Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-02
Brozil's Aid
As. an Ally Is
lncuIcuIubIe
Roosevelt's Visit
With Voreos Reflects
Historic Policy ,

NOOSSVeV VISIT Il
With Voreos Reflects
Historic Policy Il
by DAVID LAWRENCE.
President Roosevelt's visit to Brazil
on hts way back from Africa may
prove AS important \ piece Of d.
plomacy rs. any he has carried on
during the war. 81
Unless one examines the map OF
the South Atlantic and realizes that
It u only, 1900 miles between the
bulge" OF Brazil and the West
Coast Of Africa and that bombers
can come across in our direction
Just As rapidly as they can fly east
ward, the significance of the Bra
ilian-American cooperation may
not be Immediately apparent.
The route across the South At
lantic Is very valuable link between
Southern Europe or North Africa
and the United States especially
since 1t 10 free from the weather
hazards encountered by planes in
the North Atlantic, When the his
tory Of this war is written, the
groove that has been made III the
air currents by the innumerable
pisnes that have crossed the South
Atlantic will be recognized rs of
almost rs much strategic import
ance as our historic belief In the
value Of the Panama Canal because
1t has been gateway from one
ocean to the other for surface ships.
Diplomacy Bears Fruit.
In = sense. therefore, the Africa
Brasil gateway has become q mill
tary means Of quick egress whose
value can be measured only by
Hypothetical consideration Of what
our problems would be II Brazil. for
example, were as aloof Is Is Ar
eentina.
The careful diplomacy that, has
for generations kept Brazil and the
United States friendly is bearing
fruit today. Brazil has been q friend
Of this country from the very time
the former won independence. thus,
Immediately after the Monroe Doc
tFine was proclaimed. the govern
n1ent 1t Rio went % far q to pro-
pose An offensive defensive alliance
between the United States and
Brazil. In every international con-
ference through decades Of time, the |
United States Government could |
always count on the abiding friend !
ship Of Brazil.
Many Americans are not aware
Of these facts and yet it is of ire
mendops Importance that the peo-
pie q the United States on every
ocoasacsi' manifest their apptecia-
ton of our true friends on the
South American continent. when
the time comes for postwar com
mercial relations that viii help
Brazil 10 develop her resources, tie
part she played ii making. poesible
our tfins-Atlantic bridge ~. sap
plies thrpugh th4 AZ o,isht nQt 70
= focpotter ~ g. ~ 1,.ss
IT &. 81 cpsirse.. = 4 source Il rem
line regret that Artentina has
chosen TO- retain diplomatic rela-
lions with : barbarian government
There Is q substantial sentiment
"a Argentina IN favor Of the cause
Of the United Nations and many
q those people feel Inundated that |.
II the biggest war Of all histsry,
when issues Of freedom and de-
uocracy are ut stake. the Arsen-
ttnian government has not wri4ten1
hsrself down plainly on the right
sade. but has chosen to permit rep
resentatives Of Mani barb4rism to
operate In her territory with diplo-
matte Immunity. g
Argentina Must FslIsw.
The example Of Brazil and lately
Chile, however, will sooner OF. liter
be followed by Argentina. That
course seems inevitable because the
great people Of Argentina will in the
end wish to have been recorded |
definitely against Fascism and the |
brutishness Of the Nazi regime.
The right Of each country to de-
ternaine for itself It's own policy Is a
fundamental principle. yet the senti-
mental considerations that build up
friendly relations between peoples
when they see eye to eye In the
same humane causes are bound to
b. expressed.
Brazil has cast her lot with the
United States even going beyond the
breaking Of diplomatic relations into
an actual state Of war. Brazil's help
as an active ally In this war Is in
calculable and President Roosevelt's
visit to President Vargas of Brazil
reflects historic policy Of claspins
warmly the hand Of the Brazilian
people, for they have not failed us
In our hour Of need. They are
stanchly guarding the exits OF or
planes and supplies destined for war
theaters abroad where the lives Of