しこしいLAND Authenity Stateletter Inhz 2: MLER C:te 24181 buw Be that as it may, the participation of the Communists in his Government is at present the most puzzling issue the new President had to face, The position of the Church during the next four years is not so easy to analyze, Almost ipso facto anti Communist, the Church nevertheless gave its blessing to the reorgamized Vanguardia Popular Party, and did nothing to hinder the victory of the candidate supported by that organization. It should be remembered, however, that at almost the same time the Church quietly set to work organizing labor unions of its own, and while on the surface there is complete harmony between the Rerum Novarun and the CTCR, it should be obvious that the church fully intends not to be left without a powerful weapon in the social field should the Archbishop relations with the Picado Mora alliance take a turn for the worse. It is also worth mentioning that, whereas Calderón Guardia is a lifelong friend of the Archbishop, Picado is believed not to share that distinction, nor is Picado, because of his divorce and subsequent civil marriage, looked upon with wholehearted approval by some elements of the Church.
Facing, then, the possible loss of almost all the supporting elements which gained him the Presidency, it can be seen that Picadois position is not a happy one. Moreover, the chances of his retai ning this support and successfully completing four years of Liberal administration are materially lessened by the presence in his Cabinet of his brother, who has made it plain that he will not tolerate further cooperation with the Communists. It is safe to say also that many of Picado advisers and intimates reflect the same attitude, and he must be under tremendous pressure to break with the Vanguardia Popular and pursue the traditional course of defending the large coffee interests.
By so doing, it is argued, he would be assured of the support of the majority of persons who opposed him at the last election, and such might well be the case, for it is felt that a large percentage of the backers of León CORTES were backing him not because of his personal appeal, which is low except in his home province, but as a protest against the Calderón Guardia regime and the Picado Mora pact. It is probable that the President himself would prefer to maintain harmony in his Government while fulfilling his pledges, but this appears an unlikely eventuality. Faling that, his natural inclination would seem to be reluctantly to part ways with the Rightist element in his Administration, and it is rumored that the refusal of former Minister of Public Works FERNANDEZ Peralta to join the new Cabinet was the result of disagreement between him and Vanguardia leaders resolved by Picado in favor of the Latter, René Picado is perfectly aware of the possibility of a split, and, given his character, bility try to hasten just such an event should this occur, and should Picado side with the Liberal elements, the formation of a strong and powerful opposition would await only the right leadership, and indeed the lack of any stronger opposition than that now appearing from the Diario and the Centro can be attributed to the same lack of any person of sufficient stature to take control of the situation, Added to these difficulties, President Picado faces financial difficulties which are bound to embarrass his term of office, and it will not be