Letter from Timothy A. Smiddy to Patrick McGilligan (Dublin)
(Copy)

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that I have completed satisfactorily arrangements for a reception to President Cosgrave and his party in the cities of the United States which he intends visiting.

Mr. Michael J. Faherty and Mr. Kevin Kelly have left nothing undone to make his visit to Chicago worthy of the occasion. There was a number of eminent businessmen of Chicago endeavoured to make themselves responsible for the reception of the President there, and at first I thought there might be a hitch between them and Mr. Faherty. However, I had Mr. Kevin Kelly, of whose efforts I cannot speak too highly, in Washington about ten days ago with whom I discussed all the details, and while I told him that I would approve of any arrangements made by him and Mr. Faherty, yet, I impressed upon him the necessity of straining every point to co-operate harmoniously with Mr. Edward Hurley (former Chairman of the U.S. Shipping Board) and with Mr. Denis F. Kelly (President of the Fair and a prominent business man in Chicago). Mr. D.F. Kelly, of whom I have written to the Department on previous occasions, and Mr. Hurley, organized a large banquet (at which Mr. Hurley will preside) for the President at which the most prominent of the financial, industrial and commercial magnates of Chicago will be present. I wrote these gentlemen and explained to them that it was to some extent through the instrumentality of Mr. Michael J. Faherty that the President was visiting Chicago, and told them that Mr. Faherty would in every way possible work harmoniously with them. The result has been very satisfactory and all are working together.

On the 19th Mr. Hurley gives a banquet; on the 20th - the Mediavalists (a learned Catholic body) are giving a dinner, and on Saturday, the 21st, Mr. Faherty is giving a big banquet at which it is stated from 3,000 to 4,000 people will be present.

Mr. Faherty is getting a Mayor's Committee of a hundred business leaders for the reception and welcome on the arrival of the President. They have arranged for the finest suites at the Drake Hotel. Major Beales, U.S. Army, is taking charge of the Military who will receive President Cosgrave at the Station and have a parade to the Drake Hotel.

Mr. Faherty, Mr. Hurley and Mr. Crowley of the New York Central Railroad have made arrangements for the transportation of the President to Chicago and thence to Washington. Mr. Crowley is giving his own private car for the occasion. Arrangements will also be made for broadcasting all the speeches in Chicago and elsewhere, and hooking up from these centres with all the various radio centres in the United States. Mr. James O'Donnell Bennett, a notable journalist of Chicago and who wrote a very noteworthy article in the Chicago Tribune on the Eucharistic Congress, will also write a special article for the Chicago Tribune on the occasion. It is also arranged that the President will visit the Chicago Tribune on the invitation of Mr. Robert E. McCormack and meet there some prominent people and speak over the radio. He will also make a short visit to the leading Universities of Chicago.

Arrangements are also completed satisfactorily in Washington at which he arrives on the morning of the 23rd. He will be received by the President at 5 o'clock and on that evening the Canadian Minister gives a dinner in his honour. On the 24th he will lay wreaths on the Unknown Soldier's Tomb and on the Tomb of Washington at Mt. Vernon. President Coolidge gives a luncheon in his honour to which he has invited his Cabinet. In the afternoon he attends a reception given in his honour by Col. Pope-Hennessy, Military Attaché of the British Embassy. Col. Pope-Hennessy is an Irishman, the son of the late Sir John Pope-Hennessy of the City of Cork and Rostellon Castle.

I give a dinner in his honour on the night of the 24th at the Mayflower Hotel, to which I have invited Vice President Dawes, Members of the Cabinet and some distinguished Irishmen of Washington, as also the Chairmen of the various dinner parties given to the President in the various cities visited. On the 25th he takes luncheon with the Overseas Writers of Washington who are representatives of the various foreign newspapers. On that night a large dinner is given in his honour at the Pan American Union by the Secretary of State, Mr. Kellogg. On the 26th I have arranged that Chief Justice Taft and Mr. Justice Butler of the Federal Supreme Court will meet the President and Minister FitzGerald at luncheon. On that night the British Ambassador gives a dinner in their honour. Col. Donovan of the famous 69th Regiment and Assistant Attorney General is giving them a luncheon on Monday the 23rd. Vice President Dawes is anxious to give the President a luncheon at the Senate and have him appear on the floor of the Senate. Mrs. Joseph Leiter, the most prominent society woman in Washington and sister of Mrs. Frederick Sterling, is giving a supper and reception on the night of the 25th.

