BRAZIL AT WAR WITH GERMANY

“ALL HER RESOURCES”

Reuter’s Agency states that the Brazilian Minister saw Lord Robert Cecil at the Foreign Office last evening, and formally communicated to the British Government the decision of his Government with respect to the war. From an authoritative source, Reuter’s Agency learns that the decision of Brazil to revoke her neutrality in the “War between the United States and Germany” – a phrase which is especially interesting – means the existence of a state of war with Germany. The German campaign against Brazil’s merchant ships no longer left any room for doubt that there was already virtually a state of war. The Brazilian Government and people have all along sympathised with the Allies, but decided to maintain neutrality until they were forced out of it. Nevertheless, the whole of Brazil will welcome the change that Germany has compelled. It may be regarded as certain that Brazil, like the United States, will go into the war with all her resources of men and power. This is clear from the Naval and Military Bill introduced into Parliament by the Vice-president of the Senate. As a first step Brazil has seized the forty-two fine German ships now in her harbours. So far as is known these vessels, which are mainly just the tonnage most required at this juncture, are practically undamaged, and will be immediately placed at the disposal of the Allies. With her population of 26,000,000, Brazil can soon raise an additional army, which should prove of considerable assistance in the European theatre of war. NOTE TO THE POWERS Rio De Janeiro, Sunday.

The taking over of interned German ships is being carried out normally at various ports. The vessels will receive Brazilian names. Senhor Nilo Pecanha, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has sent to the Brazilian Legations for transmission to the Governments to which they are accredited a note communicating the sanction of President Wenceslao Braz to the revocation of neutrality, and “thus confirming the traditional friendship and identity of political views uniting Brazil to the United States in defence of the vital interests of America and of international law.” The Note proceeds: Brazil neither now nor ever cherished warlike ambitions. If she constantly abstained from showing any partiality in the European conflict, she could not persist in indifference once the United States were drawn into a disinterested struggle on behalf of international law and Germany extended the most violent methods of war without distinction to Brazil and other neutrals. If there has hitherto been a certain want of reciprocity among the South American Republics and of consideration for the Monroe Doctrine, the true character of which allowed an interpretation less founded on the prerogatives of their sovereignty, current events, having placed Brazil once again by the side of the United States at a critical moment in the history of the world, continue to give to our foreign policy a practical orientation in the direction of Continental solidarity; which, too, was the ancient rule whenever her sister and friend, the Continental American nation, was in question. The Republic has thus acted in close conformity with our political traditions, and remained faithful to those liberal principles which were the basis of the national education. Brazil in performing her duty and taking the position indicated by her antecedents and her conscience as a free people, will observe, whatever may occur in the immediate future, the Constitution which governs her and which has never yet been surpassed in respect of the guarantees it affords for the security of the rights, life, and property of foreigners. – Reuter’s Special Service.