Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-10

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debts falling due this year." Mr..
Dantas said. without such re-
scheduling, total Brazilian for
eign debts due for payment by
1865 total SIS billion.
Last year alone, Brazil's bal
ance of payments deficit
reached $500 million.
The Finance Minister was
more circumspect about what
new credits he would like. He
said a dollar figure would
emerge only in Washington
conversations. But he added
that he would like release of
those frozen" United States
and European credits originally
included in the $500 million aid
package to the new Quadros
government in the spring Of
1861.
Estimated at $3.50 Million
United States officials here
estimate these unused credits
at about $3.50 million. Frozen"
dollars have come to have a
large symbolic meaning in this
country. To many they repre-
sent the whole United States
I'm from Missouri" approach
to the Goulart government.
Credits were frozen last year
when 1t became evident the
Brazilian government had for
saken promised sterilization
for the luxury Of wild public
spending backed only by we'll
oiled government printin g
presses.
Today, Kennedy administra-
ton officials say they will not
have their fingers burned
again.
AS bluntly as diplomacy per-
mits, they have told Mr.. Goul-
art and Mr.. Dantas that action
speaks louder than words in
determining how much United
States aid will come, and when.
This has led many Brazilian
observers to conclude Brazil is
bearing the brunt in Latin
America of the same diplomatic
"hard" line Mr.. Kennedy is
using against Canada and the
West European allies.
United States officials here
justify their approach in purely
local Brazilian terms, however.
They say the problem is as
much political as economic.
Political drift over the past
10 months has steadily widened
the gap Of misunderstanding
with the United States.
Causes Of Tension
Present tensions cover every
thing from half hearted Bra
lillian noises about peaceful
coexistence with Castro Cuba
to hot and cold treatment of
private foreign investments.
deep cleavage Of views on
many issues was developing"
said one United States diplo-
mat, and the longer we waited
to take a firm stand in Brazil
the more difficult it would be-
come to resurrect a real COM
munity Of interests here"
The result has been healthy
If still inconclusive dialogue in
which the United States has
mixed firmness and sympathy
II think United States officials
are generally sympathetic to
our gradualist approach" Mr..
Dantas said.
BY gradualist he meant that
wage, price. and government
spending discipline can only be
supplemented over q period of
years If social explosion is to
be avoided in Brazil.
Top officials at the palatial
Foreign Office also go out of
the way 10 stress that the chief
aim of Brazilian foreign policy
has become "close friendship
with the United States.
Brazil Is neither anti-Ameri-
can nor ''leftist," they say, and
emphasize that Brazil has
nothing more than most lin
ited diplomatic contacts with
Cuba today. They also point
out that chief critics Of the new
Goulart program are extrem-
lists campaigning under the
banner Of ''leftist national
ism"
Ironically. Mr.. Dantas was
the decided favorite Of this
group Just over q year ago
when. as Brazil's Foreign Min
lister. he opposed United States
attempts to push Cuba out of
the Inter-American system at
the Punta Del Esta foreign min
isters' meeting in Uruguay.
BuS experienced observers
here do not look for consistency
in Brazilian politics. They look
for realism"
Today. Mr.. Dantas is con-
sidered its chief exponent. The
big question still to be an
swered is what realism will die
tate TO both Mr.. Goulart and
Mr.. Dantas once the first bite
Of the promised austerity pro-
gram is felt in Brazil.