money there but withdraw sums as they needed them. Also in London was another friend of mine, at this time who had in his garage 4 cases of what we termed at this time "war flour”. He held it there, securely, for several weeks -- still no connection was made with him for several weeks with the result - as I understand - that he disposed of it rather than be caught with it on his premises. When I got back to Dublin I spoke to Sean Russell and gave him my advice - rather my opinion - that it would take Scotland Yard about four months to clean up the IRA Organisations in England and also that the very bombings and the killings of workers at 6 o’clock in the morning was bound to create a very unpopular front against us. [Belt No. 2 Page 2] I pointed out that the English had such a clever propaganda that they could make the situation look far worse than it already looked. I offered Russell the sum of £2,000 suggesting to him that he would employ some attorney of prominence such as Sir Patrick Hastings to defend the first or any number of IRA men who were caught in activity and that at the trial, it would be made very clear in our defence why this bombing was created. Inwardly, I felt that the entire bombing was non-productive, harming us more than helping us, and only antagonising and irritating people. I made this offer known to several of my good friends at the time who were active in the movement, such as Tom McGill, Tom Daly, etc. All agreed with me. The rest refused to take any advise from either myself or any of the others and within the next month or two, Russell sailed back to America there to see, as he said, the late Joe McGarrity. Unfortunately, my offer was not accepted, also, unfortunately my prophesy was proved true, that it would only take a very short time that tremendous damage would be done to us if we continued these bombings. When I met Joe McGarrity some months later, I told him of all this, because I had a feeling that Joe had been influence into believing that these bombings would be a very effective part of the campaign against England. I do not need to recall here the aftermath of these early bombings. During my contacts with Sam McGuire and Frank Thornton in 1921 in securing London, Sam informed me that they were under the ... ?... at all times for the securing of all types of ammunition. I knew at the same time that Cork Brigade had a representative there who was doing the same thing, without informing either Sam or the Headquarters Staff. At the time a Hotchkiss Machine Gun became available, it was seized on by the Cork representative and finally ended up with the Cork 2 Brig., 1st Southern Division. On the following Christmas ..?.. Sam was quite satisfied and took a big, hearty laugh . [Belt No. 3 Page 1] When the late Sean T. O'Kelly President of Ireland, went to America he tried to secure munitions from President Roosevelt who treated him in the usual suave fashion promising him all the guns necessary but carefully taking time out to see that there was no ammunition sent for them. Later on Frank Aiken arrived and tried to get an interview with Roosevelt which he failed to do for several weeks. A noted newspaper man, named Bill ..(Collin? can't understand the name) of Boston printed a cartoon in his paper with Frank Aiken sitting on the steps of the Whitehouse and a big notice hanging on the door stating "Gone Fishing". At a subsequent newsgathering, presided by Roosevelt, he questioned Bill C-? about this cartoon and Bill simply replied “Why were you scared to meet him?" This did not endear him to Roosevelt, just as it did not endear to Roosevelt men such as John T O'Donnell, Senator Wheeler, Charles Lindbergh, and many others who were real Americans and dared to question Roosevelt's actions. Subsequently, Ambassador Bobby Brennan and Frank Aiken had an interview with President Roosevelt in his bedroom. Immediately, Roosevelt started to talk without giving any opportunity to either Bobby or Frank of saying anything. In the meantime in strolled a Colonel Watson an aide-de-camp to Roosevelt; with other words that was the clearest sign that the interview was over. Neither Bobby nor Frank took any notice and Roosevelt exploded with the fact statement rather, about all the Japanese and German spies in Ireland. Bob Brennan immediately pounced on that and said "We are sick and tired of listening to these vague accusations, we would like to get some positive prove because there is not a worth of truth in it." Roosevelt then launched into an attack on aggression and he was interrupted by Frank Aiken making the statement "that we are not afraid of German or any other kind of aggression, except aggression from the British.” In the meantime a coloured waiter brought in Mr. Roosevelt’s lunch and after Frank making his remark about being afraid of British aggression Roosevelt rudely pulled the cloth from under the lunch, slammed the entire lunch unto the [Belt No. 3 Page 2] floor and yelled "There is no such thing as British aggression''. That finished the interview. I asked both men that they make separate statements of the entire affair and have each one sign the others and have it
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