Evening star., 1950-06-04

fused. Political parties are either
split into numerous contendine
factions, or at least made up OF
conglomerate groups Of strange
and unpredictable bedfellows
Some of the leaders themselves
admit that under the present cir
cumstances, no one Of the parties
can count on q clear-cut victory,
The Social Democratic Party
the party of President Dutra, u.s.
ually referred to in Brazil as the
PSD, is potentially the largest po-
litical organization in the country
It has had the support of a large
sector of the business community
and an important element Of the
more conservative classes. 1t is
also backed by the majority of the
old-line military men. In fact
it is now dominated by old Gen
now Senator) Goes Monteiro
the man who, as head of the army
in 1945. engineered the overthrow
of Dictator Getulio Vargas and
afterward helped to master-mind
the election Of Gen. Dutra. y
Loses Following
In the five years since the PSD
put the Dutra administration into
Office, it has lost considerable fol-
lowing. largely because of lack
of strong leadership. 1t has been
torn between factions in several
states.
bilious governors have
Haunted the national organiza-
ton. Worse still, it has no out
standing personality capable of
engendering universal enthusiasm
as a candidate. A constitutional
provision makes President Dutra
ineligible for reelection.
Gov. Ademar de Barros Of the
powerful coffee and industrial
state Of Sac Paulo, whose support
all the parties covet, is one Of the
most uncertain factors. In popula.
ton and wealth. Sac Paulo is the
New York of Brazil. Neither its
vote nor it's governor can be
ignored by any party. Ademar is
one Of the most ambitious of all
the politicians in the country. A
mild. but less capable edition OF
Huey Long, he has organized his
own State Party. in opposition tc
the Government Party. At differ
ent times he has been with ano
against the Dutra administration
He could easily make himself .
balance Of power.
After the PSD, the other two
leading parties are the National
Democratic Unien. known as the
UDN. and the &TB or the Brazil
ian Labor Party. Both have the
advantage of strong leadership.
But they are made up of even
stranger groups than the PSD.
Liberals in One Group
The. National Democratic Union.
the larger of the two, consists of
the more liberal elements among
the professional classes. such as
lawyers, doctors and engineers. as
well as small businessmen, along
with the most consistent enemies
of Vargas. But 1t also has the
support of the more nationalistic
younger military men and a large
segment Of the church.
Some observers insist that the
military and church groups are
enrolled under the UDN banne,
largely because of Brigadier Edu-
aroo Comes. its candidate in the
last and also in the coming cleo
ton. The brigadier Is not only
fanatically nationalistic but one
OF the most devout of all church
men in the country. For several
years. he was the head of the
Brazilian Air Corps and the coun-
try's outstanding flying officer
He Is not popular with the pres
ent military hierarchy, but /,
highly respected. some say feared
because Of the explosive possibili-
ties of his devoted following.
The Labor Party. the smallest
OF the three leading party organ.
izations. is headed by Vargas and
Is a conglomeration Of the prin.
cipal labor unions and the per-
sonal followers of the former die
tator. mostly the great army o1
bureaucrats who Jared we'll dur
ing his long regime. Enrolled in
its ranks also are former members
of the outlawed Communist Party
Although so far he has hot for
mally accepted or rejected the
offer. Vargas has already been
nominated as the FTB standard
bearer.
Vargas Is Clever Foe
Any one who has followed close
ly the long career, or knows per-
sonally the old "Gaucho," who
comes from the far southern cat
tie and farming state of Rio
Grande do Sui. called the Texas
of Brazil, knows that Vargas is
neither a Communist nor a pink.
He is politician, one of the clev-
crest South America has produced
In many a year. Friends and
enemies have long described him
IS "the only politician in the
country who can take off his socks
without removing his shoes
Vargas plays all ends against the
middle. and the FTB is a vehicle
which he will use for his own
political purposes. Principally, he
will provoke other people into
trading with him.
That is exactly what the So
cial Democratic Party has been
trying to do. Its leaders and
President Dutra himself have beer
counting Vargas, trying to induce
him to support q common candi-
date. In fact. President Dutrs