The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-01-25
BRAZIL BEARS DOWN
ON THE BOCHES
Menaced by PrO-German Element,
Big South American Nation Takes
Vigorous Measures

NA&0A0AA2 AkA%A@tAAE -
Rio Grande Do Sui, Brazil.-( Cor.
respondence of the Associated Press)
Prompted by the belief that German
residents have fomented and support
ed railway strikes and other labor
troubles in southern Brazil, the Bra
lillian government has prepared to
take severe steps to prevent any fur
ther German inspired disturbances.
Large forces Of troops now are
quartered in southern Brazil and the
custom houses at Porto Allegro and
Rio Grande are filed with artillery,
which can be transported quickly to
any points in the southern part Of the
country.
By suppressing newspapers printed
in the German language and by clos
ing German schools and removing
German priests from Catholic schools,
the government has succeeded IA
blocking a large part Of the German
propaganda and a strict censorship
prevents the spreading Of news re-
garding German unrest or the gov
ernment's steps for overcoming It.
There is general talk however,
throughout southern Brazil, even by
Brazilian officials, to the effect that
the Germans have not given up their
attempt to harrass the Brazilian gov
ernment and embarrass its shipments
to the Entente Allies. Municipal OH
GERS in one of the principal towns Of
the western part Of the state Of Rio
do Sui told me that their investiga-
tions had led them to believe that
German support was largely respon-
sible for the success and long dura-
ton Of the recent railroad strikes and
that they also were convinced that the
strikes were part Of g revolutionary
plan which has not been entirely
crushed.
On several occasions Brazilian peo-
pie have set fire TO the property Of
Germans as a protest against their
attitude which has been considered de-
fiant and disrespectful toward the
Brazilian government
Of the 1885, ,240 people living n the
state of Rio Grande do Sui, il IS esti-
mated that 10000 are Of German
birth or first generation descendants
of Germans and it has been. officially
reported that there are 10000 Ger
man reservists in the German rife
clubs of this state alone. These Ger
mans have practically controlled The
commercial enterprises in this part Of
Brazil.
Even after Brazil broke diplomatic
relations with Germany the campaign
Of the Germans was kept up and Ger
man business houses in Rio Grande do
Sui and Porto Allegro flew the German
flag from their windows without the
customary courtesy Of flying the
Brazilian flag with it. The Brazil
ians were denied membership IN the
German clubs and the German shoot
ing ranges.
Finally, soon after the declaration
of war, the Austrian consul IN Rio
Grande do Sui attempted TO smuggIe
several interned German sailors out
Of the city and to one Of the German
colonies in the state Of Santa Cath
arina where they could have found
their way into Paraguay or Argentina.
The fugitive sailors were recaptured
but the consul succeeded IN reaching
Paraguay.
As soon as the people became aware
of this they formed into mob ard
marched through the streets burning
German goods and stoning German
buildings as was done IN Buenos
Aires. The German club IN Rio Crande
was burned and bonfres were built III
the streets into which were thrown
the merchandise that was thrown ous
of the German shops.