Extracts from a letter from John J. Hearne to Seán Nunan (Dublin)¹
(Personal and Confidential)

As you were fully informed of the Tánaiste’s schedule during his recent visit to the United States² and, as, no doubt, you have already had first-hand accounts of the visit from those who accompanied him from Ireland, I have not prepared a formal report. But I know that, nevertheless, you will be expecting to hear from me.

[matter omitted]

I accompanied the Tánaiste and Mr. Leydon when they called on the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of the Foreign Operations Administration, and the President. These were formal calls. The Tánaiste, Mr. Leydon, and I discussed the question of reporting on what took place on these occasions. I submitted that as the Tánaiste would be making his own reports, whether verbal or otherwise, it would be usual if no other report was made. I said that I had made no reports of Mr. Costello’s calls when he visited Canada as Taoiseach in 1948 and none of Mr. MacBride’s when he came to the United States as Minister for External Affairs in 1951. The Tánaiste approved that course in the case of his own calls on members of the President’s Cabinet and on President Eisenhower himself.

Actually, what passed was of the most general. Mr. Dulles, however, in a twenty-minute interview, devoted ten or twelve minutes to giving Mr. Lemass an outline of the situation in different parts of the world as he saw it. Mr. Weeks³ kept the conversation on the most formal lines – asking, e.g., about the population of Ireland! – until after about fifteen minutes he handed the party over to officials of his Department. The latter in turn brought the party to their respective sections and gave us interesting accounts of the activities in each section. The party remained in the Department of Commerce until Mr. Weeks took us all to luncheon at the Metropolitan Club at 1 p.m. Mr. Samuel W. Anderson, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs was in charge of the party during the interval between the end of the formal call on Mr. Weeks and the luncheon hour. The Under-Secretary for Commerce, Mr. Walter Williams, and Mr. Anderson came to the luncheon as also did Mr. Donald B. Lowrie, Under-Secretary for Administration in the State Department.

The call on Mr. Humphrey⁴ was in the nature of a personal visit. Mr. Humphrey is keenly interested in horse breeding. We have been sending him ‘The Irish Horse’ and ‘Irish Racing and Breeding’ since he became Secretary of the Treasury. He studies them carefully. Mrs. Humphrey tells me it is his favourite relaxation. I informed him many weeks ago of Mr. Lemass’s visit to Washington and he expressed a wish that I should bring the Tánaiste to see him ‘for a long visit’ when he came, to talk horses. The conversation during the call was mostly along that line.

The conversation with Governor Stassen⁵ was cordial but formal.

The conversation between the Tánaiste and President Eisenhower was, as I witnessed it, the most relaxed of all. The two statesmen discussed their economic problems, trade, tariffs, etc. frankly and sympathetically. The President was informal and very interested and friendly.

It would be impossible for me to exaggerate the profound impression made by the Tánaiste when he addressed the National Press Club at luncheon on the 1st October. His speech was the right length (the World Series began that afternoon). His good clear voice was in perfect control. He delivered his speech quietly and solemnly – but not too solemnly – and with an easy grace from beginning to end. It was for the particular occasion a faultless performance. The speech is still spoken of as one of the best delivered at the Press Club for many months. We asked the Tánaiste to make it the basis of his addresses in Philadelphia, Boston and New York. He very largely did so.

I accompanied the Tánaiste’s party to Philadelphia, Boston and New York at his request. The visits to Philadelphia and Boston, as you know, were not on the Tánaiste’s itinerary when he left Ireland. But we had no doubt that, when your old friends in these cities were so keen on having him go there, they would arrange for appropriate and enthusiastic receptions. Each of these visits was a signal success.

[matter omitted]