Evening star., 1938-11-20
Nazi Chances at South America
Strain i. S.>Reich Relations
Hitler Could End Danger by Unequivocal
Announcement That Germany Has
No Political Ambitions
Bv Constantine Broom,

~ ~ NOVSGUN
German-American relations are be-
coming choppy. At the moment, Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his cabinet are
growing at Hitler and his henchmen
Unless something unexpected occurs, the
growl may develop into a bark and the
bark finally into bite.
Berlin is cognizant of the situation,
but realizes only partially its import
ance. During the past ls months Hitler
and his associates have become so in
ured to the loud but inoffensive barks
of the democratic states that they
lose no sleep over what the Amer
icans-from the President down to the
most obscure editorial writer or lee
turer-rnay say. People in this country
are not fully aware Of the danger i'm
plicit in this situation. But responsible
quarters point out that scramble may
occur between the leading democracy
and the No. autocracy across Uncle
Sans fence-in the southern section of
the Western Hemisphere.
The rearmament program, announced
few weeks ago, is interpreted by most
foreign observeras political bluff in
tended to serve electioneering purposes
and to impress the South Americans
on the eve of the Lima Conference. AS
soon as these ends have been ac-
complished they say, the enthusiasm
for more guns, airplanes and warships
will wane. In support Of this theory
they remind their governments that
during the Coolidge administration an
ambitious naval program was drafted,
but the ships remained blueprints
until 1898.
The truth, however, is that the ad-
ministration, with the support of ma
jority Of the opposition intends to en-
force Immediately the new rearmament
program because it feels that the United
States is not only isolated, but men
aced
Control Vast Resources.
BY their mailed fist diplomacy the
totalitarian states now have under their
control the vast resources of more than
half of Europe and a good part of
Asia. Soon they will have a number
of colonies. But these territories lack
rubber, cotton and other necessities for
industrial expansion. which exist in
large quantities in South America
No serious-minded person is ready to
admit that German, Italian or Japanese
legions will be embarked on ships or
airplanes and sent to conquer Brazil or
Chile, as Austria, Manchuria and Ethi-
opia were conquered. Such an opera
ton is too preposterous to imagine. But
Germany and Italy control important
sections of the population in most of the
Latin American republics.
Today in Brazil. for instance. the
government is very friendly to the United
States. few months ago. before Czech
oslovakia had been partltioned. Presi-
dent Vargas and Foreign Secretary
Aranha nipped in the bud rebellion of
the "Integralistas" Brazilian Nazis.
A number of leaders who were German
citizens. were ordered expelled from the
country. The story is told that the
German Ambassador peremptorily de-
manded that the Brazilian authorities
rescind these orders An undiplomatic
alteration took place, after which the
German diplomat changed his tone.
He begged the Brazilian minister to
save him-failure to prevent deportation
proceedings might mean the end of
his diplomatic career. The bungling
Ambassador Ritter was recalled a few
weeks later, and as far as is known here,
has not been given another post.
But, though the Presidents of Latin
American republics who are genuinely
interested in the preservation of ties with
the United States may be able to remain
in power, it is quite possible that soon
they may not.
Position Is Difficult.
Our position regarding the southern
continent is not an easy one. Eco
nomically we are at disadvantage. The
barter system of the totalitarians is more
appealing to nations with no gold to pay
for the balance of the imports than our
cash or short-term credits payable in
gold. There is a comparatively small
amount of goods which we can import
in large quantities from the principal
South American countries the totali-
tarians can take everything they produce.
Our goods are often more expensive, de-
spite the advantage of mass production.
German, Italian and Japanese goods pro-
duced under government control are
cheaper. What is more important, their
price can be reduced overnight by order
of the government regardless of produc-
ton costs, if political expediency makes
it advisable.
South Americans of German or Italian
descent are frequently compelled to .;dr-
chase products of their mother countries
in preference to American goods. If
they don't comply with these orders,
many unpleasant surprises are in store
for them. Importers who have no ties
with Italy or Germany are often forced
to yield to the sales talk Of totalitarian
representatives. If they refuse to buy
certain products they are blacklisted and
cannot purchase others which are pro-
duced cheaper and better in German
or Italian factories.
Politically the majority of the Latin
American republics are satisfied with
the managed democracy which has
existed ever since they became inde-
pendent. Their form of democracy is
not like ours. Their mode of living is
different from the Anglo-Saxon. But
unless there is interference from the