League of Nations. Therefore it is a matter of regret that the United States, which took the lead in that great project, has not retained it." 1 When the votes were cast for the judges of the League's Court of International Justice, Brazil showed her continued confidence in the United States by choosing as one of her candidates the American statesman whose Pan-American policy received the hearty support of all Latin America, Mr. Elihu Root. When the court was finally constituted, Brazil found herself again honored by being represented on this body by her eminent statesman and publicist, Ruy Barbosa.

In sketching the relations between the United States and Brazil, perhaps even more stress than in the case of either Argentina or Chile should be laid on the commercial side. Long before the establishment of the republic, Brazil's trade with the United States surpassed that of all the Spanish South American republics combined. For example, in 1870 Brazil's trade with the United States was valued at approximately $31,000,000, while that of the Spanish South American countries amounted to about $29,000,000.2 However, it must be noted that the United States imported from Brazil about four times as much as she sent in return. And this situation was due principally to the fondness of the people of the United States for Brazilian coffee. The first boat that inaugurated regular monthly steamship transport between the United States and Brazil arrived at Rio on June 7, 1878, and took back a cargo of 37,000 sacks of coffee, the largest and most valuable single cargo that had ever been shipped from the country. In 1890 the total trade between the United States and Argentina was valued at approximately $14,200,000, the trade with Chile at $6,400,000, while that with Brazil amounted to more than $71,000,000. At the outbreak of the World War Brazil still held

1 The Independent, Vol. CV, p. 49 (Jan. 8, 1921).

2 For. Rel. of the U. S., 1870, pp. 283-287.

Ibid., 1878, p. 67.

'Statistical Abstract of the U. S., 1890, p. 75.

first place in United States trade with South America, with a total value of about $154,000,000, although Argentina, with a total value of about $72,000,000, had gained more proportionately. The figures for 1920 show Brazil still

in the lead. But the margin is small, the value of Brazil's trade with the United States being $445,000,000 and that of Argentina $407,000,000. The most noticeable fact here is the tremendous increases with both countries as a result of the war.2

A comparison of Brazil's trade with the United States and the European countries before and after the war as shown by the table on page 390 indicates still more clearly the enviable position which the United States has obtained in its commercial relations with Brazil.

A mere glance at Brazil's principal commodities of export shows that the United States is a natural customer. Brazil's two principal resources are coffee and rubber, and the United States is by far the world's greatest consumer of both these products. In 1913 the United States imported about 625,000,000 pounds of Brazilian coffee, almost three times as much as it imported from all other sources, and more than was imported by France, Germany, and Great Britain combined. In 1917 the United States imported about 880,000,000 pounds from Brazil, or almost twice as much as all the rest of the world. In 1913 the United States imported about 16,000 long tons of rubber out of Brazil's total production of 35,000 tons. In 1917 the United States took about 20,000 tons out of about 33,000. During the war the United States took virtually all of Brazil's manganese, the amount being increased from about 40,000 tons in 1913 to more than 500,000 in 1917. Diamonds, Brazil woods, and Brazil nuts also find a ready market in the United States. Considering the vast unexploited wealth

2

1 Statistical Abstract of the U. S., 1914, p. 688.

Ibid., 1920, p. 838. These figures are for calendar years.

of Brazil and the character of her resources, the United States should long remain her best customer.

In these circumstances the United States has unlimited opportunities, not only to obtain a large share of Brazil's import trade, but to help increase that trade far beyond its present figures. When it is realized that in 1913 Brazil's imports per capita amounted to only $13, as compared with $55 for Argentina and $56 for Cuba, the possibilities are obvious.1 Brazil needs capital, and the United States can supply it. Transportation both by land and by water must be developed by outside resources, and the United States possesses both the financial and technical means. In the words of Senhor de Menezes, commercial agent in the United States of the Brazilian ministry of agriculture, industry, and commerce: "The period of German exploitation in Brazil is over, never to return. We are looking to the United States for men and money, and we stand ready to give value for value received." 2 Brazil's attitude well expresses the attitude of all Latin America: it stands ready to give value for value received. The United States must decide whether it will meet the requirements.

Report of Second Pan-Amer. Commercial Conf. (Wash., 1919), p. 125. 'Ibid., p. 117.

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

Pierre Denis, Brazil (Lond., 1911).

G. J. Bruce, Brazil and the Brazilians (N. Y., 1914).

C. W. Domville-Fife, The United States of Brazil (N. Y., 1911).
C. S. Cooper, The Brazilians and Their Country (N. Y., 1917).
E. C. Buley, North Brazil (N. Y., 1914).

South Brazil (N. Y., 1914).

L. E. Elliott, Brazil To-day and To-morrow (N. Y., 1917).

W. S. Robertson, History of the Latin-American Nations (N. Y., 1922), pp. 191-227.

T. C. Dawson, South American Republics (N. Y., 1903), Vol. I, pp. 287

512.

F. G. Calderón, Latin America: Its Rise and Progress (Lond., 1913), pp.

180-199.

C. E. Akers, A History of South America, 1854-1904 (N. Y., 1912).

M. de Oliveira Lima, Dom João VI no Brazil, 2 vols. (Rio de Janeiro, 1911).

Historia diplomática do Brazil; e reconhecimiento do Imperio (Rio de Janeiro, 1902).

F. Freire, Historia Constitucional da Republica dos Estados Unidos de Brazil, 3 vols. (Rio de Janeiro, 1894-5).

Robert Southey, History of Brazil, 3 vols. (Lond., 1819-22).

P. A. Martin, "Causes of the Collapse of the Brazilian Empire," Hisp. Amer. Hist. Rev., Vol. IV, p. 4 (Feb., 1921).

W. A. Hirst, A Guide to South America (N. Y., 1915), pp. 99-151.

R. W. Babson, The Future of South America (Bost., 1918).

F. E. Clark, The Continent of Opportunity (N. Y., 1907), pp. 229-262.