The evening herald., 1917-04-14

Hfasll has deei1sd that for the
ptesen, her part In the war " TO be
confined to ssvsranee OF alplomstist
relations with Germany. However,
should the big South American reput-
nc decide later on 10 abandon thisl
state Of inactivity and TO into theI
csnf'ict in earnest she u IN a positlonl
to make herself a useful ally to theI
entente.
Universal military training y prse-
tleed there, this system beeomins ef-
fectlve last December. All men be-
tween the ages Of 81 ana ~ are iiaoie
sor military service. A. present some
thing like million men either have
received or are Obtaining military
training in Brazil.
A, one time. hack In lsoI-s. Brazil
seemed on the road 70 become one OF
the great naval powers. The republic
let contracts 70 British shipoulIders
for three OF the biggest warshIps
afloat The vessels which Brasil
contracted for were mightier In size
and gun power than any POSSESSED by
orea, britain or Germany. This move
created a great deal OF speculation In
the varioLs foreign offices Il was
rumorea that the rcpublic contem-
plated an imperialistic program that
would seriously disturb the balance OF
power Ia South America and might In
volve the United States. Another
.unor was that Brazil ordered the
wafshipc as an investment and intend
ed TO sell them TO the highest bidder.
which at that moment appeared to be
Japan.
Two OF the ships. which are Of the
earlier dreaenoueht design. were ac-
sually delivered 10 Brazil and are nov
in shape for sea service. They are the
Minas 0eraes and the Sac paulo. both
% 1890 tons. The third one. the
Rio de Janerio. OF s7.soo tens. was not
completed until early in 1914. II was
designed 10 carry one OF the most
powerful batteries in existence. This
ship was sold TO Turkey nut oeio's
il could be- taken possession Of by the
Turkish government Great bri'ain
seised II and. renamed Il the Asin'
court. tbs now In the British North
sea fleet.
b5aHii. ~ enos'ion 70 hs TWO o"'''e'
SHIPS mas one arse cruiser ana wv
SCOUT eruisers' Ten sorpeoo 0o~' %
Snoyst ana numoer OF sh'ps 'n''
oouiu oe usrn ohiy TOT eoas' oe''"
ius navy " tsHs wen usineo'
Braxil has 4 Iarse German popula
,ion---the nuafbtt ss sometimes put M
high as u nhiillsh-sne German
pfops sanea has been uneeasins in III
activities. Fhtn the Gesman raider
have been active OF the Brazilian
oozst and Il has been reported tina
,hey had a sast OF supplies on Bra
AlSn soil. Vefman oankefs hsV'
financed many of the ierser enter
ptises In bran'i especially IN 'he s'a''
of Rio Grands' and vast Sums wer'
spent ey '''s pro'oermans 20 SIR W
the feei'ns OF the country asaihst 'h
tinted states ana the entente po"
:" Thronsh u ah BRAZIL unui WIN
IN the last ie" days mas maih'aihs'
course OF unswerFihs neu'faii'y'
Brazn came near breaking wit
Germany in May, 1916. amer the sink
inc of the steamer Rio Branco. whicl
was torpedoed in European waters
Al that time the German foreign OF
flee gave the brazilian goeernmen
pledges similar TO those given IN
United States in regard TO the protsc
tion OF neutral ships from submarin
attacks. This pledge was violated
lew days ago by the sinking OF III
steamer Parana without warning
Tho thirty-two German ana fou
Austrian merchant ships interned 8
Brazilian ports come in handy to tn