[1] A student at the Osimani y Llerena Polytechnic Institute, Brum graduated as a lawyer in 1909 and returned to Salto where he set up his law firm.

[3] Brum's political career started in the municipality of Salto, and José Batlle y Ordóñez had learned of him through a famous controversy held at the Larrañaga Theater with a nationalist journalist, Luis Alberto Thévenet.

Brum also proposed a law condemning pimping, which marked, as noted by one observer, "a turning point in the treatment of this painful exploitation, which had worsened during those years, with the arrival to the country, mainly from Argentina, of dark organizations.

The first was at the head of the Mission to Brazil to return the visit made by a Brazilian Minister, Dr. Lauro Muller, while the second was at the special invitation of Woodrow Wilson to the United States in the Uruguayan cruiser 'Montevideo.'

Brum also negotiated, as noted by one study, "a number of treaties, including one with the United States, two with Germany, four with Paraguay, four with Belgium, one with Chile, one with Japan, one with Argentina, four with France, two with England, four with Russia, four with Sweden, four with Switzerland, four with Norway, four with Holland, four with Austria-Hungary, and one with Italy."

He also arranged with Brazil an unrestricted treaty of arbitration, and also issued a decree to secure the non-belligerent position for Uruguay in case of war between countries of other continents.

[7] While serving in Foreign Affairs, Brum was (according to one observer) "a fundamental figure in the internationalist vision of a Party that, like Colorado, always looked towards the world.

In line with Batlle's proposal in 1907 in The Hague in favor of compulsory arbitration for the resolution of international conflicts, Brum developed its application in the bilateral agreements that were signed, the first with Italy and then with other countries.

When the US finally breaks relations with Germany, Brum himself sends a message of solidarity, saying that although he maintains his neutrality, because he does not act as a belligerent, he recognizes "the justice and nobility of the feelings that in this emergency have guided the President Wilson.

The dislike of each other by the two men was strong enough that President Brum actually challenged Herrera to a duel with pistols (legal in Uruguay at the time), which was fought near Montevideo on 14 December 1922, in front of several hundred government officials.

"[11] In addition, a law of 27 May 1920 "authorized the CNA to project a plan of economic constructions destined to 'provide cheap rooms to the most needy classes.

[22] With the government's approval, on 30 December 1919 the Banco de Seguros del Estado started the building of workmen's houses in Montevideo.

[26] A presidential decree of 21 April 1920 "authorized the founding of dental clinics in the military hospital and in the naval school to care for the teeth of the students and the personnel of the armed forces.

"[28] In 1920, the licenses and attendance of employees of public offices dependent on the National Administration Council were regulated, under which all employees were granted an annual leave of 20 days of annual leave with pay, "an excellent provision for the double point of view of rest and the rotation of officials in the same job, as a means of correcting deficiencies and tending to the improvement of the services.

"[29] In 1922, Public Assistance opened the Pedro Visca Children's Hospital in 1922, attached to the Dámaso Larrañaga Asylum, with pavilions for medicine and surgery, a polyclinic, laboratories and complementary facilities.

[30] In 1921, the Executive Power authorized the Public Assistance to invest $7,640 monthly in the organization of the early childhood protection service and the wet nurse office.

A second decree issued the following year, entrusted the National Women's Council with the patronage of that shelter and the administration of the "Quinta de Menores;" a new service for the same street minors.

The legislator made a long list of jobs and industries in which this principle was applicable "and added that the Executive Power could expand the payroll."

"[32] In 1919, a Public Utilities Pension Fund was established covering water, telephone, street car, telegraph, railway and gas-company workers.

"[38] On 24 October 1922 a decree was issued "amplifying the provisions in force in regard to tenders to the State for public works or material in order to put Uruguayan industry in a more favourable position for securing contracts than foreign industry," and also requiring that "there be included in the contracts made with the State clauses which may benefit the working classes.

As noted by one study, “From a three-to-one dominance of the lower house the majority declined to sixty-seven against fifty-six in 1917 and an actual minority of the votes cast in the election.

Inability to arrive at a programme that would satisfy all branches of the party and to organize and maintain a strict party discipline enabled the opposition to keep the minimum wage bill in committee for about two years.”[42] President Brum also proposed to a Commission appointed by the National Council of Administration, as a tribute to the Centennial celebrations, a program of laws taken from the plan of the League of Nations.

[43] According to one study, Brum’s administration "saw Uruguay reach imaginative and constructive heights of participation in inter-American affairs certainly not previously and perhaps not since attained".

"[44] Following the end of his presidency, Brum became co-director of the newspaper El Día, with César Batlle Pacheco, until 1929, when he joined the National Administration Council, the other branch of the Executive.

As noted by one observer, Brum wished to hand over "People's Lands," which consisted of the purchase by the State of properties "to transfer them to the families of farmers and rural workers in general, under advantageous conditions for their exploitation."

Brum, in his conference, indicated as one of the safest means to face and resolve the problem of unemployment, that of acquiring by the State appreciable extensions of national lands, later being the same State is in charge of distributing and administering them, providing them under favorable conditions to the true worker, to the one who is willing to make them produce, which will be advantageous for the one who works them and for the State itself as well, since they, worked in this way, will contribute not only to solve this difficult problem, but also to give the nation new sources of wealth that balance its economy, that balance that all countries so need - and ours is no exception - to be able to continue its upward march in the difficult current moment.” Brum, however, failed to realize these plans.

After having increasingly realized during the course of that day that Terra's authoritarian rule enjoyed at least tacit support by many Uruguayans, Brum hurried into the middle of a road in Montevideo, was heard to shout viva la libertad!