Evening star., 1942-02-08

The two first Americas to free Them,
selves from Old World domination stand
side by side today, twin colossi guarding
the doors to that freedom In the South
Atlantic.
One Of these twin giants Is the United
States Of America.
The other Is the United States Of
Brazil.
The cooperation Of the two is the
key to defense Of the New World, be-
cause it is in Brazil that the land of
the Western Hemisphere reaches closest
to the land of the other half OF the
globe. 1t is Natal which faces the threat
lurking across the Atlantic in Vichy-
held Dakar, on the African coast. 1t
Is in the Caribbean Sea, between Brazil
and the United States, that the first
wave Of any attack on the Panama
Canal must be turned back.
The vital door-to slam shut or open
wide-has been going into place between
these two American pillars, plank by
plank. since Adolf Hitler first loosed his
armies on his little neighbors. 1t was
nailed shut at the conference Of Ameri-
can foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil has broken all relations-diplo-
matte, commercial and financial-with
the Axis powers in spite of personal
threats Of revenge from Hitler, in spite
of 4,500, 900 Axis nationals and descend
ants within its borders and in spite of
rumored Nazi preparations at Dakar for
some sort of military offensive.
Producing War Materials.
A spearhead of air bases has been
shaped around the jungled hump of
Brazil pointing toward Africa. The sec
ond biggest navy in South America is
being expanded by Brazilian shipyards
In the harbor Of Rio de Janeiro. War
materials, so prodigally diverse that the
phrase God is Brazilian" has become
Q legend, are being carried exclusively to
the United States, largely in Brazilian
boats-the second biggest merchant fleet
in the hemisphere. Brazilian factories
are making warplanes and munitions.
Brazilian workers are toiling through
hilly wilderness to dig iron and tap
rubber trees.
In arms the Brazilians stand shoulder
to shoulder with United States marines
in protecting the aluminium ore supply
of Dutch Guiana on the Caribbean. In
diplomacy they helped the United States
settle the bloody Chaco war between
Bolivia and Paraguay and more recently,
the century old border dispute between
ycu4dor and Peru.
Here's . quick index to what Brazil
means to the United States in this war:
Navy-Two battleships, two cruisers,
seven destroyers, four submarines, more
than Z score Of other ships. stu more
A-ku1ldin1. 3 7t -
Army-l13ooo regulars, 25s.ooo re-
serves. IS * r~~'-r7
Air Constantly expanding ar
mada of United States built planes.
Natural Resources.
Raw materials-Bauxite dor alumni
mum, vital to warplanes), beryllium
hardening alloy for copper, nickel, from,
chrome dor warship steelplate and other
armamenD, diamonds for tools,
graphite dor metal castings, mica for
radio tubes, magnetos, sparkplugs for
the war machines), quartz for direc-
ton finders. submarine detectors, range
finders, periscopes, gun sights, titanium
and tungsten dor tools, chromium dor
ammunition primers, castor oil dor
high-speed engines), hemp dor rope) I,
hides for leather for tanks, planes,
ships. wool Gor uniforms, blankets), 1,
kapok (for life preservers, collapsible
boats. rubber for airplanes, tanks,
trucks, pontoon bridges.
Strategic position-Controls shortest
invasion route across Atlantic, guards
southern shores of east Caribbean gate
way.
The fundamental achievement of the
Rio conferences democratic agreement
democratically arrived at-was partici-
pated in by 81 American statesmen, but
the leaders were two: Undersecretary of
State Sumner Welles of the United
States and Foreign Minister Oswaldo
Aranha of Brazil.
As result Of its courageous stand in
the face of totalitarian threats, Brazil
has moved into the No. South American
position which Argentina held for so