Dear McGilligan,

[matter omitted]

The situation here is serious enough in this sense. No mere prohibition of butter or oats will effectively deal with it even politically, and my own view is that having regard to the fact that we have a year at most between us and a general election we should consider very much bigger questions of policy. I have had long talks with the President and McElligott. Its a pity in a sense that you couldn't come home even for a weekend, but I suppose you couldn't.