THREAT TO BRAZIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 February 1942, Page 3

THREAT TO BRAZIL

FEARS OF EARLY ATTACK BY AXIS APPEAL FOR AMERICAN AID. MADE BY PRESIDENT VARGAS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 17. It is learned that President Vargas has urged the United States to rush all possible military aid to Brazil, because of mounting fears that Brazil will soon be in the war by a surprise Axis attack on its 5700-mile coastline. A Brazilian emissary, who is now in Washington, is seeking advice on the best measures to control the 4,500,000 Axis nationals in Brazil, particularly the Japanese, whom Brazil intends removing from strategic defence areas before the country goes on a full war basis. The Brazilian Finance Minister, Senhor Souza Costa, is also in Washington seeking a speedy How of large quantities of arms from the United States to Brazil before an Axis blow falls. The United States Navy Department announced that the 5000-ton Brazilian steamer Buarque was torpedoed and sunk off the Atlantic coast early on February 15, with the loss of two lives. Eighty-three survivors were landed at Norfolk, Virginia. A message from Rio de Janeiro says the Brazilian authorities withheld the news of the sinking of the Buarque. which is the first Brazilian ship to be sunk in this war. The annual carnival was being held, and the officials feared that riots and general disorders might result among the thousands of Brazilians in the streets as well as the sacking of the extensive German properties as occurred in the last war. It was recalled that the sinking of Brazilian ships by U-boats was partly responsible for Brazil’s entrance into the last war.