Timothy A. Smiddy to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(4/24) (Copy) (Confidential)

A Chara:

INTELLIGENCE.

You will see by newspaper cuttings, posted to you under separate cover yesterday, that further attempts are being made on part of the Irregulars to prevail upon Congress to use its influence to obtain de Valera's release.

One of the reasons alleged for doing so is that he is an American Citizen who does not owe allegiance to the Irish Free State because an actual Republic does not exist.

These appeals to Congress will be ineffective as you will see from the statement of Secretary Hughes.¹ They will tend to keep the name of de Valera in the limelight, but, except [for] a small, well organized and articulate group of Irish-Americans in New York and Boston, the American people and press have long since ceased to be interested in de Valera and his propaganda.

The Advent of 'recognition' will confirm the people of America in their belief that the Irish Free State contains the inherent marks of a sovereign state.

You have, doubtless, noted that the 'Irish World' is booming in a very marked manner [for]² Mr Doheny which may make him partial to this paper, especially, as the 'Gaelic American' is acrimoniously attacking him. It is unfortunate that the latter paper has assumed this attitude. It is a legacy of the strong antagonism to Doheny which originated at the time he gave his support to de Valera and the A.A.R.I.R. in the Pre-Treaty days, when much bitterness existed between these two organizations.

This hostility on part of the 'Gaelic American' is, unfortunately, too ingrained to induce it to adopt a reconciliatory attitude.