Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(24/3)

We were very near disaster in regard to the food consignment for Italy.

You will remember that the Assistant-Secretary sent me a minute on 25th October (received 31st October) advising me that the Italian consignment would be shipped at the end of the month.¹ The last paragraph reads 'The Italian Minister has informed us that the distribution would be effected through ENDSI'. I at once informed Monsignor Tardini and Monsignor Montini and I had Signor Vicentini the principal man in ENDSI in for lunch. I was frankly afraid from the beginning that there would be a hitch and I did my best to create an atmosphere in which no change could be made in the direction of giving charge of the distribution to a Socialist-Communist body, a fear which possessed me from the moment of Nenni's appointment as Foreign Minister.² Vicentini assured me things would be all right, but I thought it better to have a talk with my Quirinal colleague, and I asked him to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday morning 13th. This he did and was informed that the Minister had given instructions since 48 hours earlier to confide the distribution to an organisation known as 'Opera Maternita e Infanzia'. I at once got into touch with Vicentini again, gave him this information and he replied that that body was now an exclusively socialist (cum communist) organisation without Catholic or Vatican representation. (Vicentini incidentally is one of the most prominent lay Catholics in Italy and is a grand fighter). Immediate action was necessary. I took it upon myself to tell him that Babuscio had given my Government a guarantee on behalf of the Italian Government that the distribution would take place through the medium of ENDSI as before, and that he could say to the Authorities that any departure from that guarantee would be regarded by them as a breach of faith and would be given the widest publicity as such at home and America. Vicentini was on the job at once and immediately asked for interviews with De Gasperi and Nenni. Meanwhile having informed my colleague of developments, the latter also asked for another interview with the Secretary General. I had several other conversations with Vicentini in the course of the evening and by 10 o'clock that night the Minister's instruction had been countermanded. On Thursday morning 16th, I gave a document to Vicentini, which my Colleague signed and sealed repeating that the Irish Government wished the consignment to be handed over to ENDSI and distributed by them in the same manner as on the last occasion. Further I arranged with Vicentini that Mr. MacWhite and I should go with him to Naples tomorrow Saturday to assist at the final stages of the unloading so as to make clear to all and sundry that the Irish Government and ENDSI were in complete accord and that ENDSI was in effect the body selected by my Government for the purpose of the distribution.

Incidentally in his second interview yesterday Mr. MacWhite was told that Nenni when giving the instruction said he would not have the distribution done by any body in which the clergy were represented. I must say that my colleague from the moment he realized the danger could not be more helpful. I believe the situation is now absolutely safe. Nenni does not want an open fight and our threat was doubtless too much for him. But let us see from what we have been saved. There is no doubt whatever in the mind of these excellent Catholic laymen in ENDSI, especially Vicentini, that the consignment would have been used exclusively for the purpose of winning adherents to the Socialist Communist ranks. That is their normal technique, and a notorious fact. Ireland would have got no credit whatever because, as my colleague agrees, the Socialists and Communists despise us and regard us as pro-clerical. Our only friends in Italy are the practising Catholic laity and the Clergy and above all, of course, the Vatican (and it is very much Italy for the purpose under discussion). We should be great fools to think or act otherwise.

What are the lessons of this near disaster. I have no blame for anybody, and the discovery of the plot might well have been made without my intervention. Our first mistake was to use Babuscio for a purpose which was to be achieved in Italy. Babuscio even if he were the best man in the world cannot be au courant with the dreadful mess into which politics and Government have fallen in Italy. Moreover, he would be only human if he tried to be in well with the powers that be especially by not insisting too much with his Government on our conditions. Indeed I should not be surprised if Babuscio sat back when he succeeded (if he did) in getting the consignment direct to his Government without any written guarantee. I plead most strongly that the job should have been given to my colleague and myself jointly-merely keeping Babuscio informed. It was of supreme importance that every conceivable measure should have been taken here in Rome (especially in view of the new trend) to make certain beyond any shadow of doubt that things would not go wrong. My colleague and I could have prevented the danger of Socialist-Communist interference at any stage. It would be better on all such future occasions to keep us here much more closely informed. We work perfectly together and my colleague knows as well as I do of the supreme importance to us of Vatican good will. If this error had been consummated I am afraid to think of what the Vatican would think of us. I am doubting a little whether Industry and Commerce have been keeping our Department sufficiently closely informed. The mere efficient despatch of the good, is, I fear, the least important part of the whole process. The distribution in a manner most conducive to Ireland's prestige abroad is much more important. If the Department are not informed at every stage they cannot inform us abroad. I know you will have this situation remedied immediately. What is true of Italy is, I presume, true of all Europe at the moment with the dreadful prospect increasing every day of Communist anti-Christian activities everywhere. How terrible it would be if we were indirect agents of propaganda for these misguided people - who will so very soon realize what a scourge communism can be especially for the poorest classes.

Dr. Haurihan³ and Fr. O'Connor⁴ arrived in Rome this morning. It is an excellent move to send them out - but why was I not told about the visit. They are staying with me and I shall see that they will witness some of the distribution. They are of course completely ignorant of European languages and European conditions, but it is my job and that of my colleague to keep them right. I don't know how they will fare at the hands of the Yugoslavs.

I am sure neither the Taoiseach nor yourself will object to my frankness. The Taoiseach told me always to report objectively with complete disregard for home feelings, and I am doing so. It is also the only way, I understand, my task, and it is a great consolation to me to feel that I shall not be misunderstood.