Eamon de Valera to Arthur Griffith
(No. 4)

A Chara,
I had written a long confidential letter to you going into a number of details but decided to tear it up. I feel there is no small risk of these despatches being some time captured. Things are going slowly here but in the long run everything is going well. I sent you nearly a fortnight ago a telegram beginning 'Summarized news cables well calculated to give rise to false impressions. What I say in America is what I say in Ireland. Apply that test for truth always etc.' Did you receive it?²

Send B.[arton?] along at once also F.[awsitt?]. Both important. McCartan is in Washington, [Liam] Mellowes wants a rest, it is a case of the harvest great and the labourers few. Expenses are awful here. Cost of collecting the bonds subscriptions will I fear be very high. There is no close knit organisation here as at home. One must be created for the purpose. I wish I could devote myself to this solely. I have got a bad reputation here as being 'a very stubborn man'. Harry [Boland] is liked by everybody. [Sean]Nunan is a legion.

I am arranging to have funds as they are collected banked if possible in the names of the three Trustees of the National Treasury. Get me signatures of my colleagues. If I fail to get it managed that way will get it in my own or my own and Boland. I dislike a number of intermediaries. I wish O'Meara could come over. I need such a man very badly to act as my representative on the bond question whilst I am on the tour.

On the political side we are making very good progress. The bond question is backward. H.[arry] did not come to California. He was to make the preliminary arrangements re bonds but unfortunately got ill.

The big tour will begin on about Sept 10th thro[ugh] centre to Denver, north to Seattle, south along Pacific coast and then through Southern States to New York. Before I begin there are a number of isolated meetings. New York State Federation of Labour Syracuse, am asked as principal speaker Labour Day (Sept 1st) New York, at Richmond where I may have a chance of addressing state legislature in special session etc.

I see new regime of further repression started - It is not necessary to send any warning about how the attempt to drive a wedge between the people by any home rule proposals is to be met. Impugn their bona fides. Articles written ready for Press on (1) Industrial prospects of Ireland. (2) English repression of Irish Trade especially in recent times. (3) Ireland value to the world if independent etc would be of great help. I cannot reach on everything and I have no confidence in American writers so as to put my name to what they write. Their angle of view generally wrong one. It is astonishing how little is really known about the true situation even by our friends. The angle has to be learned. I have tried to get it conveyed to the President that all would back genuine attempt to found a real league of nations. I fear he thinks it now too late to change.