HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS March 23, Don Julio Acosta and his wife came in to call this afternoon. He said, as does everyone that the only salvation of the present situation is a nolitical deal. He is strongly for Lic Jimenez. and seems to believe that eventually the narties will agree on him, but admits that nobody is doing enough to hurry a settlement before a catastrophy strikes. He did say that the President who has tried to wash his handsof the whole thing is now taking an active interest in bringing about a settlement. He was bitter against the communists. little later the Minister of Ecuador and his wife called and we had an amusing and happy half hour with them.
He told one good story about our tough Honduranean colleague.
It seems that some months ago, at a picnic, some of the men were boasting about their prowess with a revolver. Finally one was produced and the President after taking careful ait hit the head of a nail in a wall at ten meters. The Mexican Ambassador also took careful aim and grazed his nail. The Honduranean then took the pistol and said don like this child play. Then, taking a coi from his pocket he tossed it in the air and hit it with one quick shot before it reached the ground.
Earlier in the afternoon had a call from two Americans representing Otil McAllister Comrany of San Francisco, the big coffee importers. It seems that last fall they advanced over 250, 000 to Jose Figueres against a mortgage on his coffee crop. That is the usual way coffee is financed here (at Repayment of the loan is made in deliveries of coffee at the market price. Some deliveries have already been made, but there is still something like 170, 000 outstanding on the loan. In view of reports. hat government forces have accupied Figueres finca and seized large cuantities of coffee being prepared for shipment, they wanted to know what could be done to protect their investment. That is a real poser. Unless they can show that title to the coffee had passed, which doubt, all they have is an unsecured claim against Figueres, for the government has seized all his property and doubtless will try to market the coffee for its own account. promised to advise the government of the American financial interest in the coffee and told them they should see their lawyer as to what action they should take under Costa Rican law.