HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS PHANTEE DAVIS Eril EXTRACT FROM MY DIARY April 12, 1948 This morning and nine, two representatives of the Calderonistas came to the house and practically plead with me to do anything to save the situation. They would have agreed to make me dictator if had asked it. Half an hour later, two Ulatistas came. They said. they were not empowered to speak for the party but merely were yiving their personal opinion that the party would be willing to enter into discussions under my presidency.
They could not speak for Figueres. made the same speech to both that had made to Bonilla Lara, namely that the most could do would be to provide the place and opportunity for all parties to get together and thrash out their own difficulties; but that it would be useless to. try to do anything without first ascertaining whether or not Figueres would agree to talk. then went to the office and attended to a number of minor matters.
Just after got home for lunch, Bonilla came and said that events had got ahead of us. Figueres was in Cartago and attacking Tres Rios and it was too late to talk about a deal. The urgent question now was how to spare San José from being sacked and burned. The only alternative to defending the city street by street and house by house would be to place it under the protection of the Diplomatic Corps. He wanted to thank me for my efforts to date, but call them off. He was summoning the Corps for p.
The meeting of the Corps was terrible, with the dear colleagues losing their tempers and shouting at each other, Posse Rivas (Venezuela. who was very drunk, put in his two cents worth by stating that the only one present who should be a member of the committee being appointed to treat with Figueres was the American Ambassador as that would look like pressure by the powerful Finally, it was decided to appoint the Nuncio together with all the Ambassadors. that is Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, and The Chilean Chargé was appointed Secretary. We went in a body to the President to find out whether army communications facilities. could reach Figueres since Millsville could not to ask him to receive us. He had no helpful suggestions. After various attempts through various channels, including ludicrously enough the ordinary telephone to Pres Rios, contact finally was established around seven o clock via PRA radio. By that time we were all at the Mexican Embassy awaiting results. So we went to Harshberger