Compliment to Rio

"This government will be happy to continue with the new government of Brazil the same friendly relations as with its predecessors."

So declared Secretary of State Henry Lewis Stimson last week as he extended his fourth diplomatic recognition within 50 days to a revolutionary government in South America.* Practice had given him a technical perfection in dealing with these matters. Therefore he did not accord the provisional government of Provisional President Getulio Vargas in Brazil a brand-new recognition which the revolutionary change in administration warranted, but paid the new regime the higher compliment of continuing friendly relations just as if President Vargas had taken office by constitutional means.

Statesman Stimson had every good reason to want to placate President Vargas by compliments or anything else. U. S.-Brazilian relations were last week described as "rapidly approaching the breaking point." The reason, of course, was the Arms Embargo President Hoover, on the State Department's recommendation, had laid down against the Brazilian revolutionaries only two days before they ousted President Washington Luis and seized the Rio government (TIME, Oct. 13 et seq.~). The complimentary form of U. S. recognition was designed especially to make amends for this ill-advised action, to win back lost U. S. favor and prestige in Brazil.

Gradually conquering his legalistic distaste for revolutionary governments (except in Central America), Statesman Stimson has formulated a loose three-point recognition formula for such cases. To win U. S. welcome, provisional governments must: 1) guarantee fulfillment of international obligations;/- 2) have the support of all its people; 3) protect foreign lives and property. This formula Secretary Stimson kept handy last week to apply to the other six South American countries which have had no revolutions this year.

*The other three: Peru, Bolivia, Argentina.

/-This point blocks U. S. recognition of the Soviet government.

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