HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS. 6they refused. The President spoke up and said he felt himself that, while in all frankness the military situation of the government is very bad and that in a fight. ehey would almost certainly lose San Jose but only after blood had been shed, the did not mean that the government was without means. To control San José or even the entire meseta Central was not to control the whole country and frankly, if a peace could not be arranged cceptable to all parties, he would transfer the seat of the government to Guanacaste and keep up the struggle from there. He thought it would be most unfortunate to do this for his legal term ends on May and he did not see how, in the event the government moved, a successor could be legally qualified before that date but his supporters certainly would keep up the struggle until the end of his term and probably thereafter and likely there were many valiant people in Guanacaste who would rally to his cause.
Bonilla Lara then suggested that we adjourn the meeting until this evening. In the meantime, Padre Nunez and Mora should get together and talk about the question of cabinet posts. Mora and Dr. Calderon then would consult their party leaders in the hope that when we met at the whole thing could be settled. The members of the Corps indicated their willingness to do this but pointed out that they would not enter into such political arrangements or have any part in them as they were purely an internal matter. We had complied with our duty in seeking and proposing a method of settlement and since Padre Nunez had talked with the President and was now to talk again with Mora, we had brought the parties together. The Mexican Ambassador suggested Padre Nunez talk not only with Mora but also with Dr. Calderon.
Mora said with a smile that the Costa Ricans present probably understood the finer points of Costa Rican politics better than the diplomats and he felt quite certain that in the present circumstances it was better that only he and Nunez consult. Calderon said nothing but nodded very sour assent.
When the meeting broke up, Nunez was still at Harshberger waiting for a further talk with Cartago at p. m, and my car was still (I hoped) waiting at Figueres outpost to bring Monseigneur Supe back.
Zuse