Memorandum from Joseph P. Walshe to Eamon de Valera (Dublin) regarding President Franklin D. Roosevelt's message of 15 April to Adolf Hitler

Mr. MacVeagh, American Chargé d'Affaires, called yesterday forenoon for the purpose of informing me that he had been instructed to leave 'informally' a copy of the President's message of the 15th April to Chancellor Hitler, and to suggest that a message or statement to the general effect that the message was welcomed by us as a constructive move in the promotion of world peace would be a help in building up public opinion against aggression and war. Mr. MacVeagh was further instructed to inform us that all the Governments on the American Continent had sent messages of approval and that others were now being received from Europe and the Near East. I told Mr. MacVeagh that I would immediately instruct Mr. Brennan¹ to find out from the State Department which European States had replied and what was the general tenor of the replies. I should then be able to convey the desire of the State Department to my Minister with the relevant information. This morning I received a reply from Mr. Brennan saying that 'very few' European countries had yet sent replies, but that the general tenor of those replies was that 'President's message was a constructive move towards peace'. The State Department, while giving this information to Mr. Brennan, informed him that they would be pleased to have us on record in similar terms.

There are rumours, which have so far received no official confirmation, that the German representatives have been instructed to enquire from the States named in President Roosevelt's message whether in effect they felt themselves menaced by Germany. If the question were put to us, we should be obliged to answer in the negative, and the request of the State Department to give formal approval to President Roosevelt's message puts us in something of a quandary. If we give unqualified approval, we should seem to be accepting the Roosevelt thesis that the Germans had aggressive intentions in our regard. We should also take into account that the State Department's method of correcting their description 'Great Britain and Ireland' was ungenerous, and it leaves still in doubt whether they regarded us as an independent State or not. Moreover, as the statement of Mr. Hull² has not appeared anywhere in the British Press, we may take it that the State Department made no effort to secure publicity for the correction in Great Britain. For these reasons one feels very reluctant to come to their aid in order to restore life to the President's damp squib. In any case, there would be no harm in waiting to see what response the appeal for replies is going to meet with in Europe. I am asking Mr. Brennan to send us definite information as to the European countries which will have replied by Tuesday. Perhaps you could find a moment to tell me on the 'phone what your wishes are in the matter.

I attach a possible line of reply

Possible Reply to Mr. Roosevelt

I most earnestly hope that your efforts and those of all statesmen upon whose shoulders rest the responsibility and the duty to prevent the supreme catastrophe of war will lead to fruitful results.

Great sacrifices are required from the rulers of all nations to avert the danger of a new holocaust of the Youth of the world. I urge upon you to make a new appeal to the great Powers calling upon them to make the sacrifices necessary to build a new order based upon justice and upon respect for the freedom and integrity of all small nations.