From a Special Correspondent
While the limelight is upon the Democratic Convention, and its implications for Britain, intelligent observers are watching closely the great Catholic countries of Latin America where Nazi infiltration has already reached such large proportions, and where natural sympathies of blood and culture would seem to be on the side of the Fascist States,
Specially significant in view of these facts are the recent despatches
from New York. The New York Times of Tuesday ;aid: " Nazi intrigues in South America are deliberate and unmistakable. Spying, terrorism, physical violence and boycott, misuse of schools and the radio, newspapers and films, and economic pressure —all the tricks being used are precisely the same as the Nazis used in the Balkans, Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium and France.
" If Hitler has not laid claim to a million Germans in Southern Brazil there is every sign that he will whenever he feels strong enough.
" A dry war ' has, in short, been brought to this hemisphere by the Nazis."
On the same day a British United Press message from Santiago, Chile, announced the discovery of another Fascist plot.
A list of people financing a Fascist plot to overthrow the Chilean Government was discovered by the police. Nine members of the Fascist Vanguardia Party have been
arrested, and the police have suspended the Right-Wing paper Diario Illustrado and seized its offices.
SPAIN BREAKS WITH CHILE On Wednesday it was announced that the Spanish Government had broken off diplomatic relations with Chile. According to a communiqué issued in Madrid, this step was taken because the Chilean Government had helped Red elements who escaped from Spain and supported a campaign of insults against the Spanish Government and her glorious Caudillo. The timing of this step does leave room for serious doubt that it may be connected with the abortive Fascist plot.
BLOODSHED IN MEXICO Meanwhile, in Central America the Mexican election has been attended with bloodshed. Prior to the election there was a widespread report that all Government employees had been threatened with loss of jobs if they did not vote for Manuel Avila Camacho, presidential nominee of the Mexican Revolutionary Party.
Supporters of General .Juan Andreu Almazan, who had a large Catholic following, protested to President Cardenas.
General Almazan has been freely accused of Fascist sympathies and ambitions merely, it would seem, on account of his opposition to the near Communism of the President and the Government candidate, Camacho. He supported the oil well expropriations.