HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS March 21. met with Alex Murray, Hughes, Andy, and the British Minister at my office this morning. Murry returned last evening from a trip to Figueres headcuarters with a safe conduct signed by the President as an emmissary from Lic Jimenez to ask his terms. Incidentally, the President had denied to me yesterday thet he had any knowledge of any negotiations. We were together neerly two hours. The gist of Murray report is thet Figueres is confident of winning a military victory and will make no terms. His nrogram is to declare Ulate President, sunnress militant communism, and unseat all deputies who voted to annul the elections. He ià sure he will win, that the MASS of the people him, that he is fighting world communism and not just a local affair, andthinks the US should intervene on his side in some way or other, not necessarily militarily, as part of our world wide struggle with communism. He wants us to break relations with the Picado government and embargo supplies to the government.
The word phoned me bast night of the capture of San Isidro by government forces anpears to be correct. At least their capture of Dominical is confirmed. Despite this Murray is still convinced that Figueres will win. On the other hand it seems to me that his failure toextend his control and the probable doss of his one airfield are serious psychological defeats. And it still seems more than likely that the political leaders will reach a compromise which the Congress will ratify. If that hapnens and Figueres wont go along he will be isolated as a rebel against the legally constituted and nodularly sunnorted covernment. So even though the most favorable renorts of his military strength may be correct, am not at all convinced htat his victory is certain,