The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-13
BRAZIL LOOMS
ASKEY SOURCE
OF MATERIALS
Rr DAVID j WILSON

tgjnl,sd Press stan Correspondentl
Rio dc JAneiro, April iS-tuPl---
The Brazilian government Ia re-
peating Horace Greeley's famous
saying, "0o west, young man !, :"
"a plans are pushed for eXplolta.
Nl0n 90 the Amazon river basin,
largest virgin land in the world
today and considered by experts as
possibly the largest potential ar
Bcnal OF strategic war materials.
The climax OF tho governments
plans came during the visit 10 the
United states Of Minister OF Fl.
nance Arthur do Sou7a Costa ana
tie visit here OF Leon Henderson,
member OF the u. s, Board Of Sup
plies. Agreements already have
been reached BY Sousa Costa IN
washington, and the conferences
here with Henderson are expected
! "a lead to exploitation OF the vast
sAerritory OF 100000 square miles,
rich IN native products such aS
rubber, mahogany, ebony, rose
/ wood nuts, earnNuha wax--a sub"
@titute for Notwithstanding ex-
tracts, and gum.
In addition the basin Is rich In
/ almost all materials produced IN
other tropical lands, Experts do
not discount the possibility that the
Eubsoil also hides q tremendous
wealth In minerals, oil, coal and
/ other products Of highest impor-
4 lance for the demooraeies IN Their
present war.
Climate Is AtrOclOuS
Thus, the Brazilian government
hopes that this may be tho FL
Dorado sought by Spanish adven-
turers during the 10th and nth
centuries. II Is hoped that cultivO-
tion Of this land and indlErtial-
iEatlon Of the remaining country,
especially IN the southern states,
n viii place Brazil among the high
ranking powers.
The present population of the
Amazon basin, which spreads from
Colombia and Venesulea In the
north to the frontiers OF Paraguay
in the south, and from the FROM
tiers Of Peru and Bolivia IN the
west to the Atlantic coast on the
east, is calculated at about 2,000,-
900 persons---about one person for
each three flfths OF q square mile,
\ Climate, jungle, and disease have
been principal factors In main
tanning the low standard OF living
la the area,
\ The climate the year around Is
q sweltering heat with much mois-
I tllre. Settlements sue has the prin-
Cipai cities and organized farms
like that OF the Ford Motor COM
pany rubber plantation call for q
Special medical corps ard large
numbers OF workers TO clear the
Jungle. The government believes,
however, that concentrated effort
1 can clear tho jungle rapidly, thus
allowing O more bearahle life for
the white man.
Railroad Around Rapids
N Belem and Manaos are the prln-
cipa2 cities OF the Amazon basin.
Belem, capital OF the state OF
Para ct the mouth OF the Amazon
river, Is the outlet for the basin
and u Is hoped that with the de-
I. velopment OF the basin II will be-
come one Of the principal export
uorts OF South America.
~ Manaos, popularity termed "pearl
Oe the Amazon" Is capital OF the
state Of Amazonas md Is the prln-
cipal coordination base for oil ef-
forts In the basins development.
n Transportation Is easy In most
parts % the basin due TO the ANA
con rivers many tributaries, al-
though q railroad has been con-
structed around the Madeira river
rapids thus permitting Bolivia an
outlet 10 the Atlantic ocean.
IN A government offloial told the
Omitted Press that exploitation OF
lhe basin Is one OF the biggest
Enterprises ever undertaken by
man. The plan calls for transform
ing the worlds biggest jungle into
one Of the worlds greatest pro-
duCtion centers.
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