Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Leopold H. Kerney (St Jean de Luz)
(Secret)

Dear Mr. Kerney,
I have put your suggestion concerning the recognition of the Franco Government to our Minister (Your letter S.J.19/4 of 30th January)¹. He will require some little further time to consider it. If you were to inform the Count de Mamblas now that we should recognise his Government after the fall of Madrid, we might be putting ourselves in the position of being last in the race. The other countries concerned may decide to give recognition long before Madrid has actually fallen. However, if the Minister has to reply to a question in the Dáil on the matter within the next ten days, he will reply that the change in the situation in Spain naturally brings the issue of recognition to a head and that it is being considered by the Government. Having followed a non-interventionist attitude so far, the Minister does not want to give any impression of haste. I shall instruct you when a decision has been reached. You may take it that it will not be a long delay, and you could certainly begin to think of making remote preparations for your return to Madrid so soon as conditions allow you to do so.

There is a general feeling of relief here regarding the international situation, and the impression is gaining ground that the danger of war has at least become more remote. Ten days ago the feeling was one of extreme pessimism.