Letter from Patrick McGilligan to William T. Cosgrave (Dublin)

Dear President,¹

I realise the difficulties you mention about issuing invitations to the Dominion Premiers.² Scullin is going to Ireland anyhow after the Conference, and so is Brennan, his Attorney General, and perhaps Moloney. Granard³ is inviting them to his place, I understand. Hertzog is keen to go if he can get a long week-end during the sittings of the Conference. He cannot remain over after it concludes. Bennett, I am fairly certain, would not come, and probably Forbes of New Zealand would also decline.

I feel we must ask Scullin and Hertzog, and that we should sound Bennett and Forbes who will, I think, decline. We⁴ need not do anything about it until the Governor General returns, but we should have to move at once then. Your objections to the military escort proposal are, I think, unanswerable.

Once⁵ the Governor General returns, I should like to be in a position to offer Hertzog and Scullin a definite invitation, and, while I feel sure they won't come, to sound Bennett and Forbes.

I am sorry to hear you have been confined to bed again. Hegarty⁶ tells me it was a bad cold. I hope you are completely recovered by now.