HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS Enel 10 MEMORANDUM OR CONVERSATION worked During a break in the session of the conciliation committee this morning, Dr. Calderon drew me aside for a private talk. Although it will be recalled that he had agreed, albeit sourly, that Mora should represent the government in talks with Nunez, he was obviously miffed at being excluded. He explained that he was not being kept informed of what was going on, but from what he was told he was sure that the arrangement being worked out would never succeed, and furthermore, it was not in.
our interest. He said Figueres is more of a communist than Mora and that they are scheming a terrible arrangement. For instance, they have agreed to extend the right to strike to the whole country. Under the labor code, workers in the public services, on coffee plantations, and in the banana companies, are not permitted to strike if to do so would endanger the public interest or the crop. Under the Mora Nunez proposals, the banana company workers could strike to the great detriment of that American interest. Furthermore, Figueres is Anti American and during the war helped Nazis on the black list to conceal their property and commercial interests. The only man for President is Castro Cervantes. He is well qualified, a staunch friend of the United States and can count on 26 Republicano and Union Nacional votes in Congress ;more than a majority. How to get them all together he did not say but he urged me to insist on the selection of Castro Cervantes for the full constitutional term beginning May told him the United States would not insist on any particular person.
San José, April 18, 1948.
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