Evening star., 1937-11-11
FEAR BRAZIL LINK
TO ANTLRED BLOC
Officials Here Apprehensive
Of Peril to "Good Neigh
Dor" Policy.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
President Roosevelt and the State |
Department are watching with interest |
the coup detat In Brazil and its pos
sible repercussions in other South
American republics.
The possibility Of Brazil becoming
an authoritarian state has been rec
ognized in Washington since last sum-
mer. The real reason why President
Getulio Vargas wanted to lease six
or eight American destroyers was be-
cause he was worried over the outcome
Of the presidential elections and want
ed to increase his naval strength on
the eve of the elections. The post
ponement" Of that transaction was
considered q serious setback for the
Vargas administration.
Observers said at that time that
there was a serious danger either ex-
treme Fascists or extreme Communists
might take advantage Of the excite
ment created by presidential elections
and cause civil strife in Brazil. Vargas
had limited several weeks ago that
something might have to be done
IN order to prevent political trouble
in the country.
Follows Triple Alliance.
But while all these facts had been
discounted in Washington, 1t Is con-
sidered significant here that Vargas
made his coup within few days after
Germany, Italy and Japan formed
the new ti-Communist bloc. This
bloc is not intended to fight Communist
ideas alone, but to take advantage OF
certain situations and obtain territorial
or other advantages under the pretext
Of Communist menace"
The administration is worried lest
the political influence of the dictators
spreads in South America to a point
where all our good neighbor" policy
should be jeopardized.
While economic rivalries are natural
and we are prepared to compete with
the European and Asiatic powers in
the South American continent, the ad-
ministration frowns every time "un-
democratic political influences take
hold OF the republics OF the Western
Hemisphere. This. it is explained, is
not due to any desire to dominate our
neighbors in the South politically. but |
because we know from experience that |
either Fascist or Communist ideals are
likely to bring about wars on that con-
tinent.
Administration Worried.
The case of Brazil is particularly |
worrying to the administra ton.
Despite the good relations between |
the United States and that republic. |
German influence in Brazil is strong.
large number of Germans have
settled there and have remained faith
Iul followers Of their government.
For several years there have been
very close ties between the Reich and
Brazil. They started when the United
states refused to sell cotton to Ger
many on long-term credit. This at
titude Of the United States Govern
ment forced the Germans to buv il
from Brazil. A whole system of bar
ter agreements were then signed and
the Reich has been endeavoring to re-
place us there ever since.
The Buenos Aires agreements signed
last year were expected to do aWay
with any non-American influence in
the Western Hemisphere. The Bra
lillian coup detat, while not actually
oestroying these agreements, places
them in an unfavorable light.
1t is feared in official quarters here
that the ties between Brazil and the |
-Communist" bloc will become so |
strong that definite link between Eu-
rope and South America will be estab- |
lished at the expense of American
democratic ideals.
OF course, relationships have been |
popular in the South American re-
publics ever since they became inde-
pendent States. But these were forms /
of local governments and had no links
with nom American countries.
If this form of government is estab-
lished now some of the republics |
might follow the system of the
European -Asiatic bloc and use the
Communist bugaboo for territorial eX-
pansion in the same manner Japan /
is exploiting the Communist danger to
conquer parts Of China.
Present Latin American Disputes.
At present there are the following |
outstanding disputes between South
American republics. Most Of them |
are latent but might become active
at the slightest provocation.
The dispute between Bolivia and |
Paraguay over the Chaco has not |
been definitely settled. Peru and
Ecuador are having trouble over their
boundaries. The same situation exists |
between Nicaragua and Honduras.
Chile is greatly worried over the |
possible attempt of Argentina to seek
at her expense-an outlet to the |
Pacific. The recent purchase by Ar
gentina of 80 bombing planes at $120.-
600 each lends color to the fears of |
the Chilean government. These planes,
it is asserted, are capable of flying |
over the Andes with a full load of |
bombs.
All these nations had agreed last |
year to settle these disputes amicably, |
by arbitration. But, it is feared here,
that if the present European influ-
ences become the dominating factor
in South America, the Buenos Aires |
treaty. might share the fate of the :