24th February, 1925
CONFIDENTIAL
(Due to arrive Melbourne 28.3.25)
My dear P.M.,
Just a short note to you as to my plans. I think it would be a distinct help to me in the work here if I were to take advantage of invitations that I have to spend a few days each with the Legation at Vienna, and the British Diplomatic Mission at Moscow.
Leeper [1] is at Vienna and has asked me to stay with him, and I have a similar invitation to go to Hodgson, the Charge d’Affaires at Moscow.
Spending even a few days in a country under conditions such as I would be under, meeting and talking to the people concerned, makes the subsequent reading of despatches much easier and more intelligent.
I found this after even the few days I had with the Embassy in Paris. One goes well primed with all that they have been writing, and is able to ‘fix’ the high points of the story by relevant conversation with the Embassy people, and (hardly less useful) with the foreign correspondents of the British press.
If you agreed, I would make a three weeks’ trip of it, visiting Paris, Coblenz, Vienna, Moscow, and Berlin on return.
Would you be good enough to cable me on receipt of this letter- ‘Reference your letter of 24th February, approved’-or not, as you decide. [2]
There would, of course, be a gap in my communications to you of two or three weeks, but as the near future seems to be without its crisis, this might not be of much importance. I could always return to London in 48 hours in case of your wanting me here urgently.
I am, Yours very truly, R. G. CASEY
_1 A. W. A. (Allen) Leeper, First Secretary at the Legation.
2 It seems that Casey did not make his trip.
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