15 MAY 1959, Page 21

SIR.—Mr. Hyde's exposure of the deliberate use of Prejudice and

fear by the Ulster Unionists is all too true. Probably if anyone else had written the article I Would hasten to congratulate him. In the case of Mr. Hyde one only feels revulsion. Men like Mr. Hyde must bear much of the blame riot the continuance of the religious bigotry which besets Northern Ireland. They despise it; they sneer at it; in private, they may even deplore it. But come the elections and all qualms and susceptibilities arc forgotten in the rush for votes.

Mr. Hyde has contested Belfast North on three occasions. He has stood upon red, white and blue bedecked lorries while speakers played up the very "Pinions and prejudices he now deplores. I have heard from his platform the very indignation which he now admits to be 'largely synthetic in character.' It all helped to elect him.

I well remember during one election seeing a pro- cession of flags, lorries, banners and bands pass down s dingy street under the shadow of the linen mills. tithind the lorry carrying the Unionist candidate came 4 crowd of women and girls singing :

And we'll buy a penny rope, To hang the bloody Pope, • On the Twelfth of July in the morning.

ossly offensive' is an understatement but the candidate did not object though he was no other v,inao Mr. Hyde. Perhaps he was too busy waving his red white and blue horseshoe to those attracted to weir doors by the noise. At that time, too, he had,

unlike now, the Unionist nomination for a safe seat with a 12,000 majority.—Yours faithfully, SAMUEL J. WATT Secretary Ulster Labour Group in London

10 Greenwich Church Street, SEIO