1 VICE REGAL LODGE, DUBLIN. May 17. 1916 Dear Hutchison I enclose a telegram which I
received last night from the Sir E. Greys
Private Secretary. explains itself
The Prime Minister cannot give the
interview at this moment, but he
wishes me to suggest that Sir John
Maxwell might do so. As you may
not have had experience of such things
may I explain the procedure. The actual interview is almost a
matter of from 10 minutes or a quarter
of an hour just to give the journalist
some slight acquaintance with his 2 subject. The substance of what is wished
to appear, is given to the interviewer in
the form of a written statement, which
he will translate into his own words
& then submit explain He will submit
the draft interview for revision - The Prime Minister wishes me to write
to you to suggest that you might
prepare such a statement on the lines
generally indicated in the telegram
& get Berry to put it into the form
of an interview. I think that the final draft might
be set sent over to me before publication
for the P.M to see. I do not 3 I think you will have no difficulty
in arranging this. There is undoubtedly considerable feeling
aroused against us in America which
it is worth while endeavouring to
counteract. If I may make a few suggestions. I
should say that the more impartially
the case in presented the better: if
if possible give instances & details numbers of
unarmed officers men & civilians shot
at the outset of the casualties outbreak , point
out the wanton futility of the outbreak
how men's lives were sacrificed for no
object; how destruction of life &
property began before the military force
came effectivedly on the scene. This is
what is needed is to counteract the idea 4 which is being spread, that our forces had
no provocation & that the military were
responsible for most of the loss of innocent
life & for the destruction of property, in
particular for the fires in Sackville Street.
It might be worth taking Berry round the
chief centres of fighting to show the
difficulties of with which our men had to contend,
the exact obvious one being the intermingling of
peaceful civilians with the rebels. These are only suggestions for your consideration. Will you put the proposal before
Sir John & let me know what he
decides? I go to Cork Tomorrow &
shall be back at Downing St on Fri
morning. There is one other matter which is
perhaps worth mentioning. This is from
myself only, as I have not had an 5 opportunity of mentioning it to the
Prime Minister. I saw tonight the correspondent of the
Daily Mail Montagu Smith. He is
quite a good man & I think can be
trusted. He has been interesting himself
in the North King Street cases & seems
to know a good deal about them. He tells me that the solicitor who
represented at the inquest the families of men found
buried is a temperate respectable man
who honestly wants to prevent trouble
if possible. He wants to get an a public inquiry
undertaken into the cases & that all
public inquests should be stopped.
He says that other cases will present
a worse appearance than the one which
has just beenbeen sat upon. 6 I give you this for what it is worth
thinking that it may be worth while
for one of your people to see Montagu
Smith & perhaps the solicitor Larden
is his name I think. I am very sorry for all of you who
have to bear the burden of this
pitiable business Yours sincerely Maurice Bonham Carter 7 Post Office Telegraphs May 16th 1916 To { Confidential Bonham Carter Vice Regal Lodge. Dublin Following from Drammond:- Irish executions are being used effectually against us
in America. Would Mr Asquith give short interview
to American correspondent. Berry is the best most
suitable. He is at the Gresham Hotel. Interview should
emphasise clemency of Government comparing number of casualties inflicted by the
rebels & how rebels killed innocent people at the beginning
of outbreak. Spring Rice telegraphs confirming this.
Sir E. Grey approves this telegram.