Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS I By S. S Burton Heath Telegrams Telegram's New York Columnist NEW YORK YORK Reports Reports that that- nazi agitators were responsible for the Peruvian-Ecuador Peruvian warfare warfare war war- fare appear to be false in the light of informed f the spot reports reports- which have come to this writer The same applies to rumors that thousands of Japanese soldiers rs have been fighting with the Peruvian Peruvian Pe Pe Peruvian ruvian armies annies Capable observers occupying ing Inside positions In the Latin nat na nations na- na 1 t say that the border dispute broke out last spring because two tottering national administrations administrations administrations admin admin- needed sonie sone International pi distraction traction to dispel dangers dan dan- gers The border war h Jd had no d no no connection with the European wars war But they add the Germans Germans' were pleased at having dis discord ord appear on the the horizon orizon of American Amer Arner ican hemispheric solidarity and f Washington's bungling p attempts at at mediation have resulted in great loss of prestige throughout L Latin America x Peru invaded d Ecuador in connection connection con connection with a year old boundary boundary boun boun- dary dispute because President Prado felt the need to pamper the army He had been forced into office by former President Ben Benevides vides with the tacit understanding understanding understanding under under- standing that he would step out whenever the boss decided to re re- re return turn Benevides went as ambassador ambassador ambas ambas- first to Spain then to the Argentine and finally to Chile As he worked back Prado saw his days of power numbered So he began to cultivate the army and andY gave its militant leaders the Ecuadorian war Senor Arroyo del Rio became president of Ecuador last Sept Sep Sep- t in a shady election eJection In January he fled the capital when his palace was stoned Returning ReturnIng Return Return- ing he assumed almost dictator dictator- al powers But by last July 4 the public was so enraged at him and at the corrupt Guayaquil city co council that a revolt threatened Th Tb The text next day Perus Peru's well- well trained thoroughly equipped forces crossed the Ecuadorian frontier with semi blitz tactics There still is a question which fir fired d the first shot Del Rios Rio's troops were raw youngsters un- un ned poorly armed with not more than five rounds of ammunition ammunition am am- for their weapons Obviously Ob Ob- Ob- Ob vio sly they could not resist the Peruvians But Prado needed a patriotic diversion He re resisted re- re And two days clays after he han had f faced ced revolution the t dorian dori 1 boss heard his people shouting Viva el ci presidente in ina a a hysteria of nationalistic fervor the spot experts expert believe that both Peru and Ecuador an anticipated anticipated an- an effective intervention from the United States with varying emotions Washington's Washington's Washing Washing- tons ton's failure to provide this has let Jet both down The Peruvians who did not want us to interfere inter inter- interfere fere nevertheless feel that our failure to to todo do so signifies weakness weakness weakness weak weak- ness and indecision The who assumed assumed that we would try to protect them against aggression attribute our casualness to dollar diplomacy to to the fact tact that we would I rather see injustice done than offend Peru because that na nation nation na- na tion is more valuable to us economically economically eco ceo than is Ecuador The Peruvian invasion had been planned thoroughly well in advance Sixty officers were delegated to study and map the territory which was seized Both preparations and execution were directed by General graduate of an Italian military school and student of blitz methods Air ir bombing was used e effectively and a battalion of tanks finally broke the heroic resistance of against Per Peruvians u v i a n s. s Twelve parachutists shooting as they dr drifted ted downward captured captured cap Machala and seven took Puerto Bolivar the garrisons having departed Last May the United States offered to mediate mediate- but did not press the point In In Aug August st w we we arranged an armistice which the Peruvians improved by seizing seiz seiz- ing the cities of Piedras and and by sacking and looting looting loot loot- ing everything of value i in the four provinces they had seized One of these wa waS El EI Oro a flat farming country th that t supplies much of the nations nation's foodstuff and from whose rich mines the gove government derives a quarter of its income At Puerto Bolivar Bolivar Boli Boll var var the invaders confiscated United States citizens' citizens property in the warehouses Rumors that a corps of Japanese Japan Japanese Japa Japa- n nese nse se wa wa was serving with the Peruvians Peruvians Peru Peru- Peruvians appear to have arisen from the appearance of metal helmets bearing the rising sun device These however were among two shi shipments ments procured from Japan in such a hurry that headpieces head- head t if pieces originally intended for the mikado's troops were di diverted diverted di- di t t to Peru t Some years ago Peru provided by law that no person of Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- I nese blood could serve in her arin army arny By Byway way of compensation II tion she permitted all of the E Japanese colleges one in each t city of or over to 11 II lish military training units and allowed commissions to be held iJ in ill the Nipponese army without affecting Peruvian citizenship f |