Extract from a letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Archbishop John Charles McQuaid (Dublin)

[matter omitted]

Well, the great struggle is on. I wonder does Jack¹ realize that he must take External Affairs under his own control. Our friend used the Dept. for his own exclusive purposes. If he is put back after his humiliating defeat (equivalently so) he will be still worse. Principles do not exist for him. Only a strong Catholic, like Jack himself, can take the right point of view in a crisis. He is unselfish and will not permit selfish considerations to interfere with a Christian decision - of the kind that has to be taken soon.

I am of course, presuming that Jack, not Dev. will form the Govt. All the priests & decent people passing through Rome regard MacB as a menace to the country. It is useless to think he would be controlled by the Govt.

On the hypothesis that Jack leaves him out of the Cabinet, I hope some distinguished priest will immediately take his place at the Cultural Relations Committee. The omission was MacB's first and I hope, fatal (for him) declaration of policy. Everything he has done since has the same cachet attached to it.

[matter omitted]