Evening star., 1937-11-21
u. S. FEARFUL OF FASCISM
EXPANSION AMONG LATINS
Takes Heart From
Vargas Cool Reception to Bid to
Join Anti.Red Pact.

Recently the government Of Bra
iii has informed this Government Of
its increasing concern with certain
tendencies Of the world political sit
uation. The desire on the part Of
some nations for access to raw ma
terials and the forceful action taken
by those nations to consummate
these desires has made Brazil, a coun-
try Of vast territory and relatively
small population, particularly appre-
hensive. The Government. therefore,
has thought it the part of prudence
to improve its relatively modest ma
tional defense, but, being deficient in
trained military or naval personnel
and equipment, it finds its task
considerable one -"
What Vargas actually told the high
priests of our foreign affairs is, in
essence, this: Germany is bound,
sooner or later, to recover her COL
onies and is likely to make out Of its
East African possessions a powerful
naval base. From there she might
be tempted to exercise undue pres
sure on Brazil" She lacks raw ma
terials which exist in enormous guam
titles in that South American coun-
try. The methods Of the totalitarian
states, based on the slogan II take"
are not likely to change as long as
their rapacity is not curbed. Con.
sequently. Brazil must be prepared to
resist foreign aggression at least
until the fleets Of other countries
interested in its fate could reach the
scene Of action.
Since these conversations, about q
year old, the situation has changed.
The totalitarian states have become
stronger while the Western democ-
racies have continued to bow before
brute force. Brazil, rightly or wrongly,
feels that some day she may become
the victim of the have nots." And
Vargas believes that government pat
termed after the holy alliance Of
Germany, Italy and Japan may even
tually ease the situation.
For the time being there is no i'm
minent danger of Vargas moving, bag
and baggage, into the Nazi-Fascist
camp. Trade relations with the United
States are still sufficiently important
to prevent his taking chance Of
offending this country for the present,
at least.
But what worries the administration
in Washington is the fact that the
example of Brazil may be followed
by other South American republics,
either because the Nazi-Fascist phil
osophy Is more appealing to their
leaders or because they want to set
tie some old scores with their neigh
bors. They believe they could do this
with less opposition by joining the
bloc Of powers who believe in the
jungle law. Under the cloak Of Com
munist menace, the Italians and tho
Germans have helped Franco in Spain
and the Japanese are by way of TAX
ing the richest part of China. 1t is
known in every South American cap
ital that had it not been for the
spectacular announcement that Japan,
Italy and Germany stand together
much greater pressure would have
been put on Japan at the meeting Of
the signatories of the nine-power pact
at Brussels. And if Argentina wants
an outlet on the Pacific from Chile
she might use her bombers, pur-
chased in the United States for
$125,000 apiece, to do away with a
convenient Chilean Communism. :"
The same thing may happen in the
boundary disputes between Bolivia and
Paraguay, between Peru and Ecuador
and between Honduras and Nicaragua.
Prefer Decisive Settlement.
All these countries would prefer to
have a decisive settlement-the result
of military victory-rather than ac-
cept wish-washy arbitration from the
United States or the League Of Ma.
tions. They would like to recant their
solemn promises to settle their dis
putes by arbitration instead of war.
OF course, while officially it is not
admitted in Washington, there is q
serious danger that the good neigh
Dor policy will suffer a serious set
back in South and Central America.
And there is still graver danger
that the adoption of the totalitarian
form of government in South Amer
lea will bring about a direct interven-
ton by an outside power in the West
ern Hemisphere, in opposition to the
Monroe Doctrine.
1t is considered by far-seeing dip
lomats as distinct possibility that
some of the Latin American repub-
lics-even if Brazil remains outside
the triple alliance-should accept the
offer Of Berlin or Rome to join the
pact. In such an eventuality the
members Of that political combina-
tion may consider themselves duty
bound to assist their partners despite
the existence Of the Monroe Doctrine,
which is not easily enforceable if the
South American republics do not seek
such an enforcement. And there are
vague signs that such q situation may
occur in the future.
Italy Willing to Supply Ships.
The United States Congress will,
without doubt, refuse to go through
with the plan of leasing to the Bra
lillian government the destroyers it
needs. It is rumored that Italy is
prepared to supply such vessels to
Brazil if Vargas wants them. This
would give Mussolini privileged po-
sition in South America. There Is
no way Of preventing this transaction
unless we lease these ships ourselves.
And there is nothing to keep any