Evening star., 1940-07-31
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.
RECIFE (PernambucO, Brazil
(By AirmaiD United States naval
strategy in case of totalitarian
war forms the big question mark in
the minds of Brazilians here and in
the area north to Natal on the east
ernmost hump of South America.
1t is believed here that the shell
tered harbor of Recife, behind its
long seawall, and the only slightly
less important harbor at Natal,
which is even closer to the African
coast and Europe, might become
important defense bases for opera
tions in the Atlantic in case of a
war involving the Americas and
that the many airports which have
been built by the Brazilian govern
ment along the coast and inland IN
this area also would become i'm
portant factors under such condi-
tions.
Discussion of Loan.
There has been considerable dis
cussion among military leaders of
the advisability of the granting by
the United States of loan to Bra
zll to finance the construction of a
naval base at Recife or possibly at
Belem, on the southern shore Of the
Amazon River mouth, which might
be used by the United States feet
If it became necessary to act in the
South Atlantic.
Such base not only would be Of
considerable value to the Brazilian
fleet, even in peace times, but 1t
would become of great Importance
not only to Brazil but to all the
Americas in case of a military emer-
gency involving the hemisphere, in
the opinion of military leaders.
Leading citizens at Recife assure
us that Brazilians generally would
be disposed to welcome such a joint
Brazilian United States undertak-
ing for joint defense purposes. They
pointed out, however, that it prob
ably would become necessary to
gain the consent of other South
American powers, and that this
might prove actually to be difficult
If not impossible. 1t was recalled
that only little more than a year
ago a proposal to lend to Brazil six
United States destroyers of older
models for use in training crews for
the new Brazilian navy was de-
feated. The proposal caused great
agitation in other South American
nations, particularly Argentina,
which took the position that such
aid would give an unfair advantage
to Brazil
Regarded as Tricky Harbor.
The harbor at Recife would re-
auire considerable improvement for
use as a feet base. 1t is narrow
and is swept by treacherous river
and tide currents. Pan American
Airways pilots regard it as the trick
lest, with one possible exception, of
all the harbors they use in South
America, especially for the maneu-
vering of flying boats on the water.
1t is so narrow that takeoffs and
landings are possible only in two
directions; there usually is a cross
wind to contend with. and the con-
ficting water currents, due to a
river flowing in at one end and the
tide at the other, add to the diff
culties.
The name of the city, Recife,
means reef" and is taken from the
fact that the seward portion Of
the city is built on reef at the end
of a peninsula cut by water courses.
The breakwater which almost in
closes the harbor is built on an outer
reef parallel to the shore line
The amount of German activity in
Brazil is disturbing to all patriotic
Brazilian citizens, we were told. This
is particularly true in southern
Brazil, in the Rio Grande do Sui,
but is only little less true on the
exposed easternmost hump here
which BraZilians feel is most ex-
posed because of its proximity to
Africa, across only 1,700 miles of
sea, and to Europe. The hump, at
Natal, is landfall for all the south
ern transatlantic air services, which
have been operated by Germany
with airships and seaplanes, France
and Italy.
Tell of German Trick.
The Brazilians told of trick
played recently by the Germans.
A loaded Nazi ship, ready to sail,
was being held in Brazilian port
because of reports that British naval
vessels were along the coast. The
German Condor Airline, operating
extensively in. South America, made
application for permission to make
an airline survey flight from Recife
to Belem to connect there with serv-
ices in the Amazon River Valley.
Permission was granted, the flight
was made. the pilots exploring with
some care all the harbors and we'll
out to sea. The coast was found
clear, the waiting ship was notified
and slipped out of port. Nothing
more was done about the airline.
oldA1lidilo Will dSSulC yOu Ulldl
Brazil is the best friend of the
United States in South America.
The fact that South Americans of
other countries will tell you the same
thing detracts nothing from their
claim. Brazil always has been
friendly to the United States, even
in the period of the empire, prior
to the bloodless revolution which
deposed Emperor Dom Pedro II,
they said.
The traditional friendship has
been even more firmly cemented as
q result of the 1889 commercial
agreement between the United
States and Brazil This agreement,
we were assured, has established
effectively Washington Rio de
Janeiro axis upon which any rea-
sonable policy of continental solidar-
ity may be erected.