"THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1959..
RENE MacCOLL sees the disputed diaries and declares: They are
genuine... an appalling self-indictment
MY CASEMENT
So there they were at long last, Casement's Black Diaries, lying in ព green- painted strongbox, just un- locked-and open finally for my inspection. Genuine? As far as my personal opinion
concerned they are genuine beyond the slightest shadow of a doubt.
is
RENE
VERDICT
MacCOLL.
Our Chief Roving Reporter and author of a controversial book on Sir Roger Casement, new becomes the first man apart from a few Government officials to see the ilve "Black Diaries" that helped to send Casenient to the gallows in 1916 for trenson. At the Public Record Office, after the diarles had been transferred from the secrecy of the Home Office, MacColl reached his verdket on a case that has smouldered in England and flared in Ireland for 43 years.
These are indeed the writings of
late the
to his Whitehall seen before even as a copy of his own eyes could now reports Roger Casement, some deng-with whatever sor superiors with Roger Case- except by a tiny handful of time Knight, revered
row or regret-two things: ment the furtive and com- high officials.
homosexual; but Foreign Office official, (1) That these are the work pulsive
(2) That can also cross-check on and convicted felon, of Casement: banged for treason in they constitute a staggering dates as shown in the official A dreary, repetitive record
the Black of August 1916.
And there they huddled, the Tive books
and records record of vice.
As a student for some Diaries,
11
tie hand.
THE WRITING
It is a horrible document horrible and yet pitiful. compulsive, obsessive
- homosexuality.
In Para, in Iquitos, 'in town after town of Latin
are.
are
DOLLARDS
OFFICE DIARY
Letts's
MINAR HAS
DL
SIR ROGER CASEMENT.
CABEMENT was
A
handsome,
2
མ
a
#lave-
Mr Noel Blakiston, years past of Casement's I these same three head of the research conventional writings (of Foreign Office volumes of department at the Public which huge collection
records which were used by America, Casement sought Record Office, carried the exists) I could quickly iden Dr Wilson Harrison, Direc out complaisant male com
bearded explicitly metal box up from the if his highly characteris for of the South Wales panions. His clandestine ac-
Irishman of tremendous personality and and Monmouthshire Forensic tivities
energy, in the decade before the 1914 waT strong room, in which it
Science Laboratory, in con- described. The amounts he for these dubious
he swept into world-wide celebrity is now kept, and opened
ducting his study of the paid
Foreign Office man by exposing the laboriously
In the rubber-growing lebour conditions it before me.
handwriting in the diaries favours
areas of the Congo and Peru. King George which resulted in his de- itemised.
It would be quite impos-
V knighted him. But for those who may claring them genuine.
to try to present Rible
of the Black bowdlerised of Several
versions an old-fashioned Army- go to the Public Record Office without prior know- type fickt-service book ledge of this now-solved Diaries now, on view are these writings; impossible the authorities quoted verbatim in The to convey the brutality and secured with a strap mystery,
generous Black Diaries," the book by bluntness with which he set (Casement used it for his have provided a
man lown the record. of Casement's former Fleet Street joltings during his early selection
And nowhere in there the this days in Africa); a Letts official long-hand writings to Peter Singleton-Gates which
was published last spring slightest sign that in Paris and which finally frightful collection is other pocket diary; a Letts compare against.
forced the hand of the Home than absolutely genuine. desk diary: a Dollards office diary; and a ledger
Office. -the books which were seized by Scotland Yard in Casement's Ebury for 1910 and 1911. Normal-
Street lodgings 43 years ago.
THE RECORD
The Foreign Offer archives section has lent to the Public Record Office two
A check with the originai INCONGRUOUS of its Political diaries shows that the type. volumes Records on Latin America script copies secured by
Singleton-Gatex
A
37 years
No evidence of interpola-
But Gesemant was tortured irish broke out nationalist. When the 1914 war
ho at once went to Germany and tried to persuade Irishmen among the British P.o.W.s lo German camps to fight against England. when and treasonable This
clearly waa
German A from ashore Casemant came U-boat on a lonely irish coast in 1918, and was promptly captured, he execution was a foregone conclusion.
But now here began the mystery which the brouhaha lasting nearly half a created century. In the period between Clement's being found gulity and sentenced to hang, And hi
execution in Pentonville 43 Actual years ago this month, copies of hie "Black Diaries" were circulated on both sides of the Atlantic.
The object? To choke off attempte to In 1016 the U.S. war have him reprieved.
opinion
* neutral. Irish-American
by Britain. altuation was tricky. So the decision was
Was The
show
taken ta
dlarles-containing the copious notes and references to homosexual who were most activity to those propla active la urging clemency.
