The Southern Cross

There were no cold dead fish in the bottom of his returning boat when Franklin Roosevelt on his voyage southward paused at Trinidad to try a little off-shore trolling. Nor was there anything cold and dead about the streets of Rio de Janeiro last week when he set foot upon Brazilian soil. Upwards of 150,000 Brazilians vented few cheers, but clapped their hands in delight at the sight of the President of the U. S. and their own President Getulio Dornellas Vargas appearing so democratically, side by side in ordinary business suits, as they rode through the city with a motorcycle escort. Even President Vargas was startled by the U. S. President's democratic manners, when in spite of a heavy mist rapidly turning to rain, Franklin Roosevelt asked to have the top of their car lowered the better to see and be seen. "Comme c'est joli!" exclaimed Linguist Roosevelt, indicating the rounded dome of Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Through Rio's streets, around the wide sickle of Rio's bay, and up into the misty hills beyond, the bi-Presidential party rode 30 miles into the country to attend the first function of the day, luncheon at the home of Tycoon E. G. Fontes. There Franklin Roosevelt had his first opportunity to charm the denizens of high South American society, including Senora Vargas and her two daughters.

At 3:30 that afternoon the second function of the day took place. Having motored back to Rio over muddy roads followed by the whole party of notables including the Brazilian Ambassador to the U. S. Oswaldo Aranha, who has a first-rate chance of being the next President of Brazil, President Roosevelt appeared before the Brazilian Congress. On the rostrum sat the President of the Brazilian Senate, flanked by the Chief Justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court and the President of the Chamber of Deputies. Below them sat the U. S. President in a grey suit flanked by U. S. Ambassador Hugh Gibson and Son James Roosevelt arrayed in the new white uniform of a Lieutenant-Colonel of Marines (Reserve). Then, after listening to a half-hour address of welcome, Franklin Roosevelt arose to deliver his opening salute to Peace.

Written two days before in his little study aboard the Indianapolis, his address bore in its plush use of adjectives the inevitable mark of having been composed under the Southern Cross. On the desks of the assembled Congressmen and Justices lay copies of it neatly mimeographed in Portuguese. As President Roosevelt sonorously began, some of his hearers leaned forward attentively to stretch their knowledge of English, others followed with the text, sentence by sentence, with their fingers so as to applaud in the right places.

"Nearly half a century ago a little boy was walking with his father and mother in a park of a city in southern France. Toward them came a distinguished-looking elderly couple--Don Pedro the Second* and his Empress. That occasion was my first introduction to Brazil. . . .

"No nation can live entirely to itself. Each one of us has learned the glories of independence. Let each one of us learn the glories of interdependence. . . .

"We can discard the dangerous language of rivalry. We can put aside the empty phrases of 'diplomatic triumphs' or 'shrewd bargains.' We can forget all thought of domination, of selfish coalitions or of balances of power. Those false gods have no place among American neighbors."

Twelve times the assembly applauded heartily, then stood while he departed. While the great men of Brazil had an intermission to recover their emotional balance, President Roosevelt retired to the Renaissance mansion of his old friend, Tycoon Carlos Guinle. There Franklin Roosevelt unbent for Brazilian newshawks, charmed them by expressing the hope that President Vargas would visit the U. S.

Final function of the day was a dinner given by President Vargas at Itamaraty Palace for Rio's officialdom. There President Roosevelt warmed Brazilian hearts by declaring: "You have done much to help us in the United States in many ways in the past. We, I think, have done a little to help you, and may I suggest that you, with this great domain of many millions of square miles, of which such a large proportion is still unopen to human occupation, can learn much from the mistakes we have made in the United States. . .' .

"I am leaving you tonight with great regret. There is one thing, however, that I shall remember, and that is that it was two people who invented the New Deal--the President of Brazil and the President of the United States." Then driving happily down to the waterfront with an escort of red-white-&-blue uniformed guards Franklin Roosevelt put to sea on the Indianapolis, while fireworks said farewell to him from the summits of Sugar Loaf, Corcovado, Gavea, Tijuca.

While the Indianapolis drove southward through a storm its wireless crackled. Lest President Agustin Justo of Argentina feel left out, Franklin Roosevelt, even before meeting him, hastened to invite him also to the U. S. Also a request went to Pan American-Grace Airways, that the 40-passenger Pan American Clipper be held at the U. S. President's disposal in case he, having found the fishing much better on land than at sea, decide to return home by air.

Nearly 24 hours before reaching Buenos Aires, Franklin Roosevelt's second official reception began. The Argentine battleships Rivadavia and Moreno, cruiser Almirante Brown and eight destroyers sighted the Indianapolis and its escort Chester off the coast of Uruguay, fired 21 guns and formed up behind as escort. When the Indianapolis arrived in Buenos Aires, President Justo and practically the entire Argentine and U. S. delegations to the Peace Conference were on the dock in top hats and full official regalia. "Mi amigo!" exclaimed Linguist Roosevelt as he seized his peer's hand and did one of his "great guy" acts. For five miles from the landing place to the U. S. Embassy, President Justo and ten carloads of officials escorted Franklin Roosevelt through a storm of flowers hurled by crowds who had come by rail and motor car from all over Argentina.

Three hours later he repaid the official greetings by calling on President Justo at the Casa Rosada (Red House). Then back to the U. S. Embassy went the President for a relatively quiet dinner with U. S. Ambassador Alexander Weddell and U. S. friends--the stage all set for his dramatic appearance at the opening of the Peace Conference.

*Second and last Emperor of Brazil, deposed in 1889.

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