Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24
President Of Brazil
Plans 10 Develop
Valley Of Amazon
Coils Conference of
Bordering Countries;
Malaria Big Problem
BY H. w. BAGLEY.

BY H. w. BAGLEY.
RIO DE JANEIRO Correspond
ence Of the Associated Press Sam
itation, colonization and increase In
production-those are the three ma
jor elements in President Getulio
Vargas scheme to remake the Anna
ION Valley.
Back from an airplane tour which
took him far into the jungle coun-
try, the little President sees the
Amazon district as a region of I'M
mense potential wealth." of tremen.
dous importance If Brazil is to 60
ahead economically.
He has called conference Of
Amazon acknowledgements, Colom-
bia, Peru, Ecuador. Bolivia and
Brazil-to consider their common
interests. He has invited the United
States to attend.
BY development of the Amazon
basin and cooperation Of the AM
AEON countries. he hopes I'VE will
increase our reserves for defense and
our capacity to resist any attempt at
absorption"
President Vargas does not say
what nation or nations might make
such an attempt but it is clear that
he has his eye on the European and
Far Eastern struggles.
Story Of Amazon Is Rubber.
The story Of the Amazon is a story
of rubber. Back in 1910, when the
United States manufactured only
200, 900 automobiles. Brazil produced
practically all the worlds rubber
$4,000 of the 10000 tons.
But Brazilian rubber was wild
rubber. gathered by natives in old
fashioned ways. The British had
found out that rubber could be
raised economically in the Dutch
East Indies and the Malay PENN
sula. @
BY 1914, cultivated rubber produc-
ton exceeded that of wild rubber.
BY 1890, cultivated rubber produc-
ton was $4,000 tons, and wild pro.
duction 10000; the United States
consumed ass 900 tons.
In 1887, the picture-a gloomy one
for Brazil-was this: Cultivated rub
Der, 1.1o7, 062 tons; Brazilian rubber,
1926 tons.
Rubber had been worth So pound
In 1910-real BLACK gold" But when
production could more than take
care Of necessities prices fell way OF.
Americans Are Interested.
President Vargas had a look at
Henry Ford's plantation near the
Amazon during his trip, and appar-
emily was convinced that Brazilian
rubber could make a comeback.
Already. he says, American indus
trialists have appeared who are
interested in putting capital and
technical experience into Brazilian
rubber.
Mr.. Ford has had one setback in
his experiments: he had to move his
main plantation when his first locale
proved unsuitable. So far his output
has been unimportant, but within
year or two the Ford people hope to
begin serious production.
OF course, Mr.. Ford's output will
not take care of the United States
needs, and the United States is
vitality interested in having a sure
source of rubber in this hemisphere.
The Amazon country also exports
nuts, including the famous Brazil
nut: some wood, the skins of ami
mails, such as croc0dileS, and some
Malaria Is Drawback.
A major task in development Of
this district is the conquest of ma
laria. The m-carrying mosquito
breeds in the swampy lands of the
region, although. as President VAR
gas points out, much of the territory
Is free of malaria. The Brazilian
authorities and the Rockefeller
Foundation have done q great work
in eradication Of malaria from all
the important coastal centers, but
their fight in the interior is not yet
completed.
To attract colonists from other
parts of Brazil, President Vargas
holds out the offer Of free land, ag-
ricultural implements and technical
assistance, plus free schools and
training for their children.
He cites the number of large
families as a proof that the region
in general is healthful, despite com.
mon opinion to the contrary.
President Vargas doesn't believe
he can accomplish his big task in .
couple Of years in that vast area Of
jungle and swamp, With only .
tiny population and practically no
communications except by airplane
and slow riverboats. But he thinks
and so do the Brazilian people
that If he can do it eventually, he
will have pulled Brazil a long way
ahead.