31 worked, of course. The reaction to the plimpsed diaries was shoor horrar. Honourable man dropped their reprieve plans Immedi ately. And Casement was duly hanged, his name twice blackened, once as again as a homosexual.
atraltor,
But, having conalved at this business, the British Governmant decided to play ostrich about the whale thing. And ovar
it or eince then, believe
not, Successiva have Becretaries British Home
solemnly assured those seeking the truth that they were unable to confirm or deny the existence of the "Black Diaries."
What thousands of words have been poured out in the great debate over thlal Books, articles, letters to the editors of newspapera all over tha world, memoiro, sporches.
At last Home Secretary-in the person of Mr R. A. Butler-has seen that it is better to tell the truth rather than try to hath things up, whatever the motives may be.
And after all these years I was present Public Record Office In recently at the London to examine the "Black Diaries," to read them and to tell the truth-on YOUR hehalf.
landed in Ireland
The
"Black Diaries." which the British Hom Office has now made available at the Public Record Office in Londen for Laspretion by persons with
authorisa- speciat tion
documents roustst
two of
desk diaries, another of octavo size, a black ledger and a nutebook.
And will the exhibits at the Public Record Office at last.
till this unique controvers/7
1 fear not. Because Mr Butler, Dib Home luid ft down Secretary, bas that no photographis may taken of the diaries
Until they can be carefully photographed by experts and X-ray subjected to conclusive and infra-red treatment, the
extremists voices of the
will still, and have cried "FOT-
never be finally those who
#ories!" will no doubt con- Unue to co 1:30.
Nor would it hurt to have another couple of handwriting experts called in to corroborate
the Andings of Dr Harrison.
ly these would not be on age and used by him as the tion or addition. No break were in the writing. It flows, on View until next year and basis for his book
Casement's un- 1961 respectively, for there correct and accurate copies and on in
being carefully watched hand, tightly
Dr Ilarrison is a distinguished is a 50-year embargo on the of the originals.
mistakable
man, but as has already been release of official documents
But there is one diary spaced in ink and pencil.
pointed out by Mr Emrys A to the public.
now revealed at the Public record af unnatural
Hughes (Lab., South Ayrshire) is In addition there
When be Record Office-it is the vice perhaps unparalleled
On the
date sine
you in terrible jeopardy the montent
*We The books whose very
German U-boat Just in parliamentary debate: to apt
And volume of Foreign Letts diary for 1911, cover in the English language.
Casement he fled to Germany at the out- from
cunnot expect the Irish people existence has been so often third
And yet even in is 1911 addressing format.commani- break of the 1914 war, have before the Dublin Easter Rising
to accept, as the Anal verdict ing Casement's journeys in dairy, there is to be found the cation to the Foreign Secretary bety so careless as to leave of questioned, su often scorn- Office documents for 1903.
1916, what was the first the opinion of n special witness Thus the researcher can South America in conuce weirdly incongruous counter of the day and that night this ovidence in his Ebury thing the police found in his fully denied.
the tion with his famous report point only
of official business he is put seeking squalid adven- Street rooms for Scotland Yard pocket when they, caught him? employed by the Home Office,"
But for me the matter compare not
fo lind?
Why, the stub of a railway settled. writings of Roger Casement on the slave-labour rubber cypher cables, reports to White ture in the streets.
ball and 50 forth amid
sloeper tielset from
Casement's These are Roger Foreign trade in respectable
the Ptumayo Casement's sinister personal
You ask: How could Case- The answer is that Casement Whelmshaven, where he had Black Diaries. Oflice man sending in officiul jungles-which has not been activities.
men, who knew himself to be was a chronic bungler,
mbarked in the U-bant.
-(London Express Strutes),
The books about which controversy has raged so furiously for nearly half century.
a the
The books which-us I found conclusively on read- ing them the other night--
contain an appalling sell
indictment of perversion.
Any suggestion that these five detailed documents--
extending from 1901 to 1911
-are
forgeries, as
hay
been repeatedly alleged by
the
fervent more
of
WHEN I HEARD
THE GREAT NEWS
New York.
are
a
Berlin to
I saw her again...the
lonely Queen on
hand, as a hundred newspaper- men and women waited. The was tenso. Mr
Casement's supporters ALL tribute to a gallant woman and a great atmosphere
queen. Quite frankly, the news the other Butler (and now I realise
vanishes.
