Evening star., 1955-01-13
Delegation
In Costa Rica
To Probe War
Rebel Chief Seized:
Nervous Guard Fires
On U. S. Plane
sy III. As.osio,.d pr....

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Jan.
lS.-A flve-nation commission
arrived in United States Air
Force plane from Panama today
to conduct an on-the-spot in
vestigation of spreading warfare
in Costa Rica.
A short time later the army
command announced the cap
ture of Carlos Lara Hine and
said he was one of the rebel
leaders" who started the uprising
at Villa Quesada that set on
the warfare on Tuesday.
The announcement said he was
captured uninjured in fierce
fighting yesterday at Rio Peje.
q town near Villa Quesada. This
announcement gave no details of
Lara's background. 1t added
that large stores OF ammunition,
including seven Browning mas
chineguns and many Mauser
rifles, were seized from retreafing
rebel forces.
The announcement said this
rebels abandoned one OF their
dead at Rio Peje. In addition
to Lara. many" other rebels
were reported captured. include
ing two seriously wounded.
Trigger-Happy Welcome.
A nervous airport guard gave
a trigger-happy welcome to q
United States Air Force trans
port PLANE that arrived in adj
vance Of the commission from
the Organization Of American
States.
Arrival of the commission in
another United States Air Force
plane from Panama a short time
later was without incident. But
a single shot was fired at the
transport by a guard apparently
still nervous over yesterdays air !,
attack on San Jose by q single
plane. The United States plaAe
was a considerable distance aWay
and the shot was low. so no dam
age was done.
The commission was named by
the Organization of American
States to conduct an on-the-spot
survey Of the tense situation that
has developed between Costa
Rica and Nicaragua. One Of the
| points still to be established def
niteiy is the origin Of the opposi-
tion forces.
Origin Disputed.
Costa Rica charges that the
warfare was instigated and has
the active participation of exiIes
and others from Nicaragua. But
the Nicaraguan government.
denying this, said 1t was q rebel.
lion inside the country aimed at
the overthrow Of President Jose
Figueres.
The United States State De.
partment announced 1t was CO.
operating by ordering American
planes to the battle area to make
pacific observation" flights re-
quested by OAS in the hope such
flights would halt air raids on
Costa Rican towns.
Luis Quintilla OF Mexico, chair
man of the commission. said 1t
would get down to work imme-
diately after calling on Presi-
dent Figueres. United States AM
Ambassador Robert F. Woodward
was among diplomats at the air.
port who greeted the commits
sion.
| Mr.. Figueres blamed the OUT
breaks Of fighting. concentrated
mainly in the north, on exiies
and "mercenaries" trained and
equipped in neighboring Mica.
ragua.
S0moza Denies Accusations.
Across the border, Nicaraguan
President Anastasio Somoza con-
tinued to deny the Costa Rican
accusations. chasing the fighting
In Costa Rica as a "civil war"
Mr.. Somoza said he had ordered
all rebels crossing his borders
disarmed and all Costa Ricans In
the country rounded up for ques-
tioning.
The Nicaraguan President
spoke at a news conference in
Managua during which he also
challenged Mr.. Figueres to meet
him at the border and settle
their long -time feud with d duel
between the two of them So
moza must be mad" q source
tSee COSTA RIGA, Page A-2.)