BRAZIL: Competitive Courtesy

The U.S. and Argentina vied to honor Brazil's new President Eurico Gaspar Dutra. Both sent distinguished representatives to his inaugural—the U.S., Fiorello H. LaGuardia; Argentina, Vice President Juan Pistarini. Both sent their best warships. On the sleek, British-built cruiser La Argentina (6,000 tons), President Dutra received the collar of San Martin. Aboard the mighty carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt (45,000 tons),he watched 75 warplanes roar into the air, but got no medal. Both the U.S. and Argentina scheduled—the same evening—lavish embassy receptions. President Dutra solved that problem by attending both, became the...