22. Authority. fare better ey me NARZ Cate 24 581 polled did not represent its real strength fou une rtasun that fully two thousand additional communist voters had been purchased and were therefore prevented from casting their ballots. Asked as to whether or not the very large number of small peasant land owners in Costa Rica would not serve as a check to the spread of communistic propaganda, Mr. Arce replied that the growth of the party had thus far been confined very largely to the cities and towns, but that the movement is well organized,, obtains its inspiration from Mexico, and is unquestionably gaining new recruits each month from the laboring classes in the more populated centers.
Mr. Arce was then advised that had been informed by several Costa Ricans that the communist vote polled at the recent congressional election included a very considerable number of liberals who declined to accept the communistic thesis and because of this fact the majority of the ballots csst for the radical candidates might properly be classed as votes of protest against the present regime. He discounted this theory and stated that in his opinion the full communist strength was not indicated at the polls, and that the movement is growing.
During the course of the conversation he stated he had no fears as to the success of the administration candidate for president two years hence, but that he did anticipate continued growth of the communist movement and that sooner or later it would become an issue in Costa Rican politics which must be squarely met. In commenting on the next presidential campaign he stated