No man who was not wil- fully blind tu the evidence
day from Buckingham Palace came to me as a
...Advance styling with
classical elegance
TITONI
Airmaster
57
jewels
..the flattest of all calendar automatic watches
KU HOW SOON. CO. RM, 208, 2ND PL LOKE YEW: BLOG.. QUEEN 't 'BOAD, CENTRAL HONG KONG TEL: 27172.
surprise although I was
the
on the royal tour for five weeks and saw Queen every day,
There were, of
course, rumours, but the women core spondents inclined to know about these matters assured me positively that it just could not • be that the Queen was expecting a baby,.
Then came that first day ex White Horse, Yukon Territory, when the Queen looked as if she were going to, falni.
it
was with all the good will in the world) sald: "The Queen Is suffering from a stomach upset
and from fatigue. She will not he going to Dawson City and will stay indoors today.
"Prince Philip is going to The Queen resumed the sche- church alone and will go to Jule in Edmonton, the oil Dawson City and carry out the capital, looking rather pale and programme as announced,"
Looked annoyed There was a babble of voices and a young Canadian corre- spondent shouted: **Is the Queen pregnant?"
Hired in the morning but spark- ling and vivacious in the even- Ing after all the handshaltes, the parades, the drives. the luncheons, the banquets, and the ever-present Brownies.
Surgeon Captain Sicele-Per- kins, whom we saw quite a bit, Butler looked annoyed, then never dropped a hint, nor did She went through the long smiled and shook his head. The anyone else in the know. How- and arduous programme in the Canadian correspondent turned ever, Steele-Perkins was seeing dusly streets of the capital of to me and said: "It was a fair the Queen every day and some- the remote, North, her hands question
wasn't 117" And 1 times twice a day, und Prince clenching and unclenching, he said: "Yes, but it might have Philip. It seemed to me in face taut and haggard, and her been expressed more delicately." last stages of the tour, was playing a bigger part in the eyes. usually sparkling, dum and Incking lustre.
the
And so for the next two days long programme and trying to I saw Prince Philip lock the Queer was indisposed and take some of the burden from anxiously nt his wife
several the explanation to the world the Queen, times during the day under the was "Stomach upset. and hot sun. We thought then ilial fatigue."
the Queen was suffering from
the prairie
by DON
IDDON
fumultuous reception In Chi-
The Press gave a party to cago, this scene in the heart of the Queen and Prince Philip Canada in etched, imnost deeply
on my mind. extreme nervous exhaustion Those in the know kept their in our car in the royal train,
and exacting journeys she has was so indignant,
The at this recepilon. undertaken:
reports that the Queen was Queen did not come and not merely suffering from we know why. minor slomacli trouble that he
Conodian called in the
Prest
after one of the most punishing lips sealed. Mr Diefenbaker and I was honoured to be chair- 'Headline news
Tonse atmosphere
however at man
A
Prince Philly, of course, knew and two British correspondants, the Queen was expecting a one of whom was myself, and child. So did Prime Minister denied it.
John Diefenbaker, and. ́natur-
now
I would have been so eaty for a loss devoted woman to have After the parly I walked cut short the tour or Indeed, alone beside the tracks to the never to have embarked upon it. observation car at the rear But Queen Elizabeth puts the of the trait, There WAE Crown and her duty above all digare thero standing on tho else above herself, her child- obanrvation platform alt ren, everything. hazetted against the night sky.
Perkins.
ally, the Queen's doctor on the Then & number of French wildly guessing tour, Surgeon Captain Stecte- nowepODOĽA,
but, as it turned out, accurately,
It was the Queen. There was
Now, in the United States and
THE QUEEN
TO HAVE A
BABY
"Say! Now THAT'S what I call real good news 1"
13
On the sidewalks of New Queen something touching, in fact in Canada, still smarting from America on the radio and tele- The next day in the Press came out and bald the
Infinitely moving, about this the allegations of indifference vizion networks, and i was York, on the benches of Cen- room of the Royal Canadian Air was in "an interesting condi-
lonely faure looking out over and hypersensitive about erl headline news in the evening tral Park, and in Rockefeller Forca barracks at White Horse tion," as the Court phraseology
We Bruin
the people particularly asked Me the prairies.
ilcisms of the way the tour was newspapers throughout the con- Plaza there was the briefing given by goes. the Canadian Press Decretary, Esmond Butler the important
planned, there is a great surge tinent on the day. It is the big the women, are saying: "What
woman. What good
even a wonderful Of all the many vivid scenes of emotion and love for the talking point here today, the young and handsofne Me question and again. in Esmond Butler. He walked into faith, he denied that the Queen and incidents during this extra- Queen. The news was announced overshadowing the forthcom- great Queen," How right, they
ordinary tour, - including the at breakfast-time in North, Ing visit of Mr Khrushchev, MEC, the big room malling,pipe in was expecting a baby,
а