HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS (bow by Amlov Begos 299 vise F9iJ11300 December 14, 1948.
More or less routine all morning. Much speculation as to the destination of the three Taca planes that took off yesterday and were back on the field this morning.
It had been understood that they went to Cuba but some of the experts were arguing they could not have gone there and returned in the time they were unaccounted for here.
Finally around 11, one of our informants came in and said Well anyhow the boys at the airport are all smoking, Corona Coronas. and you don find them at La Cruz.
That ended the argument. young AP man sent down from Mexico to cover the war came in for a little background briefing. From his questions, concluded he had never heard of Costa Rica before, Don blame him much.
After lunch, news began to filter in of a supposed skirmish south of La Cruz with the government troops taking some prisoners. Went around to see the Foreign Minister to ask what gives. He said it was true and the prisoners had said they got their arms before crossing the border from Luis Somoza. also got him to call Cardona and ask why Arthur Sherman is in the jug. It seems he was hanging around the airport looking curious. Nuñez told him to move on. Instead he offerted to fight and took a poke at Nuñez.
So Nuñox called the guard and had him hauled off to jail as a suspicious character. He is that, all right. Came to. fly Aguilux! airplane for a Honduran revolution; got fired.
because he knew too much and tried to get in touch with Iaraelites or Chinesa ends up in the jug for fighting with a member of the Civià Aeronautics Board.
On return to the office found a long cable from Shaw proposing that we work a deal between Tacho and Figueres involving mutual concessions. Replied thought going ahead on our own without lotting the COAS settle the matter would be premature. Also a cable from the Department asking particulars of the Caribbean Legion. Wired back a summary of all we know which is not all we like to know. Also a cable from Salvador telling of Casteneda attempt to keep himself in office. No answer required.
Went home about 6:30. While listening to VOA broadcast, Andy phoned that Dubois is back from Liberia and says the story of a fight and prisoners is not true. Wonder where we go from here? Hope to get that mystery solved in the morning.
NPDavis:mjp