Sta,--Scotland wants, I suppose, very much what England wants—work, decent
living conditions, a chance for everyone to exert his faculties in the way he himself thinks best. Which, then, is the best way of achieving this end—a separate Parliament? Then we should have a much lower national income and standard of living. This would not matter if we had a Government after our own, hearts. But why should we suppose a Parliament in Edinburgh would be any better than one in Westminster? We could keep a sharper eye on them, they say. Doubtless the Low- lander could, but we in the North would still be denied the pleasure of pebbling them. After the last war, at the time of the land seizures in Lewis, English members, not Scottish, saw justice done to the settlers. A Parliament in Edinburgh would be heavily weighted in favour of the Lowlands. I have always disliked the histrionics of the Scottish Nationalist Party, and consider Dr. M'Intyre a fit representative of such a party, but not of Scotland. Why should we wish for more separation, division, break-up? Is there not far too much of that already in Europe? Would we be the better for losing all the brains of the English M.P.s, and would they be the better of losing ours? We feel as much pride and pleasure in Westminster on our present leadership as any English- man could do. We say "ours," not " yours." What we do dislike is our present form of government through a Secretary of State and that fortress of officialdom, St. Andrew's House. If we want anything done, whether it touches on housing, health or a matter of a new pier, it must go via Tom Johnston. We do not appreciate this " benevolent despotism." No one man can reply for sixteen departments. No doubt obscure clerks and secretaries deal with many matters, and we are left at the mercy of Bumbledom.
We are like children relegated to the schoolroom, and any contact with authority must take place through the agency of the governess, Tom Johnston., I should very much like to know why this is considered an improvement on dealing directly with the Ministries concerned.
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