Letters from Eva Gore Booth to the Home Office letter from Eva Gore Booth to Home Office - Part 1

Re: Countess Markievicz M.P. March 4 1919 33 Fitzroy Square Dear Sir I was prevented from calling this morning, so am putting my application in writing, as I am anxious to visit my sister as soon as possible. I note that we have still to sign the undertaking to which my sister so strongly objects. May I point out the utter impossibility of keeping such an undertaking. We both of us think it undesirable to give a pledge to do a thing which could not be carried out. One of the stipulations is that we shall not discuss any political matters. This would preclude conversation on such a subject as my sister’s recent election to Parliament, & would also prevent us talking of ordinary matters of political interest that are discussed in the daily papers to which she has full access. Almost all her instincts touch on politics in some way or other. On the one occasion I did see her she asked for news of her husband Count Dunin de Markievicz, but was stopped at once by the office as he is in Russia & to mention Russia was “politics”, though I explained I know nothing of his political opinions since the Revolution. As to the stipulation about not discussing the events that led to her arrest, I can only suggest that as neither she nor I have even been told what they are, we might speculate about them, but we could not possibly discuss them! Under the circumstances would you kindly convey to the Secretary of State my request to be allowed to visit her in the presence of an Officer, without the unusual condition of signing a document which one knows beforehand one could not carry out? I am Yours faithfully Eva Gore-Booth