HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS while we as a body representing the nations of the earth had assumed a responsibility which amounted to trying to. prevent further bloodshed, as fellow members of the Pan American community, the matter lay closer to our hearts than the mere performance of a duty. The American nations form one of the main bastions of democracy in the world and it was of the highest importance in the interest of all of us to maintain peace and the democratid process in our midst. We had taken note of the fact that the leaders on both sides had stated they were o continue the conflict and both had expressed confidence in and ability to win in an all out war but. We also took note of the fact that both sides had stated the same objectives; namely true democracy, a reign of law, and the economic and social development of all the people. Since both were fighting for the same thing, it seemed ridiculous to continue the fight one against the other. They should join forces and transfer their efforts from the field of battle to the field of civic life. This speech was my major effort in Spanish to date and two or three times when was stuck for a word, the President, who was sitting next to me, supplied it. Dr. Calderon Guardia then spoke. He began by expressing his sincere appreciation of the efforts of the Corps in behalf of his strife torn country and expressing his confidence that a satisfactory solution could be found by good will on both sides. He then restated his wellknown thesis that Figueres started the revolt while the parties, both in good faith, were negotiating a settlement.
Therefore, the spilling of blood was not on his head. He went on to say that the solution proposed would only settle matters fromnow until the new Congress meets in May when the battle would begin again and he thought that the Diplomatic Corps should select someone to be elected President for the new constitutional term beginning in May. We explained to him that that was a matter of internal politics in which the Corps would not intervene.
About this point we were interrupted by an urgent phone call saying that Cartago wanted to speak to Padre Nuñez. We arranged to send him to Harshberger house under military escort and in the Mexican Embassy car. It later developed that what Cartago wanted to talk about was the surrender of the cuartel. Early in the morning at the