Madam, - Paddy McCartan's call for "mature debate" on neutrality (June 24th) is well worth consideration. De Valera's great fear was that his policy of pragmatic neutrality would be exploited by "theorists" to whom the national interest was secondary to scoring debating points and inflating their barrage balloons of hubris. It will surely be ironic if Fine Gael turns out to be the standard bearers of Dev's pragmatism for survival. Wheels turn!
Material for the debate can be found in my book Herr Hempel at the German Legation in Dublin 1937-45 (Irish Acadmic Press). - Yours, etc.,
J.P. DUGGAN,
Cedarmount Road,
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Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.