Extract from a letter from John J. Hearne to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
'The end of the war in Europe'
(14/E/35)

[matter omitted]

But for Hitler, dead, there was nothing but hatred and execration. The Taoiseach's call on Dr. Hempel was the subject of two leaders, one in the 'Toronto Telegram' the other in the 'Montreal Gazette' (as one would expect) denouncing him for that courtesy. We were asked why we did not take the matter up with these papers and explain the situation. We replied that there was nothing to explain, and that we could not write to the editors on the assumption that the majority of the Canadian people were not civilized. We referred to the Taoiseach's speech, and the adjournment of Dáil Éireann on the death of President Roosevelt.

In all their rejoicing, and devout thankfulness to God for the victorious end of the war in Europe, Canadians do not mistake the signs. They realize the significance of the red flame which, in the last days, burst through the smoke rising from the ruins of Berlin. On May the 1st Marshal Stalin declared that the Red Army had liberated Europe and saved civilization. This statement was taken up by the Catholic and the French Canadian press with the general comment that no country liberated by Russia was master of its own destiny. References were made to Poland, Roumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria; and to the fate of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. The dead dictators were blamed on a new count, namely, that in combatting Communism unsuccessfully in arms, they had brought about its inevitable triumph all over Europe.

The San Francisco Conference receded into the background during the days following the end of hostilities. It had always been felt by Canadians generally that the Conference would meet under a cloud. With Mr. Roosevelt's death it was felt that it met under a pall. The antics and nonchalance of Molotov on the Polish emissaries question plunged into despair those who still hoped that something real and workable would come out of the discussions. But the longer it goes on the more people feel that any Security Organization based upon the Alliance will not be a success, or even endure for long. It will be a parabellum peace.

Looking back upon the war years, can we not say that, for ourselves, the maintenance of neutrality was the greatest achievement in all our history, that it was the crown of our sovereignty, and that it will nourish our national life almost without measure, or end.