The State Department is sending a special secret service man to accompany President Cosgrave during the period of his visit to America. He will be attached to the personal staff of the President in the capacity of one of his Aides.

On Friday the party will proceed to Philadelphia, where they will be received officially by the Mayor. The latter has sent a formal invitation inviting the President and his party to be the guests of the City of Philadelphia. An official reception will be given in honour of the President and a large banquet by the citizens of Philadelphia under the auspices of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

Some difficulties arose with regard to the entertainment in Philadelphia, owing to jealousy aroused by the activities of Mr. Michael Francis Doyle to guarantee the President a befitting welcome. On the day it was first mentioned in the press that there was a likelihood of President Cosgrave visiting the United States, Mr. Doyle got me on the 'phone and told me he put his services at my disposal to make arrangements for the President's visit to Philadelphia, of which I availed myself on the condition that arrangements would be submitted to me. The next day a telegram came from the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick inviting the President to a banquet to be given in his honour, which I promptly accepted. Later on some of the prominent members of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, who are amongst the most eminent business men in Philadelphia, became somewhat irate at Mr. Doyle's activities which were in themselves very satisfactory. They objected to any one individual taking upon himself so much and were of the opinion that all arrangements should be carried out by the most representative committee of citizens that could be got together in Philadelphia. One of these gentlemen, Mr. John Gallagher, got in touch with me on the 'phone and acquainted me how the land lay in Philadelphia. He arranged last Tuesday a luncheon in Philadelphia, at which he brought together the most prominent and wealthy Irishmen in Philadelphia inclusive of the President and Committee of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Mr. Doyle was also invited thereto. There were many speeches and resolutions in connection with the entertainment of the President, and the situation became at times rather embarrassing, owing to some harsh words between Mr. Doyle and the Hon. Michael Ryan, former President of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and one of the greatest orators in the United States and in the old days a very ardent supporter of Mr. John Redmond. However, the situation eventually was settled satisfactorily and I induced all to form one Committee and co-operate, Mr. Doyle, having with good will decided to work in with this Committee. Everything now is proceeding most satisfactorily, and his visit to Philadelphia promises to be a great success. This Committee has already induced the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, the largest and best hotel in Philadelphia, to put at the disposal of the President and his party while they are there free of cost some of the best suites in the hotel.

While in Philadelphia Mr. Doyle informed me that he received a letter from Judge Campbell of New York, asking him to make arrangements for the visit of A.E. (George Russell) to Philadelphia. In the letter Mr. Campbell mentioned it was regrettable that President Cosgrave came to the U.S. at this time in consequence of difficulties that will arise on account of the presence here of Mr. de Valera. Further, he asked Mr. Doyle if Mr. Cosgrave's visit to Philadelphia could not be postponed until Mr. Russell had been there first. Evidently in Mr. Campbell's mind the President's visit is of secondary importance.

At the moment it is decided, in conformity with the President's desire, that he goes direct on Sunday the 29th to Detroit, arriving there at 8.30 on Monday. Messrs. Ford's representative has been with us arranging for his reception by Mr. Ford, and a visit to the Ford plant. At midnight on the 30th, Mr. Cosgrave and party will leave for Providence, Rhode Island, which they will reach about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the 31st. The President is anxious to visit there some of his relatives. He leaves Providence on the night of the 31st, reaching New York on Wednesday, the first.

I considered it necessary to advise against a visit to Boston. Though I believe Mr. James Phelan, it seems, invited the President to a luncheon or dinner in Boston and offered him his hospitality, Mr. Phelan did not confer directly with us or tender this invitation to the Legation on behalf of President Cosgrave. However, about ten days ago we wrote for verification of this invitation and at the same time asked his opinion as to the likelihood of hostility to the President in Boston to which he replied on last Friday. In our letter to Mr. Phelan we told him that if the President were to go to Boston it was necessary that he should be received by the Mayor. In his letter he informed us that he got in touch with the Mayor and the Mayor stated it was the first intimation he got about President Cosgrave's visit. This seems rather strange as the President's visit has got very widespread publicity all through the States. Again Mr. Phelan stated that the Mayor should be informed by us of the President's visit. We have taken up the matter of the correct procedure regarding the methods by which Mayors of Cities were to be informed of the visits of notable visitors, and the State Department pointed out that it is not the correct procedure for any Legation or Embassy to inform a Mayor or Governor of the visit of the Heads of their Government or Ministers thereof. A refusal might lead to rather an embarrassing situation. A Legation or Embassy can only inform the State Department which will, if desired, acquaint the Governors of the States to be visited by these visitors who, if they think fit, will inform the Mayors. Although we had not this information at the time, we did not inform the Mayor of Boston for the very reason that we had no assurance that the necessary reception would be given and we could, under no circumstances, risk a refusal. Further, the consensus of opinion from different quarters, both in New York and Boston itself, has confirmed my own opinion that it would be unwise for the President to visit Boston for fear of a hostile reception. Amongst those advising against that visit are the State Department, the agents of the National City Bank in Boston and other reliable authorities.

