File No. 711.18/14
The Consul at San José ( Chase) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honor to report that on Tuesday evening, November 12, a pro-Ally demonstration was had before the American Legation, without the band, but with a couple of hundred people. The band accompanied the people to all other consulates and legations, and was kept away from our Legation as well as a large number of people by orders of Tinoco, as one man told me when they arrived before our Legation.
Appropriate addresses were made and that of Chargé Johnson was much cheered, although he spoke in general terms. The Tinoco agents reported it and on Wednesday at a special session of the Congress it was discussed by deputies. General Federico Tinoco, who acts as President, made a very strong speech, chiefly in the form of an attack on our Chargé.
That evening a party of friends of the United States went to the Legation and, according to reports, they were cheering for the United States, President Wilson, General Pershing and Mr. Johnson and singing Tipperary when they were suddenly attacked by the police and dispersed with some injured. Among the latter was Mr. Chas. F. Ross, an American who when first struck by a policeman, told him he was an American citizen. The policeman replied that he did not care (por mi no importa) and struck him again.
The police had been concealed in a nearby park. From all reports the attack by the police was unprovoked, unjustifiable, and cruel. It seems to have been by orders and was apparently intended as an insult to the United States. The pretense now is that the crowd were revolutionaries, but such is not the fact. They were simply jubilant friends of the United States making merry over our great work in the war and its results. Conditions since then are very bad.
[Page 274]The subject of my despatch No. 381 of October 29, 1918,1 sent off three cablegrams which were written in the house of Federico Tinoco (Casa Azul) according to reliable information; one addressed to President Wilson, another to some Senators, and another to Mr. Bryan, in which he took sides for the Tinocos and against our Government representative, and falsely stated that he was speaking for the American colony here. His un-American attitude—since being permitted to return to Costa Rica, presumably to attend to his gold mines—is very much resented by all of the substantial Americans in the colony here who feel very keenly the gross insult offered our Government here by order of those now in control. Most people with whom I have spoken feel sure that … by his general conduct and talk and misrepresentations has done more to bring about present conditions than any other individual except the Tinocos and his presence here is anything but beneficial to the United States.
There will neither be peace nor security for life or property in Costa Rica until the whole party now running affairs are ousted by whatever means necessary. Americans are in actual danger now and they, together with most of the other people, would welcome any action that would end conditions, no matter how drastic.
Threats have been made against the life of Americans within the past few hours by J. J. Tinoco which may be carried out by some of his dupes.
I have [etc.]
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