REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES CECLASSINED Suthority Stateletter Inhz we HARA Oste 2 981 Desp. No. 365 American Embassy, San José, July 22, 1948.
RESTRICTED whether communism will be completely eradicated as a political or social phenomena as long as the causes which gave rise to it are not destroyed. These causes, it states, can.
not be destroyed by mere coercive or restrictive measures but can only be eradicated by positive action which will guarantee the laboring classes justice and well being. It quotes a recent statement by Chilean Socialist leader IBAÑEZ to the effect that America will have to fight on two front in defense of democracy and social justice. one the insensibility narrow mindedness and lack o public spirit of the wealthy, the other the communist dena goguery making fantastic promises to the laboring classes.
It claims that while capitalism in Costa Rica has never exercisee a preponderant influence, in El Salvador, on the other hand, the rich are in complete control of everything so that the people can do little else but to obey and sup port this hateful hegemonyt.
It is pointed out that capitalism in Costa Rica has been virtually indifferent to social problems and has been content to let the government solve everything. The claim is made that it has never paid taxes in proportion to its ability to do so and that burdens of supporting the govern ment have to a large extent rested upon the poor. As a result, it is stated, the country has grown progressively poorer and social problems have gradually increased. It is here, on this negative front, the editorial states, where the most important battle against communism must take place.
The fact that no past government paid attention to the needs of the laboring classes is claimed to have been the greatest contributing factor to the growth of communism in Costa Fica. It permitted the communists to take advantage of a distressing situation. Had these causes for agitation not existed, communism would not have thrived in Costa Rica.
The editorial conoludes by asserting that the best way of destroying communism without disturbing individual liberties is by eradicating the problems on which the communists based their campaign of hatred and of fratricidioal struggle.
Analyzing the achievements of the Junta during its less than three months in orlice, one cannot but reach the conolusion that it is making genuins efforts towards ameliorating the lot of the masses. While much remains to be done, already a good deal has been accomplished through forcing down the cost of food staples Unfortunately, RESTRICTED