Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

seem to the average reader OF
American newspapers one OF TINS
country's southern neighbors so little known
here has an area several hundred thousand
square miles larger than that of Continental
United States Let us add that that country
occupies half of the South American Cont
,,ent and has q territorial extension but little
smaller than that of all Europe. In fact 1t IS
the fourth largest country in the world
The Republic of Brazil, on the east coast of
south America. has an area of 3,276,3e0 square
miles, as against the 3,026,790 square miles OF
the United States, not including Alaska or the
iustlar possessions. Brazil's huge extent Is
illustrated by the fact that her boundaries
touch all the South American countries except
Chile In this immense territory live some
"a, 600 900 people, population equal TO that
Of all the other South American republics
together And this territory Is virgin empire
with inexhaustible resources which but await
the next step in development to now all over
the world.
HOWEVER, Brazil is one of the least known
countries on this side Of the world. As
to all the other Latin American nations, people
here have q general idea, q mixture Of tradi-
ton and legend, which one finds In everyday
experience here. 1t is known that those coun-
tries were discovered and conquered by Spain
and that from Spain they have derived their
culture their civilization and their customs
And everything Spanish has, for the Americans.
a typical flavor of romance, of adventure, OF
artistic beauty, of poesy. Hence, whenever an
American listens to the melodious harmony OF
a piece Of Spanish music-that Spanish music
full Of sentiment, Of life, Of expression; every
time he sees work Of art or of architecture Of
Spanish colonial type, now so much in fashion;
every time he hears some new incident of that
Spanish spirit of daring adventure, of romance.
of gallant knights and beautiful senoritas;
every time In q word that an American comes
in contact with any phase Of that Spanish
atmosphere which attracts him so strongly.
his thoughts fy to the countries south Of the
Rio Grande, which have inherited that tradi-
ton and that spirit Of the Spanish.
And vice versa, every time he hears those
countries of the south mentioned he thinks
Instantly of Spain and its traditional spirit,
and thus there is built up in peoples minds
general idea which, il not exactly correct or
definite is at least an approximate conception
of the atmosphere and characteristics of that
people.
But with Brazil it is different. Brazil is the
only republic Of South America which was not
discovered nor settled by the Spanish. On her
shores 1t was not the Spaniards but the
Portuguese who landed with the cross and
banners of conquerors at the beginning of the
sixteenth century. For more than 800 years
the country was Portuguese colony, and
during the last century, at the same time that
the other Latin American peoples won their
independence from the crown Of SPAIN Brazil
separated herself from the rule of Portugal and
began her independent life. This life of hers
is as closely modelled on Portuguese ideas and
customs as are those Of her neighbors on the
ideas and customs Of Spain.