740.0011 European War 1939/6832: Telegram
The Minister in Ireland ( Gray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:06 p.m.]
105. Reference your telegram No. 77, November 19, 6 p.m. Pursuant to your instructions I conveyed to De Valera on November 22 the views expressed in your telegram under reference. In a letter to him requesting an interview, I explained that your message was in response to my request for confirmation of my previously expressed interpretation of the trend of American opinion that Americans, as I had told Walshe, viewed Irish enjoyment of security and neutral rights under international law as being secured by and at the expense of Great Britain, as well as the unrationed standard of living here. I expressed that his unwillingness to explore the possibilities of cooperation might produce criticism that would have bad effect on our happy relations.
He received me cordially but said that any discussion of leasing an inch of this country’s territory to anyone was out of the question. It was not a war of Ireland’s choosing and that it was strange that the neutral United States should deny the right of neutrality to a small nation. I replied that we were not denying any right but that as all right ultimately depended on power he might be relying on the power of American public opinion to support him and that he might fail to receive this support. He said that there was a God in Heaven who would support him and they would all die if need be in defense of their sovereignty.
He then gave his views on the probable postwar set-up of the world suggesting a German-controlled Europe with England and Ireland aligned with the commonwealth of nations and the Americas. He told me that he had believed in Hitler up to the taking of Czechoslovakia. Now he condemns him. He again complained of not being able to get suitable arms from England though admitting that he intended to use them against Great Britain if trespassed upon.
Before this interview I was informed very confidentially that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition20 had on November 20th warned De Valera that his policy appeared to be ranging him against Britain and the United States and on the side of Germany, that if it came to a question of declaring war on England the Deputy Leader would go to the country even if it brought on civil war here. In my view great care must be taken if any pressure is to be exerted that it give him no grounds for strengthening his political position. Churchill played [Page 173] into his hands. His genius for capitalizing such tactical errors cannot be overestimated. Despatch with details will be forwarded by pouch.21