Evening star., 1948-04-14

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|Cease-Fire Order
Fighting in Costa Rica's civil
war was stopped yesterday by a
cease-fire order while United
States and other diplomats aided
truce negotiations, acting Sec
retary OF State Lovett reported
today. -
Mr.. Lovett told a news conference
that the latest reports to the de-
partment said the cease-flre orders
which went out to both sides at
am. yesterday appeared to be ef-
fective as of late last night except
for isolated instances.
In these instances, the depart
ment's reports sid, the troops In
volved apparently had not been able
to receive the instructions to cease
fighting.
The report added that there was
no evidence OF any deliberate
breach of the orders.
Davis Meets Figueres.
United States Ambassador Ma
thaniel P. Davis and a group OF
other diplomats went out from the
capital city of San Jose yesterday
morning to Cartago, about Is miles
away, where they met Jose Figueres,
leader Of opposition forces which
had been advancing on the capital.
Mr.. Lovett said the diplomats re-
ceived from him the conditions uIl-
der which the opposition was willing
to terminate the conflict. and trans
mitted those conditions to President
Teodoroi Picado Michalski.
But Mr.. Lovett said he had re-
ceived no information yet of any de-
cisions being reached.
He said the conditions laid down
by Mr.. Figueres were reported to the
State Department in confidence and
he could not make them public.
Lost Stand Prepared.
Before the cease-fire order yes
terday, reports to the State De-
partment had said the opposition
forces were advancing on San Jose
where government forces appeared
to be planning . house-to-house
defense.
The truce negotiations developed
after the Government called on the
foreign diplomatic corps in San
Jose to take the capital under its
protection.
Internal strife has been raging In
Costa Rica for more than a month
with the opposition forces seeking
to force recognition Of Otilio Ulate
Blanco as president-elect. Mr.
|Ulate, heading a coalition called the
National Union, received a majority
of the votes in Costa Rica's presi-
Dental election February 8. But
the Costa Rican Congress declared
the election invalid because Of al
legged fraud.
Regime Reported Set Up.
Reports were heard in Guatemala
that Mr. Figueres has set up ia
provisional government in Cartago
A well-informed traveller from
Costa Rica, who asked that his
name be withheld. reported on his
arrival in Panama last night that
President Picado has accepted peace
terms dictated by Mr.. Figueres
which call for Mr.. Picado to resign
when Congress meets May l.
Reports from other sources said
all peace terms submitted by Mr.
Figueres had been accepted except
for some minor points. Disrupted
communications were reported ham,
pering the negotiations.
Just what part Communists are
playing in the situation, If any, re-
manned obscure. /
Travellers arriving in Panama
from Costa Rica said Manuel
Mora, Communist leader, has seized
the international airport at Lass
banas, on the outskirts of San Jose
The Communists have been sup
porting the government, but now
appear to be takings things in their
own hands, these informants said
This was largely borne out in dis
patches to the State Department
which heard that Communists in
the Vanguardia Party, which has
been supporting the government
are following an increasingly inde-
pendent line.
Master Plan Reported.
In Mexico City there was re.
port that the Communists have 9
master program to take over q
key points in seizing Costa Rica
These plans repeatedly were Stoler
from Communist headquarters ant
said that 800 men could control tht
capital. The key points in the re-
ported plan INCLUDE airports, gaso'
line storage tanks, railroads, watel
tanks, communications and Other
strategic places.
According to one informant ir
Panama, the peace terms include
delivery of all government arms tt
the rebels; the discharge of all gov
ernment troops; guarantees for life
and property of oppositionists unit
regular courts can take over:-a gen.
eral amnesty and protection o1
foreign consulates and embassies.
The informant said Mr.. Figueres
stipulated he would recognize the
right of asylum, which would per-
NIT persons fleeing to take refuge
in neutral embassies and legations
There are 10000 miles of fishing
streams in United States national
forests.