Letter from John J. Hearne to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)

I have the honour to enclose a copy of a letter of the 21st July which I have received from Mr. Thomas Buckley, Commissioner of Administration of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, advocating a vigorous moral and practical support on the part of Ireland for the stand taken by the United States on Korea. Mr. Buckley is, as you are aware, President of the Boston Chapter of the American League for an Undivided Ireland. I enclose also a copy of a letter in the same sense which Mr. Brennan has received from Mr. Patrick McNelis, Vice-President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American League for an Undivided Ireland.

I replied to Mr. Buckley on the 26th July and enclose a copy of my reply.

We understand that Mr. Buckley has sent a copy of his letter to me to Mr. John McCormack, Majority House Leader.

The press clippings contain one or two letters commenting unfavourably on our attitude to the war in Korea, and we have received a few letters in the post to the same effect. But so far there has been nothing in the nature of a campaign against us.

At social functions we have been questioned pointedly once or twice thus: 'Well, and where does Ireland stand now?' The implication was made clear by the tone: the question meant 'Surely you can't stand aside this time'.

It is possible that Mr. Buckley may have sent copies of his letter of the 21st July to others besides Mr. McCormack, and, if so, that may provoke similar letters to us from many quarters, including other Chapters of the ALUI.

The Minister's speech on the Estimate contains the best possible answer at the present stage of developments to criticism like that expressed (or implied) in the letter of Mr. Buckley and in that of Mr. McNelis. I am sure, however, that before sending any reply, other than a formal acknowledgement of receipt, to letters of that kind, you would expect me to seek a direction as to the sense of the reply to be sent.

I have no doubt that the two letters which we have received from principal officers of the Boston and Philadelphia Chapters of the ALUI were written in the friendliest spirit and with the best of intentions. I think, however, that it was unwise for members of the ALUI, of all others, to take the initiative in suggesting any particular course of action by our Government in the special context of Korea. Their principal motive, I am sure, was to prevent unfavourable comment on Ireland here charging neutrality, isolationism, and so on, while the military issue in the fateful battle of Korea hangs in the balance, or, at any rate, remains undecided, and the fear of a general war continues to grow.

I am deeply conscious of the necessity for extreme care and caution in the language which I and the other officers of the Embassy should hold in discussing our attitude to the new international situation at any phase of its development, whether or not it results in World War III. The reply the Embassy sends to letters like those of Mr. Buckley and Mr. McNelis will be regarded as a formal statement of our national policy. For that reason I shall be grateful if, in the special circumstances, you will be so good as to send me the text of the reply we should send.

If you prefer that I should not send any reply for the present beyond the formal acknowledgment, I could, if you wish, take occasion to talk personally with Mr. Buckley and Mr. McNelis along lines you might suggest. I think that it would be well to stop, if we can, a spate of letters from members of the ALUI across the country or of other organisations, which, if published, would do incalculable harm to the cause which the ALUI was established primarily to serve.