DRAFT MESSAGE FOR THE PRIME MINISTER            
 
                                                            
 
 
I have discussed with Secretary Hull your message of March 
      19 on the further steps which you contemplate in relation to 
      Ireland. We believe that you are pursuing the right line in taking 
      the security measures mentioned without, however, adopting measures 
            of coercion designed only to harm Ireland.      
 
                                                            
 
 
We wonder, however, if measures forbidding Irish ships to 
      go to all foreign ports from Ireland might not be interpreted 
      as economic sanctions. Would not your purpose be accomplished 
      by limiting the prohibition to Irish shipping going to any part 
      of the continent? I realize that, as you say, a ship can start 
      in one direction and turn in another, but any ship violating 
      the prohibition could be dealt with in an appropriate manner. 
      This would leave Ireland free to send its ships to North America 
      to carry wheat and other essential supplies. The fact that no 
      ban was made on Irish shipping to Canada and the United States 
      would in it constitute proof that the measures against shipping 
          were not in the nature of economic sanctions.     
 
                                                            
 
 
For our part we are considering a further message to Mr. de 
      Valera once more making plain that the continued presence of 
      Axis representatives in Ireland constitutes a danger to our forces 
      and their operations for which the Irish Government cannot escape 
      responsibility. We shall let you see it in advance.