832.61311/9–1746
Memorandum of Conversation by the Chief of the Division of Brazilian Affairs (Braddock)
| Participants: | Carlos Martins, Ambassador of Brazil |
| Lt. Dantaz of the Servico de Abastecimento | |
| A–Br—Mr. Braden | |
| BA—Mr. Braddock |
Wheat. The Ambassador presented Lt. Dantas, an emissary of General Portela, Chief of the Servico de Abastecimento in Rio, who had been sent to this country for the purpose of arranging if possible for immediate emergency shipments of wheat to Brazil. The Ambassador stated that the lack of foodstuffs in Brazil, particularly in the large population centers, was approaching the tragic and that unless some relief could be provided very soon there was danger of a popular uprising against the Government. He pointed out that the Communists would not fail to take advantage of such a situation. Pie requested that immediate steps be taken to provide for shipment of 20,000 tons of wheat from the United States to Brazil, and that the Brazilian Government be allowed to announce at the earliest possible moment that these shipments were on the way. These emergency shipments would ease the present critical tension, but the long-range wheat supply problem, in which Brazil also desired our help, would persist.
Mr. Braden stated that the failure of Argentina to supply wheat to her normal customers in the Hemisphere had resulted in similar emergency appeals from certain other countries, and said that the State Department would of course do its utmost to get the 20,000 tons for Brazil.
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