil's "Mother of Revolutions," repulsed Federal troops in a hot fight on their own ground, circulated rumors that "Provisional President Getulio Vargas is about to resign."

Two hundred miles north of the fighting, President Vargas sat as tight as he could in Rio de Janeiro, signed a decree pardoning Army deserters "on condition that they at once present themselves for service."

P: The new "Sane" Socialist Government of Chile, recognized fortnight ago by Peru, was recognized last week by Argentina, Austria, China, Colombia. Costa Rica and

Spain. Jubilant as the recognitions poured in was dapper little provisional President Carlos Davila. His personal friend, former Chilean Dictator General Carlos Ibanez who lately returned from exile (TIME, July 18), calmed public fears of an Ibanez coup last week by quietly going into exile again.

P: One more revolt against bullet-scarred President Luis Sanchez Cerro of Peru was put down by Federal troops at Huaras last week. The President closed both the National College and the National University as "hotbeds of revolutions," appealed for voluntary contributions to purchase three squadrons of bombing planes useful in putting down further revolts.

P:President-elect Eusebim Ayala of Paraguay did his best to avoid war with Bolivia in the disputed region of Gran Chaco where sniping between Paraguayan and Bolivian outposts goes on year after year (TIME, Jan. 7, 1928).

P: Passionate President Daniel Salamanca of Bolivia whooped for war with Paraguay, declared martial law, aroused Bolivian patriots to pledge more than $200,000 for the conduct of the war, said in one of his milder moments, "It seems to me that the moment is not yet opportune for bringing the Bolivian people to serene and favorable reflection looking towards a pacific understanding with Paraguay."

To a pugnacious throng massed outside his office the President roared: "If the nation does not react to the fact of outrage it does not deserve to be a nation! [Cheers]. But my government knows how to defend the honor and dignity of the Fatherland! Viva Bolivia!"

That conditions in the Gran Chaco have provided an excuse for war these many years, everyone knows, incidents of provocation on both sides being numberless. Specifically the Bolivian Government alleged last week that on June 29 and on July 15 some Paraguayans shot & killed some Bolivians in the disputed territory.

P:Threatened with Death if he did not resign within 48 hours, President-elect Neptali Bonifaz of Ecuador was still alive last week, 48 hours later, and had not resigned.

P:Moon-faced, well-meaning President Enrique Olaya Herrera of Colombia celebrated the 122nd anniversary of its independence.

P:President Jose Maria Moncada learned that 45 U. S. Marines have been killed in Nicaragua since 1926 and that General Sandino, whom the Marines have stopped trying to capture, exacted $20,000 last week as the ransom of a Nicaraguan he captured six weeks ago. "I have no idea of the location of General Sandino's camp where I was held," said released Captive Enrique Fernando Sanchez Salinas. P:President Pascual Ortiz Rubio of Mexico restored service on the Mexican branch of Southern Pacific Railway last week after seizing the line to break a strike which had caused famine conditions in some cities & towns served by S. P. R. Yielding to the Government the 1,500 strikers began to run trains under direct Federal supervision, menaced by soldiers' bayonets.

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