Welsh Journals

Political Commentary By JOHN LEGONNA The following notes on political theory and present-day practice are intended to present from time to time an incisive yet constructive approach to the hotchpotch of present-day politics, both mad and sane. I shall endeavour to deal realistically with essentials. The Welshman who FIGHTS for Wales. A desire to remedy or rectify by political action becomes reformism, sentimentalism and inane unless motivated and accompanied by an emotional and intellectual background of instructed understanding and factual realism. To be effective and valuable in service to. Wales, a Welshman must: (a) be sensitive to his national origin and instructed in his national heritage; (b) be aware of and instructed in the fundamental present-day economic poverty and insecurity of his People; (c) be anxious and resolved that economic security in Wales and the national existence of Wales be established on a lasting Welsh basis. There are other essentials a sense of the deep severity of the times through which we are passing a feeling of real concern for the outcome of the struggles which lie ahead a refusal to be bound by preconceived slants and foregone fixed notions a readiness at all times to face fact and its import. Given these in reasonable proportion the degree of a Welshman's effectiveness will be measured by the grit in his guts. For the purpose of a short practical illustrative application of these tests a cursory comparison can here appropriately be made with certain of our foremost (i.e., least lost in the self-comforts of an everlasting hibernation) politicians. W. J. GRUFFYDD It would be right to say that Professor W. J. Gruffydd is well instructed in the history, traditions, culture and literature of Wales, and his right to speak with authority upon these questions is justifiable and readily conceded. He has also from time to time championed, with realism in the national sense, confusedly in the economic sense, the rights and needs of our People with a praise- worthy zeal-in rather vivid contrast to the Siberian frostbite which automatically seizes the twiddling feet and hesitant speech of 90 per cent.