841D.00/3–1946: Telegram
The Minister in Ireland (Gray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:40 p.m.]
42. Yesterday’s news feature in Eire was De Valera’s broadcast to America on Partition. Since the Secretary’s letter to Senator Mead making clear that US would not intervene in this matter has been published in Dublin and doubtless communicated to Irish Mission in Washington it is evident that De Valera is attempting to go over the Secretary’s head and apply political group pressure on German [American?] Govt. This of course might be regarded as a suitable matter for diplomatic representations. Our interpretation is that De Valera has two ends in view. One is to strengthen his domestic political situation by keeping the Partition issue before the people. The [Page 118] second is to appeal for American sympathy in anticipation of unfavorable reaction when his refusal to cooperate in the matter of German property and personnel in Eire becomes known.9
We regard broadcast as speciously clever and dangerous suppressing and twisting as it does many pertinent and determining facts. His assertion of policy of neutrality as being only profitable policy for small nation serves notice on world that if Irish facilities were again needed for defense purposes against an aggressor they would again be denied. Please send us report of reception by American press and estimate of the significance you attach to it. If he got good press he will doubtless follow it up.10
- For documentation on repatriation of German personnel in Ireland, see pp. 794 ff.↩
- The Department’s reply, in airgram A-20, March 22, to Dublin reads as follows: “Urtel 42, March 19. De Valera’s speech received very slight coverage in the American press extracts from it appearing only in leading papers. No editorial, columnist, nor radio comment.” (841D.00/3–1946)↩