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Volume 5 1936~1939

Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 307 NAI DFA Secretary's Files S70

Confidential report from John W. Dulanty to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin) (No. 28)
(Secret)

London, 28 April 1939

In confirmation of my telephone conversations, I have made strong representations as to the extreme danger of any introduction of Conscription into the Six Counties to the undermentioned members of the British Cabinet:

  • Mr. Malcolm MacDonald
  • Sir Thomas Inskip
  • Lord Halifax
  • Mr. Walter Elliot
  • Sir Kingsley Wood1
  • Mr. Hore-Belisha2
  • Mr. Leslie Burgin3

the last three named being directly concerned with Defence and the provision of man-power.

I spoke to back-benchers on the Government side of the House including Mr. Harold Nicolson4.

On the Opposition side I saw Mr. Greenwood5 the Deputy leader of the Labour Party who has charge for them of the Conscription question and Sir Archibald Sinclair the Liberal Leader6.

I made personal contact with the Editors of the following newspapers

  • The Manchester Guardian7
  • The Times8
  • The Daily Telegraph9
  • The News Chronicle10

and I spoke to Lord Beaverbrook for the Daily Express series of newspapers, and to Lord Harmsworth for the same series of the Daily Mail.

Others approached were

  • Cardinal Hinsley11
  • The American Ambassador12
  • Sir Warren Fisher
  • Sir Horace Wilson

To most of these people (Lord Halifax and Mr. MacDonald and Sir Thomas Inskip were exceptions) the problem at first mention seemed to be new or only dimly apprehended. Only a short exposition however was needed for most of them to admit the seriousness of the situation.

The Second Reading debate it is expected will take place on Tuesday next.

I am now waiting to hear from Sir Thomas Inskip who has promised to let me know this evening whether he has any statement to give me.

John W. DULANTY
High Commissioner

1 Sir Howard Kingsley Wood (1891-1943), British Conservative politician, Secretary of State for Air (1938-40).

2 Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha, First Baron Hore-Belisha (1893-1957), British Liberal National politician, Minister for Transport (1934-7), Secretary of State for War (1937-40)

3 Leslie Burgin (1887-1945), British Liberal National politician, Minister for Transport (1937-9), Minister of Supply (1939-40)

4 Harold Nicolson (1886-1968), British diplomat, author and politician (New Party and Labour)

5 Arthur Greenwood (1880-1954).

6 Sir Archibald Sinclair (1890-1970), Leader of the Liberal Party (1935-45), Secretary of State for Air (1940-45)

7 William Percival Crozier (1879-1944), Editor of The Guardian (1932-44).

8 George Geoffrey Dawson (1874-1944), Editor of The Times (1912-19, 1923-41).

9 William Berry, Viscount Camrose.

10 Sir Gerald Reid Barry (1898-1968), Managing Editor of the News Chronicle (1936-47).

11 Arthur Cardinal Hinsley (1865-1943), Catholic Archbishop of Westminster (1935-43), Primate of the Catholic Church in England.

12 Joseph 'Joe' Kennedy, Sr.

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