Arrangements also seem satisfactory in New York. Immediately on hearing the news of the President's visit to America, I met informally Mayor Walker and told him of the President's visit, when he said to me he hoped to have the pleasure of receiving him immediately on his arrival, and that he would put the arrangements in the hands of Mr. Grover Whalen, Chairman of the Mayor's Reception Committee. Mr. Whalen is Head of the firm of John Wanamaker, New York. Not hearing for some time from Mr. Whalen, I communicated with him and a reply told me he would be anxious to see me in New York. I interviewed him last Tuesday and he told me that the Mayor was anxious to have a banquet given to President Cosgrave and that as New York has honoured the Heads of Governments of other countries there was no one more entitled to all that New York could bestow than the President of the Irish Free State.

Mr. Whalen expressed disappointment at the President's visit to New York after being received by Philadelphia. He said it is usual for New York to be the first city in America to bestow its honours after Washington. However, I informed him that Chicago was mainly responsible for the President's visit and that immediately on his arrival in New York he was going to pay his respects to the Mayor and that I acquainted the Mayor immediately on getting the information about the President's visit, and not having been informed that a banquet was to be given by the Mayor I proceeded with the arrangements in Philadelphia, which are now completed and could not be changed. He informed me that he would discuss the matter with the Mayor which he did and at a subsequent interview he informed me that everything was in order and a banquet would be given in his honour on the night of his arrival in New York from Providence.

On publication of the news of the President's visit to America, the President of the Lotos Club, Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler (President of Columbia University) tendered an invitation to a dinner at the Lotos Club in honour of the President and his party which I accepted. This Club has an International reputation and extends hospitality to the Heads of Governments and to European Statesmen on their visits to this country. The President will meet there some of the most eminent men in New York. This will be on Thursday, the 2nd. An invitation has also been received and accepted from the Bond Club of Wall Street for luncheon. This Club consists of all the investing bankers of New York; men who direct the investments of Wall St. They will give the President an opportunity of putting before them the financial position of the Irish Free State.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1st, I have arranged for him to visit some of the Institutions in Wall Street, including the Stock Exchange and hope to have him presented on the floor. I have accepted for the same day a luncheon to be given by Mr. James Farrell of the U.S. Steel Corporation at India House, one of the best down town clubs. The National City Bank were also anxious to entertain the President at luncheon or dinner, but, unfortunately, I was unable to accept their invitation on account of more important engagements.

Judge Cohalan is giving a luncheon for about one hundred at the Lawyers Club down town, at which he will have the Judges of the New York Supreme Court and prominent men of Wall Street to meet the President. His wife, Mrs. Cohalan, is giving a reception the same evening at which the President will get an opportunity of meeting many of the supporters of the Irish Free State.

On Friday, the 3rd, he will visit on invitation of the President, Columbia University and I have accepted for him a banquet at 6.30 on Friday night to be given by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Brooklyn, to be held at the Biltmore Hotel where the President will reside. This is one of the finest societies of its kind in New York, consisting of Irishmen of a fine type.

Invitations have also been tendered by the Mid-day Luncheon Club of Springfield, Ill., and Mr. Reilly of the Chamber of Commerce of Indianapolis and Mr. O'Mahony of the Indiana Catholic and Record. I conveyed to them on behalf of President Cosgrave his thanks for the invitation but his inability to accept on account of the short time at his disposal.

An invitation was also received from the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Some of the afore-mentioned are sending delegations to Chicago to see the President and will attend the banquet given there in his honour.

Delegations will also proceed to Chicago from Minneapolis, Springfield and South Bend on January 21st and they will attend the public banquet of the Irish Fellowship Club at the Stevens Hotel.