Code telegram from the Department of External Affairs to the Irish Legation, Washington DC
(No. 11) (Personal) (Copy)

Please endeavour secure intervention of State Department and President in favour of reprieve of death sentence on Barnes and Richards. You should consider whether indirect approach through influential persons who understand the situation or direct approach to State Department the more efficacious. You can say execution of these men for political crime bound to cause a wave of sympathy here and in America and to increase difficulties already very great for Governments concerned. You should point out necessity in the general interest of pressing for removal of the root cause of all these dangers – Partition.