The Washington times., 1917-04-27
COSTA RICANS COME
TO ASK RECOGNITION
Commission Promises Nation
Will Call Out Army to
Fight Kaiser.

NEW YORK, April 2T.-With the
intention of requesting the State De-
partment to recognize the latest
Costa Rican government under the
leadership of President Federico Te-
nico, a commission of Costa Ricans
headed by Ricardo Fernandez Guar
dia is in the city before Fastening to
Washington to pledge their loyalty
to this country even to the extent OF
calling out the Costa Rican army
for war on Germany.
Somewhere in New York the de-
posed President, Alfredo Gonzales,
with his former minister plenipoten
tiary, is roaming around with the
possible intention OF getting enough
support to return to San Jose and
take back the reins of government
which Tenico, assisted by the police,
took away from him in fifteen min
utes on January 81 last when his Of
flee force had gone out to lunch.
Sepor Alexandra Rivas-Vasquez,
who described himself as an unot-
ficial member of the commission, has
tened down from the Hotel Manhat-
tan yesterday to the office OF the
commissions attorney, Henry c. Neu-
wirth, in the Equitable building, to
give reporters the inside story of the
revolution. He also informed them
what a naughty person was EXPIRES
ident Gonzales, under whose admin
istration the one bank in San Jose
closed with hardly a jitney left, and
who put Chief of Police Pinaud in
Jail because he refused to arrest ev-
cry one whom Juan Kumpel, Con-
Zales' German adviser, thought dan
gerous to Kultur.
Election starts Revolt.
The latest political upheaval Of Costa
Rica began approximately three months
before the lunch hour revolution took
place. The politicians decided that it
was time for more trouble. So. they
added another political party called the
Civil Party to the National and Repub-
lican parties. An election was he'd and
when the ballot boxes were opened, just
as they expected, the added starter had
confused everything so that no one was
elected. A compromise was arranged
and anyone with a South American
nose could smell revolution in the set
tlement by which Gonzales was chosen
by congress as the compromise candi-
date. Gonzales started by raising the
taxes. Then the army began drilling
and an order was sent to Bridgeport for
bullets.
Finally Kultur raised its head as chief
adviser Of the President Kumpel be-
came the right hand of the presidential
throne. Soon Gonzales became a dicta-
tor. and the army. composed OF Costa
Rica's patriotic citizens. quit. drilling
The gendarmes. who came in for spe-
cial privileges. however. kept on the
Job and took the place Of the army.
Feeling secure. Gonzales vetoed a bill
which he had already signed permitting
an American corporation to sink petro-
leuE wells outside Of San Jose.
Chief of Police Jailed.
Then Kunpel took a hand and
brought things to head in a
thoroughly Germanic manner. He
rode up to the Presidents palace one
hot afternoon and told Gonzales
that he thought Chief of Police
Pinaud would be safer in jail.
That evening found Pinaud de-
prived. Of his official insignia, sit
ting on a three legged stool in an
environment which smacked of the
movies. But Gonzales had over
stepped himself. German diplomacy
had again bumped itself from the
was the personal act, and Every
Costa Rican enjoyed an imaginary
sting in the at of his white ducks
The revolution came quickly.
Some one stole the key to the
arsenal. The police, deprived of
their chief, locked up the police sta
tion and went home. Saturday.
January -, rs selected as the day
to owe row -.e government So
the populace. headed by Tenico,
former minister of war, quietly
gathered in the plaza and sent word
to President Gonzales in the palace
that he was wanted outside.
When he appeared with Kunpel he
was informed that he was jobIess
and was not even allowed to finish
his meal. He also became the oc-
cupa-t Of the three legged stool.
The everybody drank oodles of
warm champagne and the revolution
was a success.