Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Eamon de Valera (Geneva)

My dear Sir,
You will have read the full report of Chamberlain's speech and of his wonderful triumph in the House of Commons. Dulanty told me that the only fly in the ointment was when Churchill came up to Chamberlain before he left the House and said 'You have had wonderful luck'. It appears that Churchill and Lloyd George had prepared very venomous attacks on the Prime Minister and his policy. I have no doubt at all that your message published in the press this morning played its own part in securing goodwill for Mr. Chamberlain.

The latest information we have from the British shows that Chamberlain has fully guaranteed that Czech promises shall be carried out, and he has expressed his confidence that agreement can be reached within a week. You will have learned from the High Commissioner of the plan suggested by Chamberlain to Hitler in his message sent from London at 6.45 last evening. It seems to be the type of plan which Hitler could accept and save his face before his people. No doubt it will be a basis for the discussions on the British side beginning in Munich to-morrow, though the absence of any mention of it in Chamberlain's speech this afternoon may indicate that the British have dropped it. I am, however, enclosing a copy¹. There are certain verbal mistakes in it, due to cipher difficulties as well as certain obscurities which I shall try to have cleared up. You may some day wish to use it as a model. The announcement of the meeting at Munich seems to have had an electric effect on British opinion, and Chamberlain may at last have the opportunity of bringing about with the full support of his own public opinion the European settlement which he so earnestly desires. It is unnecessary to tell you of the immense relief felt by the Tánaiste, all the Ministers and the Civil Service at what must be at least the beginning of the end of the crisis.