Memorandum by Francis T. Cremins for Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin) on disarmament

Secretary,

With reference to the attached report from Department of Defence,¹ the position is that a Technical Committee of one of the Disarmament Conference Commissions has been set up to examine the statements of expenditure on armaments furnished to the League by the various countries. This Committee will examine the statements in conjunction with any observations which may be submitted regarding them by any other delegations attending the Conference.

The Irish Free State is No. 27 on the list for examination, so that it is unlikely that our statements will be reached upon by the Committee for some weeks. There is no urgency therefore regarding the question of sending a technical expert to Geneva to give supplementary information to the Committee. It may in fact not be necessary to send an expert at all. Our statements of expenditure are comparatively simple, and when the nature of the criticism directed at the statements of other countries is seen, it may be possible in a memorandum to provide all the necessary information. I have asked Mr. Lester to send us information on this point.

It is highly unlikely, I think, that any country will raise points on our statements of expenditure. Serious criticism will be reserved for countries which are heavily armed.