More Assistance For Brazil In Combating Axis

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 3

More Assistance For Brazil In Combating Axis

Further loss at sea announced at Rio de Janeiro Rec. 11.15 p.m. ' New York, Aug. 24. Argentina, Peru and Chile have granted Brazii non - belligerent rights, therehy enabling Brazii to use their ports and airfields. Chile and Argentina are the only American countries maintaining diplomatic relations with the Axis. The Brazilian Government announces the sinking of the Brazilian tanker Louisiana, laden With oil bound for Rio de Janeiro. . ' The Inter- American Defence Board, composed of military representatives Of 21 American Republics, unammously voted adherence to their friendship on the ocoasion of Brazil's declaration of war. The resolution was followed -by a typical Latin American demonstration. At the suggestion of the Argentinian military attache, the Chilian delegate, Senor Espinosa, who presided, embraced the Brazilian delegate, Senor Bittencourt. amid a furore. Senor Espinosa told the. meeting: "Chile cannot remain silent and indifferent to sinkings of Brazilian ships. My country will continue loyal, sincere, effective and practicable collaboration within the alreadydefined policy of continental solidarity. A Rio de Janeiro message states that military police occupied all German and Italian banks as part of a nation-wide measure to paralyse business and financial enterprises of Germans and Italians. Thousands of volunteers lined up at recruiting centres throughout the country, and patriotic volimteers mobbed the War Ministry. . Brazil's accession to the ranks of the United Nations fighting for freedom is welcomed in England for both its moral and strategical significance. "Brazil's fellowship with the United Nations has for a long time been sealed by every sovt of engagement short of an alliance of war and ' Germany's and Italy's enmity against Brazii has been shown by hostile acts, among which is war without declaration," The Times writes. Brazilian resources had been available to the Allies for some time and the new ally was eonsequently eligible for a share in the combined resources of the United Nations for her defence requirements. The United Nations would proflt enormously from the accession to their cause of 46,000,000 Brazilians and the moral importance . of Brazil's entry into the war "would be not the least of her offerings. It would give strength to the Allies as they entered the fourth year of war and stiffen South America against the Axis. The Manchester Guardian comments that President Vargas has shown that even a dictatorship with totalitarian leanings could be American first and prefer to stand with the democracies. Brazil's harbours could play a large part i in the campaign against submarines and her air bases could be developed for the trans-Atlantic.. ferry. The Yorkshire Post suggests that Germany may have provoked Brazii to war because she was - not a strongly mili-' tarilised country and the convoying of her shippirig would throw ari extra burden on the British and United States ■navies. Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States, called at the Erazilian Embassy at Washington and congratulated the ambassador on Brazil's entry into the war. Sir Noel Charles, British Ambassador to Brazii, has expressed the deep satisfaction of the British Government with Brazil's entry into the . war besjde the United Nations. in a communiue to the Brazilian Foreign Minister he stated: "The British Government is fully conscious of the signal contributions already made by Brazii to the cause of the democracies.