Evening star., 1942-08-20
Brazil Orders
Germans Held
AS Hostages
All But Diplomats
On Exchange Ships
Facing Detention
By the Associated Press.

All Germans except diplomats
who had embarked on the ex-s
change ships Bage and Cuyaba
were ordered held as hostages.
today by President Getulio Var
gas shortly after the sinking OF
the sixth Brazilian ship in re-
cent days was announced.
The ships already were filled with
German nationals, ready to sail for
Lisbon III exchange for Brazilian
nationals. The voyages had been
postponed earlier in the week when
a crisis arose over the sinking of FIVE
Brazilian ships by Axis submarines.
claiming the lives of perhaps 900
persons including Brazilian troops.
An official statement said Presi-
dent Vargas had decided that the
departure of Germans who had ex-
ercised any diplomatic functions
here should be permitted; others
must remain as hostages for our
countrymen held at Compiegne."
The Germans have a concen-
tration camp at Compiegne.
near Paris, for interned Bra
zilians and other Americans ar
rested in Occupied France)
The sixth U-boat victim, an
nounced today, was the coastal
steamer Jacy. 1t was sent to the
bottom a few miles off the northeast
coast after all aboard were ordered
off in lifeboats.
"Brazen" Spies Blamed.
One high official of the govern
ment navigation line declared today
that the sinkings, which brought
Brazil into undeclared conflict with
the Axis, were the result of "brazen
operation of Nazi spies who in
formed on planned troop move
ments."
While Brazilian authorities indi-
Gated this nations intention of bat
ting Axis aggression but refraining
from an outright declaration of war,
a general roundup of spy suspects
was pressed in coastal cities.
Among those held was Wilhelm
Koenig, head of the German Tour
ist Bureau in Brazil and regarded as
one of the most important Nazi
operators in Brazil.
The Naval Ministry announced
that all lighthouses, flashing buoys
and other navigation aids on about
2,300 miles of Brazifs coast, from
latitudes to 81 south, were subject
to blackout or changes without no.
tice. The area affected extends
from the mouth of the Amazon to
Victoria, north of Rio de Janeiro
Brazilians will know how to fight
decisively and with or without arms
will know how to die for Brazil" Air
Minister Joaquin Salgado told an
audience clamoring for action even
as the nations warships and planes
combed the sea for raiders.
Salgado said silence on the gov
ernment's plans was necessary for
the moment in order not to tip its
hand to the Axis, but it appeared
unlikely that President Vargas would
decide in favor of an open war
declaration
Apparently representative Of the
general attitude was the statement
of the well-informed editor, j. s.
Maciel, jr., who said war actually
exists already and there Is no need
of talking about declaration.
(The Chilean government--the
only American nation besides Ar
gentina still maintaining rela.
tions with the Axis-sent an ener-
getic protest to Germany last
night against the sinking of Bra
lillian ships, which it said was
contrary to the laws and prac-
tices of warfare.)
Mass Meeting Cancelled.
The government, meanwhile hav.
ing given free rein to anti-Axis
demonstrations for two days, moved
to re-establish some measure of
GOODNESS by canceling a student mass
meeting last night in Rio de Janeiro
and clamping down an II pm. cur
few.
Many armed police and soldiers
patroled the city's streets to avert
disorders and attacks on Axis
owned shops, many of which have
been wrecked.
Newspapers continued, however, to
publish in large headlines the re-
ported sinking of two Axis sub
marines and to demand strong
action.
Latest published reports indicated
that only 1876 of the 1876 persons
known to have been aboard the five
sunken Brazilian ships had been