HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS EXTRACT FROM MY DIARY N, March 6, 1948.
The Speaker of the House came to see me at my house this morning at his own request. Apparently he intended nothing more than a courtesy call. He expressed the same view that almost everyone else does, namely that a compromise is the only solution but he did not want to take muchii part, Although a Calderonista, he had, honored his signature to the Pact. of Honor and brokeit in favor of declaring Ulate elected. As a result, his party friends were rather insulting and he was planning to go back to Limon and let the Vice Speaker preside over the Congress.
He said he had voted for the law authorizing the payment of campaign expenses although it was a badly written law in that it places no limitations on the amounts to be refunded. little later, Mr. Stone came in to ask if there were any new developments. said knew of none but was still hopeful of a solution unless events should be precipitated by a strike call. added that he and as Americans must be exceedingly careful not to be drawn into affairs and while he realized he had been used as a messenger because he is a good friend of Mr. Ulate host, the time had come to step out of the picture. He was inclined to agree.
Dr. Alberto Oreamuno came in. He said he was coming as a friend to ask my views. said if he had any idea. that would send a message through him to his Chief (Ulate) or that would give any advice or suggestions, had nothing to say. However, he really meant and he simply wanted my comments on the situation as see it more or less as a spectator watching the moves on a chess board and said would tell him what thought.
On that basis said much the same as have said to others; namely, that as see the situation at the moment, the only two possible developments are bloodshed or a compromise. Bloodshed would do nobody any good and cause a lot of suffering without even giving the satisfaction of a moral victory. However, strong as he might feel as a partisan about the legality or equity of recent events, what has happened is fact and cannot be ignored and then repeated generally my thought that it should be possible to reach a compromise under a face saving formula. The Doctor then looked at my shoulder which, by this time, was paining me pronounced it bursitis and said he would return in the afternoon to give me an injection.