Extract from a letter from John J. Hearne to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(14.E.87)

Mr. Lester and Mr. Cremins

[matter omitted]

Mr. Wrong¹ thought that, on the whole, the arrangements made at Geneva concerning Mr. Lester, retrospective salary, 3,000 dollars pension, and so on (of which you are, doubtless, already fully informed) were adequate, although not generous. He had asked Mr. Lester whether he would return to the Department of External Affairs in Dublin and Mr. Lester had replied somewhat vaguely. I said that I doubted if he would want to return. We all spoke of Mr. Lester's well known excellent qualities.

Mr. Wrong expressed his pleasure at the state of Mr. Cremins' health which, he said, had greatly improved. He would 'venture to suggest' that Mr. Cremins be made a Minister: he had, Mr. Wrong said, been too long a Chargé for so devoted and successful a public servant.

Mr. Mackenzie King's visit to London

Mr. Robertson will accompany Mr. Mackenzie King to London at the end of the week. I asked him how long they would be away. He smiled and said he could not say for certain, perhaps two or three weeks. They had actually no programme. The failure of the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Paris had upset their arrangements. Mr. King had hoped to be in Paris for the conclusion of the Peace Treaty with Italy. (Mr. Wrong said at this stage that he believed there would be no conclusion to the discussions on the Italian Treaty before October). Mr. Robertson said that one of the main difficulties arose in connection with the position regarding the Allied Military Commissions. On the conclusion of the Italian Treaty the Allied Military Commission would leave Italy. Molotov was insisting that the Allied Military Commissions in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary should be withdrawn at the same time. 'We have to remain in these countries for a long while yet' Mr. Robertson said.

I said that I thought there were too many conferences. There seemed to be a lack of cohesion and coherence in all the activities of the United Nations. There had been too much insistence upon the solidarity of the Great Powers when everyone knew that they were not united at all. The alliance had proved to be the most brittle of international relationships, and the worst possible basis of world peace. There was a lack of leadership as a result of which the situation was getting out of hand. Mr. Mackenzie King had now a great opportunity to play a great role. The mantle of the leadership had fallen upon him. He had a passion for mankind and for peace.

'What about Smuts?'² Mr. Robertson asked. 'Smuts', I replied, 'is a back number. He is, besides, too much identified with British Imperialism. Mr. King is a national leader. He stands for the Nations first. That is his history' (I said this for a purpose).

Mr. Robertson then told of his experience with Field Marshal Smuts in San Francisco. The Field Marshal had drafted the Preamble of the 'Charter' in South Africa. Mr. Robertson approached him in San Francisco with a view to having one or two amendments made which the Canadian Delegation desired. Field Marshal Smuts refused to make any amendment. 'He gave me the impression' said Mr. Robertson 'that the Preamble had been handed to him personally on Mount Sinai'. I said that Field Marshal Smuts was given to walking, perhaps also to praying, on Table Mountain.

[matter omitted]