Letter from Seán Lester to Timothy A. Smiddy (Washington DC)
(Secret) (Copy)

Dear Minister Smiddy,

The appointment of Ministers at Paris and Berlin is contemplated. We are seeking to obtain a better position for our new Ministers than was got for you - vis-à-vis the British Ambassador. You will recall the Note presented in your case limited your relations with the United States Government to matters exclusively relating to the Irish Free State. We believe this position of inequality should be remedied. Copies of some semi-official correspondence attached will show the position in detail. Mr. Mackenzie King was in a hurry about Paris and yielded rather than delay to fight. He got two words 'only' and 'exclusively' omitted from the Note to Briand as compared with the Washington formula.

My object in writing to you is partly to inform you and partly to ascertain if you can contribute to our information as to the actual working of the arrangement so as to assist in preparing us for a possible conference with London. I know of the procedure in the case of the Anglo-American-French Arbitration negotiations which led up to the Kellogg Pact. Is there any other case to your knowledge? In any case we would welcome any observations you may have to make.

This matter may also affect Mr. Murphy's appointment at Washington, as we shall of course endeavour to have the situation there made as we want it at Paris and Berlin. There is no decision on the matter (Mr. Walshe and Mr. Murphy are both on leave) but my personal view is that the new minister should not present his credentials until we have reached an agreement on the general question. This would involve Mr. Murphy being in Washington perhaps as Chargé d'Affaires when you leave.