Extract from a letter from Edward J. Phelan to William T. Cosgrave (Dublin)
(Personal)

My dear President,

[matter omitted]

I think we may congratulate ourselves on the results. Desmond FitzGerald made an excellent and successful Chairman of the Second Commission, and, as Chairman of the Commission, was ex officio a member of the Bureau of the Assembly at which he played an active and exceedingly useful part. It was on the basis of his suggestions that the method of voting for seats on the Council which was actually employed in the elections was adopted. As regards our candidature for a seat on that body I think we have every reason to be well satisfied with the number of votes we obtained. If we had gone forward earlier (which was impossible in view of the uncertainty regarding Canada's intentions) we should undoubtedly have secured more votes. I think also our sudden appearance as a candidate was somewhat unexpected in view of our rather passive attitude at past Sessions. If our record in this respect is better in the future, as no doubt it will become, our chances of election on another occasion will be correspondingly increased.

[matter omitted]