World Events Explained.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

World Events Explained.

By ARPAD SZICETVARY.

GERMANY AND BRAZIL. According to the Rio de Janeiro correspondent of the "New York Times." Brazil is pushing on the work on a big now milltury barracks at Bluineneau, the most predominantly Germanic city in the State of Santa Catharlna, one of the two States where Germans are the strongest. When finished, the barracks will bo occupied by a force of Brazilian regular artillery—a direct hint to the pro-Nazi element that the President, lir. Vargas, not Herr Hitler, is supreme in Brazil, the German population of which totals J,<HJO,OOO. In the latest phase of the battle ■which the totalitarian States of Kurrtpe and Asia are waging to dominate Latin America, this antiNazi stiffening of attitude has peculiar significance. Brazil, with an area larger than that of the Vnited States of America, a population of nearly 4.~>.im.H>.inio and a wealth of raw materials to he found in scarcely any other land, would be a particularly valuable piuin for the "have not" nations..—Cable. Some years ago it was thought that several of the Latin American States would adopt Communist forme of government. With the slackening and eventual almost complete stoppage of Communist propaganda abroad the phase passed, but was followed almost immediately by Fascist propaganda. The Fascists

met with more success and It would not have keen surprising if the three great Latin American republics, Argentina, the United States of Brazil and Chile, as well a* smaller ones such as Uruguay, had imitated Italy and Germany. Fascism had more chance of success than Communism, because while there arc large numbers of Germans and Italians in Latin America, there are but a handful of Russians, the only Slavs there of any consequence as far as numbers go being Poles. The chief reason why the success of Communism and then Fascism was thought possible in Latin America was because all the republics there have been ruled by dictatorships practically ever since Brazil gained her independence from Portugal, Haiti from France and the rest from Spain. Even to-day in the whole of

Latin America the only republic with a democratic form of government it Colombia, while the United States of Mexico w only slightly lest liberal. The rest of the republiai have eome measure of dictatorial rule. Wliere dictatorial rule has existed for so long it would be an easy step to Communion or Fascism, but—and it it a very big "but"—one thing tttop|ted their success, money. The Latin America countries need money from abroad for their development Present-day Ruasia has no money to send abroad: «he need* it all for her own development. Germany and Italy have no money, not even enough for their own needs. Theee three countries have no money, therefore, to lend to countries abroad. Germany offered to barter goods with Latin American countries, but they wanted to export for money, money

to help the development of their own secondary Industrie*, the primary ouw being well established. The only countries to which they could turn for money were Or est Britain and , the United States of Amsrica, who in the past had been their principal supplier, especially Britain, And so Communism and Fascism have been kept out of Latin America, at any rate up to the moment. Oermany and Italy wish to get hold of Braeil especially, because it possesses all they lack—vast, practically untouched iron ore deposits, oil, rubber and other raw products. In the two southernmoet States of the republic there are large numbers of Germans and the wealthy coffeeproducing State of tiao Paulo is practically controlled by Italians. It is through thess German and Italian communities that ths mother countries are operating. Braril is a vast country, her wealth hardly tapped, her resources practically undevelojwd. Berlin and Rome want a finger in the rich pie, let alone Jspsn, who sees Brasil as a happy hunting ground for her so-called surplus population, although ths country its* proved unsuitable for them.