Letter from Count Gerald O'Kelly de Gallagh to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(109/B/30)

I have had interviews within the last two days with the Ministers of Switzerland, Portugal and Sweden in connexion with our candidature for a non-permanent seat on the League Council.

All these ministers were, of course, very courteous, and I believe we will obtain support form the Swiss and the Portuguese. The Swiss Minister understood our position immediately and promised his support with his Government. The Portuguese Minister, a very placid personality, pleasant but not inspiring, promised his support likewise. He added that Dr. Vasconcellos, the Portuguese permanent delegate at Geneva would be passing through Paris in a week's time and at my request undertook to arrange that I should see him then. I have known Dr. Vasconcellos for some years and I may say that I am on excellent personal terms with him and feel very hopeful of being able to secure not only his vote, but his influence, which I believe counts for quite a good deal at Geneva. I don't know if Mr. Lester knows him intimately or not, but I am forwarding Mr. Lester a copy of this letter to keep him au courant. (I forward to Geneva, Berlin and Rome copies of all the letters I write you on the question of the L. of N.)

As regards my visit to the Swedish Minister, there I found lukewarm support. The Count Ehrensvärd listened to everything I had to say and promised to communicate in that sense with his Government, but I gathered that to begin with he had not much use for the L. of N. and secondly that he was suspicious of double representation of the British Commonwealth on the Council. He said: 'C'est tout de même une curieuse situation que le Commonwealth Britannique a déjà un siège permanent au Conseil et que maintenant vous en voulez un non permanent aussi'! This after I had been to especial pains to underline our independent attitude and status! It will take a very long time to allow the implications of that status to sink in to the consciousness of the average European statesman.