724.3415/2376: Telegram
The Minister in Paraguay (Wheeler) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:50 p.m.]
122. The President this morning told me that the temper of the Army was such that the taking of Boquerón and Toledo could not be delayed. He thinks the same is likely to happen at Samaklay which has been greatly strengthened by the Bolivians since it was taken by them. He believes that thereafter may come a lull and that at the beginning of the rains Bolivia will find her hands more than full in extricating her troops from their untenable positions. If there is any possibility of truce he believes it will be most likely at [Page 99] that time, but he realizes that the difficulties in the way will now be very great at La Paz. The fighting at Boquerón is considered to have demonstrated that the Bolivian rank and file are poor soldiers unable to withstand trench fighting and bayonet work although splendidly led by foreign trained officers.
Ayala is bitter at Argentina whose intrigues he blames for the apparent reluctance of the neutrals to enforce Bolivian retirement and agreement for arbitration, and who, he considers, contrary to her asseverations, is now desirous of seeing the League usurp the place of the neutral powers in order that the prestige of the United States be diminished in Latin America.