Rough Stuff

Outside the offices of Rio's Communist Tribune-Popular, the pavement was white with paper, littered with broken desks, smashed typewriters. Just three and a half hours after the Brazilian Foreign Office announced the diplomatic break with Russia, a slug-happy gang of rowdies had broken into the Tribunals plant. They whanged sledge hammers against the presses, later smashed up the editorial offices. Though the press room is only about 300 yards from Rio's central police station, the wreckers had the place to themselves for two hours. When a squad of military police showed up, the cops did nothing but stand and watch.

Most Brazilians had approved the Soviet break (TIME, Oct. 27), and thousands of them gathered before Catete Palace to cheer President Dutra's explanation for it. But the Tribune, smash-up went against the Brazilian sense of justice and fair play. Next day the entire Rio press condemned both the police and the rowdies.

The Brazilian Congress seemed to agree with Rio's press. "We gave our support ... to the Government's attitude toward Russia," cried Senator Ivo de Aquino, "but that does not mean we condone acts of violence against any organization, particularly against the press, which by our laws is guaranteed full liberty." Following the outlawing of the Communist Party, Senator de Aquino had sponsored the Government's controversial bill to toss Communist jobholders out of elective office. Now that bill faced a tough battle.

The afternoon of the Tribuna attack, hooligans tore down the Soviet Embassy's shield. Moscow translated the incident into a "stoning" of the embassy, put Brazilian Ambassador Mario de Pimentel Brandao and his entourage of nine under hotel arrest. Only when the Rio Soviet Embassy staff of 32 were safely off for Montevideo would Pimentel & friends get exit visas.

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