Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Europe: Political and Economic Developments, Volume IV, Part 1

No. 229

740A.00/3–751

The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Connally)

[Washington,] April 13, 1951.

My Dear Senator Connally: I refer to your letter of March 7, 1951,¹ with which you transmit to the Department of State for comment Senate Resolution 93 introduced in the Senate on March 6, 1951, “Declaring it to be the sense of the Senate of the United States that the Republic of Ireland should embrace the entire territory of Ireland.” Reference is also made to the Department’s interim reply of March 8, 1951.¹

The Department of State has, of course, long been aware of the questions arising from the political status of Northern Ireland and has given the most careful consideration to the bearing of these questions on the relations of the United States with the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, two of this country’s closest friends. It is believed that this is not a matter in which the United States could properly or usefully intervene.

There is also a question as to the propriety of recommending a specific means of accomplishing the objective of the resolution.² Accordingly the Department does not recommend passage of this resolution.³

The Department has been informed by the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection to the submission of this report.⁴

Sincerely yours,

For the Secretary of State:

Jack K. McFall Assistant Secretary

1. Not printed. (740A.00/3–751)
1. Not printed. (740A.00/3–751)
2. Reference is to the final words of the resolution which read: “Resolved that it is the sense of the Senate of the United States that the Republic of Ireland should embrace the entire territory of Ireland unless the clear majority of all of the people of Ireland, in a free plebiscite, determine and declare to the contrary.” A copy of the resolution is attached to the source text but is not printed.
3. This resolution was followed by others, including House Joint Resolution 31 and House Resolutions 26, 53, 82, 141, and 172. Copies of these were sent to Acheson in a letter of July 23 from the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. McFall, answering for the Secretary of State on July 31, recommended against passage of these resolutions for the same reasons given in the response of April 13 to the Senate resolution. Department of State correspondence concerning this and subsequent Congressional action is in file 740A.00.
4. A report on Senate Resolution 93, prepared in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations; not printed.