Extracts from the annual report on the Irish Legation in Paris by Art O'Brien to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(P. 19/34)

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On St. Patrick's Day I gave a reception for Irish persons in Paris which brought together some 350 people many of them belonging to our Paris colony in this city and including all the prominent persons in it, others normally resident elsewhere in France and some only temporarily in Paris. This Legation function, which has now become a regular yearly event, apart from its primary purpose of enabling our nationals to feel at home on the National Feastday, serves the further object of giving them some sense of solidarity. As things at present are there are no facilities for Irish persons in Paris to meet each other regularly as, in the complete absence of anything in the nature of society or club rooms there is no place to which an individual national can resort, during the free intervals from what in the great majority of cases is a long day of work, in the certainty of meeting compatriots. Some members of the colony have tried from time to time to establish some sort of a club but all efforts in that direction have so far quite failed as it is a matter in which money or at the least much free time is necessary and our nationals living here have in general got neither. So far the most that the colony has regularly achieved is to hold a dinner and dance on St. Patrick's Day. As in previous years I presided at this dinner and in my speech dealt with the lines which I consider it important that Irish persons resident abroad should follow. Earlier in the day, as guest of honour at the monthly luncheon of the American club which was attended by many prominent people, I spoke on Ireland, its present condition, its inherent unity and its international position. The speech was very warmly received and reported in some detail in the main page of the next day's Paris edition of the New-York Herald.

The International Exhibition, held from the 21st May to the 26th November, occasioned a very largely increased influx of Irish visitors to Paris and a corresponding increase in visitors to and enquiries at the Legation. During that period the Legation had the benefit of the services of an extra male clerk who helped to meet the increased demands made upon it. The Exhibition, too brought with it a number of international Congresses at some of which the Government was represented by headquarters delegates who were facilitated by the Legation as far as possible and at others of which (such as that of the Air Navigation Commission, the Congress relating to Open Air Holidays, the Semaine Internationale de Droit, Congress on Deaf Mutes, the Annual Conference of the Union des Femmes pour la Paix) representation was effected by the Legation. In all these instances as also in the case of other Congresses or manifestation at which the Government was not directly represented but where the material dealt with was of interest to home departments (e.g. Sécurité dans la Vie Moderne, Congrés International de Sauvetage) reports and documents were obtained and transmitted by the Legation.

The calls upon my own time were exceedingly heavy on account of 1) the excessive number of official ceremonies, 2) diplomatic receptions in connection with the Exhibition pavilions and visits of foreign statesmen, etc. and 3) the very considerable number of visitors from Ireland, many of them friends or acquaintances of my own, others officially introduced, and others bearing introductions from friends or acquaintances in Ireland. In 90% of these cases entertainment of one kind or another was necessary or advisable. I calculated that in the 3 months June, July and August, Miss O'Briain and I had not sat down to a meal (lunch or dinner) alone more than about a dozen times. The season was extremely exhausting and trying. All my diplomatic colleagues shared this same feeling and we are all very glad that the exhibition was not continued for another year.

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The number of callers, national and other, to the Chancery during the year was about 550. Interviews covered a wide variety of subject ranging from requests for information as to the means of getting to Ireland to enquiries as to the best living Irish and Anglo-Irish authors, the present state of the Irish language and bibliographies for theses.

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It is to be noted that, whilst the work of the Legation has greatly increased since 1935, I have now less staff than was at the Legation in that year. I have brought this position of affairs to the notice of the Department on several occasions. Unfortunately the Department has not been able to meet my request for extra staff. The work of the Legation cannot to my mind be adequately and effectively dealt with unless the staff is increased. Under present conditions much of the less important work must accumulate and many desirable activities cannot be initiated.

A few of the matters dealt with by the Legation deserve more particular mention.

The passing by Dáil Éireann and the entry into force of the constitution imposed certain exceptional duties on the Legation. During and immediately after its passage through Parliament the Legation received a large number of requests for information in regard to the Constitution in general and some particular provisions. The commemoration of the entry into force of the Constitution involved the distribution to the French and Belgian Press of a circular concerning the Constitution Postage Stamp and the subsequent change in the name of the State, the issue of some 140 circulars to the French and Belgian Diplomatic Corps and to the Press. Frequently too it has been proved necessary to recall the change of name to the attention of the Press and of other bodies and even some Departments of the French Government.

A large quantity of occasional literature was distributed as in previous years, on behalf of the Irish Tourist Association apart from 'Irish Travel' of which a certain number of copies is distributed each month. As in previous years also literature was distributed in connection with the Royal Dublin Society to some 50 selected destinations. The Irish Trade Journal has also been regularly distributed.

The question of necessitous nationals which is a permanent problem became relatively serious on several specific occasions during the year but the difficulty in each case was more or less satisfactorily solved. In such matters the Legation secures very great assistance from the Reverend Father O'Grady of St. Joseph's Church in Avenue Hoche. Father O'Grady is, as you are aware from my reports on this subject, on the Committee of the British Charitable Fund and in close relation with the Hertford British Hospital, the two main British benevolent bodies in Paris. He is always most willing to help Irish persons in every way he can and has never failed to bring to bear to that end all the influence which his position in regard to these bodies gives him. He has, however, found a marked unwillingness on the part of the other members of the Committee of the Fund to incur expenditure on behalf of persons who, they consider, only acknowledge the existence of these bodies when their needs make it imperative to do so. Of this attitude Father O'Grady has informed me in the many interviews we have had on the subject, as I have on a few occasions reported to you. To show the reasons for the attitude of the Committee he has also furnished me with statistics of the numbers of Irish persons treated or supported by the Hospital or the Fund - the number supported by the Fund in August last was, as reported in my minute of the 2nd September 1937² ,19. Unfortunately, however, our nationals must in present circumstances when in need depend on the resources of both these bodies and the Legation has frequently, as an alternative to seeing nationals remain penniless here, had to refer them there indirectly. The whole position as it has existed hitherto is in my opinion both unsatisfactory from a national view point and undignified from that of the Legation and I sincerely hope that the consideration which you are at present devoting to the subject will lead to some solution.

