Letter from Robert Brennan to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(Copy)

Dr. Myles Dillon¹ called on Tuesday, the 5th instant. He was on his way from the North Carolina State University where he conducted lectures for the past six weeks for the Institute of Linguists.

He asked me about his brother's statement in the Dáil² of which he had only heard a brief radio summary. I gave him particulars of the full debate so far as I had them. He said that he quite agreed with James, and was glad he had spoken out as he did, that as a matter of fact James had made the same statement at a meeting in Wexford some time ago, and that all mention of his speech had been ruled out by the censor which he (Dr. Dillon) considered outrageous. I explained the danger to Ireland's unity and neutrality in precipitating any debate on such an issue and he conceded that perhaps I was right. He was anxious to know whether James had resigned from the Fine Gael Party and I could not tell him.

I had him to luncheon in the Mayflower Hotel, my wife being away at the seaside. I was in some doubt as to whether we would be served in the hotel since he had on only shirt and trousers but fortunately nothing happened though the other guests apparently were surprised. He told us – Messrs. Nunan and Devlin were also present – that the Professors in the Wisconsin University were 10 to 1 in favour of intervention, whereas the students were 10 to 1 the other way. He also said that Chicago was 10 to 1 against intervention. He, himself, is violently anti-German and is very impatient at the fact that America is not already in the war. He spoke violently against many non- interventionists of his acquaintance.

He is extremely tactless and actually quoted with amusement the following instances. At a St. Patrick's Day banquet in Chicago Mayor Kelly turned up and was seated beside him. He (Dr. Dillon) had been reading something about the activities of the Kelly-Nash political machine which dominates Chicago, and he turned to the Mayor and said can you tell me something about this scoundrel Nash, forgetting that Nash was the other party to the Kelly-Nash machine which is often referred to by its political opponents as the Kelly-Nash gang. On another occasion he was present at some ceremony in the Catholic University at Washington, D.C., during which a speech was made by Bishop Corrigan, the Rector of the University, who is an extremely fat man. He (the Bishop) began to talk about social service. Dr. Dillon, according to his own story, walked indignantly out of the hall and later encountered a Priest he did not know on the Campus and said to him 'why does that blubbery Priest in there talk about social service on an occasion like this. I think it is disgusting'. He later learned that the Priest he was talking to was Monsignor Fulton Sheen³, a friend of the Bishop's.

He referred during our luncheon to Cardinal O'Connell and Cardinal Dougherty as two crooks, and said that Cardinal O'Connell, who is a boor as well, no doubt with a view to the supporters of Mary McSwiney in Boston, had come out with an anti-British speech. I mildly told him that the Cardinal had not once referred to Ireland, much to my disappointment, and that his speech was entirely devoted to keeping America out of war. His reply was that the Cardinal is the richest priest in the world as shown by the income tax returns and, of course, I pointed out that he was Trustee for a great deal of church funds.

Dr. Dillon apparently does not mind who is listening to him in voicing his opinions, and he denounced America and the American way of life quite freely as he apparently does on all occasions.

When I was leaving him he said 'I suppose I have been saying all the wrong things as I generally do, but thanks all the same'.