Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(Most Secret and Personal)
(Please destroy when Minister has read)

My dear Fred,
A personal note, off the record, which you may of course show to the Minister. I feel I ought to reveal a certain situation here which may throw some light on the foolish attitude being adopted towards us on the Nuncio issue. I am told most confidentially that the H.F. is becoming exceedingly imperious, that He listens to neither Cardinals nor officials, that He has ceased absolutely to consult the Cardinals about policy or the Government of the Church. He won't brook any suggestion that goes in the slightest degree against what he wants to do. Hints have been conveyed to Him for instance about the glaring favouritism shown towards his nephews, who are men of mediocre talent especially when compared with other Italians in their own profession. He resisted any attempts to induce him to gradually shift these men, and, if anything, He shows His defiance by making them still more prominent in His higher Councils. There is a great deal of whispering behind the scenes that the H.F. exhortations on distributive justice and equality of treatment are largely negatived by His own example. The general result is that, more and more, Pius XII is being surrounded by men who only say flattering things to Him. The OSSERVATORE's flattery is so grotesque that even the ordinary Italians condemn it for treating the H.F. as an Oriental Potentate. The very worst type of MGR. is getting to the top. The Cippico scandal has irritated the H.F. against the whole Secretariat of State so much that He now trusts nobody there. His advisers are confined to a Jesuit (German), to his eldest nephew and to Count Galeazzi,¹ who is the cleverest of the whole lot, and said by all and sundry to have made a fortune in his position of dominance, as the real Governor of the Affairs of the Vatican State.

It is now said in the highest quarters that although Montini is still his intimate Secretary, in reality, he will not be made Cardinal Secretary of State but will either be made a Nuncio abroad (!!!!) or a Cardinal in some Italian diocese. This would be done to show the Pope's displeasure at the bad organisation of the Secretariat, and His own complete immunity from any responsibility in connection with the Cippico scandal. Of course, the Monsgri., on the other hand, say the lack of control which caused the scandal was due to the impossible situation created by the non-appointment of a Secretary of State. There is more than a possibility that Montini is not responsible for the stupidity with which we are being treated. It is much more likely to be the obstinacy of the older man whose unmistakeable Italianism is most strongly criticised by the Italians themselves. I can't even dare to write some of the things that are being foretold if there is not a complete change.

Alas it is said only too frequently by intimates of the Vatican that the H.F.'s Head has been turned by the enormous amount of flattery which is poured out on Him even by foreigners, and that the position is gradually becoming impossible.

All well-wishers hope for an early appointment of a strong Secretary of State who will dominate the H.F. But the hope may well be fallacious. The hope is based on the enormous burden which the quite unnecessary Holy Year will place upon the H.F.

I held up the report for a week to see how I should be received by M. on Friday last (13th). As on previous similar occasions, nothing could exceed his cordiality ... almost affection. What are you to make of it all?

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news at a moment when the Minister has more than enough trouble on his hands.

Try very hard to send me a confidential typist, male or female, but unmarried. The typing work is getting beyond me, and I must be literally hundreds of letters in arrears. I hate doing inefficient work, and my work must appear inefficient to the hundreds who ask me to do things and who are left without a reply. If you like, change McD.² Give me a young fellow ready to type and to learn, and with plenty of zeal. It might be better not to call him counsellor, above all if he has a wife who is socially inclined. This diplomatic set up is wholly bad for certain types of young people and they think they are doing serious work when they are merely wasting their country's time and money. I think you will have to get more proven men, with a definitely serious purpose in life. McInerney³ of Finance seems a zealous type ... could you take him into the Dept.? Meanwhile my needs are urgent.