Extracts from a handwritten letter from Desmond FitzGerald to Mabel FitzGerald (Dublin)

[matter omitted]

This morning economic affairs in which I am not interested. Sankey Commission late afternoon. This place doesn't agree with me. I haven't felt normal any day since I came. Not that I am eating much hotel food - quite the contrary. But I suppose that there is some sort of nervous strain all the time - though at the conference I am not nearly as nervous as I was on other occasions. It is so obvious that as a delegation we are head and shoulders over the others. We do at least know our subject. When I said here that we were above the others - Tody¹ said that even to think it necessary to mention such a thing showed an inferiority complex.

Thomas's speech yesterday was undoubtedly good and very well delivered. Even though there were no 'Hs' where there should have been.

I feel sorry for the government here - outside is the populace expecting great economic results - and I don't see that they can get anything. And inside are we - demanding constitutional changes - and some at least will have to be given - so that the Labourites may be denounced for busting the empire as well as for economic failure.