HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS He handed us a memorandum which amounted to a restatement of the old efforts at a political deal, even to the extent of suggesting some of the names that have been hashed over for weeks. We told him it would be no use to present such a document to Figueres as he would certainly reject it and that would be the end of the mediation effort. After considerable discussion he authorized us to say that the proposal was acceptable in all but one point, and as to that he considered it desirable to discuss it in private with someone having full powers from Figueres as he believed such a representative would understand his position. We retumed to Harshberger house, and using his radio sent that message to Figueres. Somewhat to our surprise he agreed and it was arranged that we will return to the front lines tomorrow morning at eight to meet Figueres! delegate and escort him under our protection to the Mexican Embassy. The President will then go there for a private discussion with him.
Since all San José can listen to these radio conversations, we were careful not to mention which point was under discussion, but identified it as the one in lines through of the memorandum So Figueres knew perfectly well what the problem was but nobody who had not seen the memorandum would. That is the one hopeful sign.
Ve returned to the President and told him that the representative would come. He told us that in the meantime the General Staff has advised him that the military situation is hopeless and that it will support him in entering into such an agreement with Figueres. He will see Mora tonight and try to get his party agreement to go along.
There lies the danger; because, as of this moment, it is the Calderonistas who are insisting on a fight to the finish. We again upbraided him on the nonobservance of the truce; again without result. Either he can or he won take the risk of sending someone with orders. We told him that Figueres had informed us that the cuartel now is throwing fire bombs on adjacent houses and that public opinion in Cartago was so incensed that he may be forced to storm the cuartel, cost what it may in lives.
As to Tejar, we again insisted that he send a jeep and told him the road it can take. We also told him that we knew from radio intercepts that the order to attack at Tejar