Consular assistance was also given to a number of nationals who found themselves badly treated by their employers. In one instance it proved possible, by an intensive correspondence and considerable investigation to recover the full amount of the claim made by the employee (see minute of 15th January 1938, Dept. Ref. A.45)³ and in others relative satisfaction was secured for our nationals. In one particularly long-lived case full satisfaction was eventually secured for a national but only after the Legation had issued a total of 64 letters of which 25 fell within the year. Visits were paid by a member of the Legation staff to a national who was mentally unwell and wished to return to Ireland. Some support was also rendered by the Legation in a few cases where nationals were, rather unjustly, refused workers' identity cards by the authorities. Various enquiries were also dealt with on behalf of girls intending to come 'au pair' to France, or to families or to Universities and teaching institutions.

A satisfactory arrangement was reached for the publication and production of an Irish translation of a well-known French play. For another Irish author the Legation provided information in regard to a French newspaper of 40 years ago. Some French writers of books and articles were, on the other hand, given information by the Legation both on a number of particular points and on Ireland and Irish history and life in general; and in a few cases the means of study were placed at their disposal at the Legation.

A long correspondence was carried on with some publishers and authors in regard to incorrect information or particulars likely to create a wrong impression furnished in regard to Ireland and after many representations it was found possible to secure the correction of an article reflecting unfavourably on Irish education. This matter was also dealt with to some extent with newspapers.

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TRADE

In spite of the fact that considerable attention was devoted to trade work during the year the situation in respect of both France and Belgium, though for different reasons, leaves much to be desired.

In the case of Belgium our trade throughout the year continued to be regulated by an agreement reached in the last months of 1936. This agreement secured to Ireland a minimum quantity of imports into Belgium in certain commodities (mainly cattle and woollens) and a minimum share of the total quantity of other products (mainly butter and tinned meat) allowed into Belgium.

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The balance of trade with Belgium continues strongly against us - it reached relatively a new low level in 1937 when imports from Belgium stood at £1,243,000 and exports at £204,500 and the January and February figures for 1938 show a further fall (of about 33%) over those for 1937. The deterioration observed had, however, little to do with the inherent difficulties of the Belgian market but was rather due to general unfavourable conditions or deficiencies in our supply. The bulk of our exports has, for several years past, been constituted by cattle, horses, butter, with latterly pelts hides and skins taking a prominent place. During the eleven months ending February 1938, there was a very marked decline in the market value of our exports of cattle (over 65%) and horses (over 35%), while pelts hides and skins showed no great change. The decline in cattle exports to Belgium is to some extent due to an improvement in conditions elsewhere and a fall in prices ruling on the Belgian market. While the value of our exports of butter increased (by about 30%) we were not, however, able to take full advantage of the possibilities in that line. Belgian prices for the greater part of the season were exceptionally favourable both absolutely and because of the reduced licence tax.

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We were, however, unable to meet our full quotas largely owing to the difficulties encountered from home producers, at the time when storage should have taken place, owing to the very high prices temporarily ruling in Great Britain. As regards tinned meat which is covered by our agreement, it has proved impossible to supply any since the early part of the year.

Because of the existence of an agreement in the matter and the fact that there are two reliable agents for cattle and butter in Belgium, the main portion of the Legation's work during the year in regard to Belgian trade was more in the nature of replies to individual enquiries from Belgian firms and the provision of information for individual Irish firms. A general report was, however, furnished in connection with the possibility of new negotiations and several minor reports were sent home in regard to the butter trade in particular. The agreement of 1936 was also renewed for a further period of one year.

In the case of trade with France our greatest difficulty as in previous recent years, arose from the elaborate quota system which covers most of the products in whose export in any quantity we are interested. As things are at present we receive comparatively very small quotas and, what is more serious, in a very irregular manner.

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While failure to grant a quota in successive quarters for a product which we have been used to export to France is not common it does, however, happen and is the source of an important aspect of the Legation's work in regard to our trade with France as well as being very prejudicial to that trade.

During the calendar year our imports to France fell from £49,393 to £30,854 in value; for all 11 months April to February inclusive exports were £27,857 as against £43,477 for 1936-37. However, imports in the first two months of the present year have been slightly better than in 1937 though it is noticeable that a quota for cheese in the first quarter, obtained exceptionally and with some difficulty, had not so far been taken up. Two special factors may have contributed to the decline in our trade with France in the year under review: French currency further depreciated over the period by about 40% and French business circles were almost continuously pessimistic.

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During the greater portion of the year under review the rather rigid attitude of the French authorities towards demands on our side was unchanged. More recently, however, they have shown a tendency to meet us to some extent. This tendency is undoubtedly due in a large measure to the unsatisfactory position of the French commercial balance. In that balance Ireland occupies a unique position in that the ratio of trade is at least 6:1 in favour of France (only 9 other countries had a passive balance with France in 1937). While our trade is relatively of very small dimensions in the total of French foreign trade it is not quite negligible and has a very important character from one point of view in that we are one of a declining number of countries with a free currency. I feel it is a pity that when the position of our trade here is going from bad to worse each year we do not take advantage of the hints given to us in the matter and send out a trade delegation even if our hopes are not high.

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