Evening star., 1946-07-28


although practically all agreed that
something needed to be done to
improve the economic position of
the poor, and, while there was OBJ
vious apprehension Tor the future, none
of the Argentine neWsmen to whom this
as of this til ., the government was
interfering with their freedom to write
the truth as they saw it.
Peron's Position Secure.
From these and similar conversations
with other Argentines there emerged
an impression of Peron as a hard but
competent President, a shrewd politician
whose position in Argentina seems
wholly secure barring the unlikely ad-
vent of acute economic distress in a
country where the necessities and even
some of the relative luxuries of life are
now present in cheap abundance. There
are some who profess to fear the Nazis
and the former Nazi sympathizers who
are said to be close to Peron. 1t Is
hard to gauge the extent of their in-
fiuence, but whatever it may be, there
are few who doubt that Peron Is run
ming the Argentine show now or that
he will continue to run 1t for many
years to come.
The picture changes as one moves
iroe - Ia
for in that enchantingly beautiful city
there is real distress.
Rios famous beaches have lost none
of their sparkling gaiety and life is good
in the Copacabana and the other no.
tells, crowded with wealthy Brazilians
seeking refuge from such things as the
servant problem and the food shortage
But there is a different story among
the desperately poor people who make
up the great mass of Brazil's popula-
ton. Food is scarce and there has been
price initiation of some 300 per cent
Many prices are as high and some are
higher than those in the States. Yet I
was told that the top salary of first
class reporter on the Rio newspapers
would be equivalent in our money to
about $40 a month, and this, of course,
is substantially higher than the incomes
Of the manual workers.
While these conditions of acute dis
tress prevail in Rio, and, according to
what We were told, in other cities, un-
counted thousands of tons of foodstuffs
are rotting on the ground in the interior
-rotting for the simple reason that
the country is destitute of transporta-
ton to move the food to the hungry
people
Transportation Badly Needed.
All of this adds UP to the obvious con-
clusion that Brazil is in urgent need of
help. and the Brazilian officials, from
the newly elected President Dutra on
down, make no bones about it. Their
most critical immediate need is for
trucks and other types of transporta-
tion, and they feel strongly that their
needs should have high priority in the
United States because of Brazils ex-
ceptional record of cooperation during
the war
Beyond that they want the time and
the harmonious conditions needed for
the building up of their economy, and
it is in this respect that Brazil is watch
ing most closely the progress of rela-
tions between the United States and
Argentina.
1t is simply nonsense to say that
Brazil stands in any fear of aggression
from Argentina. On the contrary the
dominant disposition there is to let by
cones be bygones, to take the view that
Peron has been elected, that he is in
Office for at least six years, and that
the economic necessities of the two
countries require a mutually satisfac-
tory working arrangement. For all
practical purposes that arrangement
has been made, andif there is concern
in Rio now on this point, it springs
from the fear that Brazil's relations
with the Pe1o regime may be disturbed
by friction between the United States
sion arose there is every reason to be-
lieve that Brazil would stand with the
United States, just as she did in 1941,
when, despite the presence of a sub
stantial pro-German element in that
country and a widespread belief that
Hitler was going to win the war, Brazil
granted to us the bases that were
needed in forwarding aid to Britain.
But the thinking people of Brazil, Ger
tainly those in the present government.
are hoping that they will not be faced
with the need of choosing between the
United States and Argentina. They
believe that satisfactory relationship
can be worked out and they hope that
it will be worked out.
Solidarity Is rc--it,c.
II this is to be done, however, CO.
tain basic conditions must be met
Peron must demonstrate by deeds as
well as words that he wants to work
with the United States in a setting of
hemisphere solidarity. And our own
Government must make up its mind
what it wants to accomplish in Latin
America. When George S. Messersmith,
our competent new Ambassador, was
sent to Buenos Aires, the move was in
terpreted as step toward building bet
ter relations. And Mr.. Messersmith has
worked hard at his job.
If We want to make new start, and
if we are prepared to stop meddling in
the domestic affairs of other countries,
the chances are that we can achieve a
substantial measure of that hemisphere
solidarity about which we have heard
so much and which seems to be so