The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-16
General Dutra
M . M
By NEA Service

By NEA Service
 Rio de Janeiro, May l0-Brazil will soon have @ large-scale force of hardy, well-tr aimed, we'll equipped troops fighting side by side with Allied invasion forces on European soil. Reports that Brazil would send only a token force are emphatically denied by Gen. Enrico Gaspar Dutra, Brazil's Minister of War, in his first public pronounce nent concerning Brazil's articipa- tion in the Euroean war.
 The Brazilian Expeoitionary Force is prepared for full scale joint war operation, General Dutra emphas- izes. Arrival of Brazilian soldiers in the war zones will mark the first time that land forces of Latin American nation have fought over- seas.
 Units of the Brazilian Air Force have been quietly assembling at undisclosed trans Atlantic points in recent weeks, to support the Allied air offensive against the Nazis. ], Vigilant patrol of vital Atlantic waters by the Brazilian Navy has been an important factor in defeat- ing the submarine menace.
 Thus Brazil, more than any other Latin American country, has played an increasingly active role in help ing to win the war. Military leaders and high government officials have prepared their people for heavy sacrifices which participation in the war abroad would bring. The spec oally picked Brazilian Expeditionary Force has won fervid popular sup port.
 CHALLENGE AGGRESSION
 Stocky, tough realistic President Getulio Vargas believes Brazilian E3ighters have an important part to play in the European war. This Is an exceptional opportunity" he isays, ito challenge the aggression of which we have been victims and to acquire authority for peace time accordS. Brazil has a special posi- ton as the country most represen- tative of Latin culture among the victorious Allied nations" A fearless fighter steped in the tradition of the "Gaucho" prairies of southern Brazil where he was born, President Vargas didn't vince when Hitlers U-boats opened their "terror war against Brazilian Eshipping in the spring of 1942. Even though Brazil was still technically a non-belligerent, he ordered the Brazilian Air Force to sing attack ing submarines on sight.
 Later, when NaA undersea raid- CTS mercilessly slaughtered hundreds of innocent Brazilians travelling on their country's ships, President Var gas decreed state of belligerency'' as existing between Brazil and Germany. That was in August, 1942. and since then the Brazilian armed forces have sent many an enemy marauder to the bottom of the South Atlantic.
 STRATEGIC BASES
 One of the biggest contributions which Brazil under Vargas has made to the Allied cause has been the granting of naval and air bases in northeast Brazil for use by United States forces. General c. Marshall. the United States Army's Chief of Staff, in his bien- nial report, has emhpasiZed the vital importance of those strategic bases in our worldwide aerial con- voy system running to Europe, Rus sia, India and China.
 No less important have been Brazl's cast contributions in the economic field. Tantalite, one of the wars most-prized minerals. now comes to American factories from Brazil for use in secret instruments. Mica, quartz crystals, rubber, vege- table oils and fibers and other war vital materials also flow northward from Brazil. now perhaps the great est single Allied source of essential raw materials.
 Tn return the United States has helped Brazil to build up her mill itary establishment with vast sup plies of lend-lease equipment and with special training facilities for her troops. Brazilian cooperation with the United States has been the outstanding example of success of the Good Neighbor" policy.