John Chartres to William T. Cosgrave (Dublin)

A dhuine uasail,
I received a telephone message from Mr. FitzGerald's office this morning requesting me to return to Berlin at once and be ready to hand over to someone else by the middle of next week. This message appears to be tantamount to an immediate dismissal.

A week ago Mr. FitzGerald told me that it was proposed to transfer me to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. I have, however, received no letter cancelling my credentials at Berlin, and no letter respecting any new post. I am in this position that if I leave Dublin now I do not know whether I am to return or not.

This abrupt telephone message reaches me after I have been kept waiting here for two months. I find its suddenness the more unaccountable since I offered my resignation to Mr. FitzGerald three weeks ago if it would in any way facilitate matters for the government. He refused to accept it, assuring me that he would see I was not placed in any false position. I then understood that I was returning to Berlin. Mr. FitzGerald even asked me if I understood the lines on which he wished things to be run.

So far as I know only one factor has arisen in the interval to account for the altered situation and that is the slander of which I have spoken and written to you. You assured me that no one would believe the story. It would appear, however, that the Minister for External Affairs has been influenced by it in his action towards me. I may add for your information that Mr. Bewley has admitted that this scandalous story was suggested to him by Mr. Gavan Duffy.

The circumstances are so unusual that I think I am entitled before I leave Dublin to an explanation and to a precise statement of how I stand.