Confidential Report from Michael MacWhite to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin) with
enclosure of address to Movietone News
(1008-7-29) (Confidential)

Sir:

I wish to enclose herewith copy of an address made over the Movietone while at New York this week.

I was invited both by the Fox Film and the Pathé organizations, without any preparation, to submit to this ordeal. To the Fox film I simply said a few words about my mission to America and the welcome we received. That is being released today and will figure in all the principal movie houses in the United States. The address, of which a copy is enclosed, was made to the Pathéfilm, and will be released in a few days. They assured me that at a modest estimate it would reach between fifty and sixty million people in this country.

I was also informed that my address would be the first to be presented at the new picture house in Dublin which is to be opened in the coming Autumn.

Address made over Movietone

The Irish Free State is an independent country and is more firmly on her feet than many of the European States that have resulted from the World War.

She is today mistress of her own destiny, and is subject to no higher power or authority than that of her own democratically elected parliament.

She has the most stable Government in Europe. While President Cosgrave is at its head, England has had five different Governments.

New industries have been encouraged resulting in increased employment. Our foreign trade is on the upgrade and during the past year our bank deposits increased by over $11,000,000 and our national debt is perhaps the lowest of any other country, being only $38 per capita.

The Shannon Hydro-electric scheme, which is now nearing completion, will be capable by the end of this year of furnishing 153,000,000 units of electricity.

Without any spectacular display, the country is slowly but surely forging ahead and the Irish people are giving abundant proof to the world of their capacity for governing themselves.

There are more than three times the number of people of Irish birth and descent in this country than in Ireland, and I am glad that an Irish Centre is being created for the purpose of keeping them in touch with the motherland.

It is a significant fact that the number of Irish Free State citizens who emigrated to the United States last year was 6,000 below our quota.

It seems to me that in the near future you must look elsewhere for your politicians and your policemen.

Slán beo agaibh agus A Dhia Saor Éire.¹