The name is absent

262 Lectures on Brazilian Affairs

shortage of rural labor, it is probable that labor-saving de-
vices will be required very soon. The present campaign to
promote production of wheat will certainly have similar
consequences.

2. Automobiles, trucks, motor-car accessories, and motors
form the most important of all groups of American imports
into this country. Brazil has only 160,000 motor-cars, just
about as many as Japan, fewer than Belgium, Sweden, or
New Zealand. It may be stated that 95 per cent are of
American make. The Brazilian market, had we a greater
purchasing power, should be the most important in the world
on account of the size of the territory, the distances, and the
lack of transportation facilities. It has accordingly been
considered advisable by several American firms to open in our
principal centers assembly plants that today are supposed to
supply 80 per cent of the total passenger-car sales. Then also
we find since 1936 the competition of the cheap German
motor-car.

3. Aircraft and accessories have been supplied to the
Brazilian Army exclusively by the United States. But with
the development of commercial and civil aviation, many
competitors have entered the market: French, German,
Italian, and British. Of course, European competition
has been waved aside for the time being, but is still in
the air.

4. Coal has a dramatic story in Brazil: formerly it was a
sort of privilege of Great Britain to supply us from Cardiff.
The Great War shifted the mission of coal-supply to the
United States. Then Great Britain joined again, and from
1930 onwards took the commanding lead she had lost. Sud-
denly, Germany rose as a successful competitor, selling
directly and indirectly through Holland. In 1937, the posi-
tions were, respectively:

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