Welsh Journals

Scottish and Welsh Nationalism. ITS REVIVAL, SIGNIFICANCE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS. By T. R. Evans, M.A., B.L. SINCE the Great War there has undoubtedly been a considerable revival of Nationalism both in Wales and Scotland. The Welsh National Party was founded in 1925 to take up the work which individual Welsh Nationalists like Thomas Gee, Tom Ellis, William Jones, Llewelyn Williams, Ellis Griffith, and Lloyd George, in his early years, or groups of them, left undone. As regards Scotland, though there has hardly been another case in history where a small nation has so successfully resisted a much larger and richer one, and though the Union of 1707 was effected not by military duress, but by political and economic forces, aided by a large measure of bribery and corruption (mainly on the part of the Scotch or Anglo-Scotch nobility whom Carlyle stigmatised as a selfish, ferocious, famishing, unprincipled set of hyenas "), and though the Union has in a comparative and material sense been fairly successful, neverthe- less there has ever since been a body of opinion in Scotland that has keenly recognised the cultural and spiritual losses involved, and has demanded the re-establishment of her National Parliament. Since the Irish Home Rule question became acute in 1886 there has arisen in Scotland -as in Wales-a feeling that she had as much right on the ground of nationality to self- government as Ireland (whose unfortunate his- tory, however, gave a prior claim in time). There are now in Scotland no less than four associations all demanding a greater or less measure of autonomy. The original Scottish Home Rule Association was founded in 1886, fell into abeyance, but was revived after the war. The Young Scots Society, formed in 1900 to promote Progressive Politics, has always had Scots Home Rule in the forefront of its pro- gramme. The Scottish National Movement, instituted and presided over by Mr. Lewis Spence, a prominent literary man and nationalist, and the Scots National League were instituted a year or two ago for similar specific purposes. What does all this mean? Is it a revival of excessive, narrow and intolerant nationalism after a great war which was largely the outcome of such? Is it a refreshing of the memories of the sad, unhappy far off times and battles long ago," which by the healing influence of time were being forgotten or embedded in the sub- conscious mind? Though there is a danger of extremists in every movement, in view of the history of both countries, and above all in view of the existence of the League of Nations, emphatically no! The renewal of old racial prejudices, animosities and strifes, which almost inevitably accompanied the Irish National Move- ment, owing to the disastrous historical back- ground and the religious problem, can hardly be repeated in Britain, where comparatively happy relations have existed for centuries, a joint struggle for democratic progress has taken place, substantial rights and material benefits have been enjoyed under one Parliament, and the love of Constitutionalism and ordered development obtains. But not all these benefits should blind us to the ethical and spiritual sig- nificance of nationality. It is from sexual or family love that we proceed to the love of society and country, and from this to the love of God. Though God made out of one blood all the nations of the earth," He made nations, as He made individual personalities, that through diversity a higher unity should be attained. It is of happy augury that these national aspirations should be preceded or accompanied in both countries by a cultural renaissance. The Welsh political movement may indeed be said to have sprung out of the educational movement, resulting in good elementary and intermediate schools and national colleges. And this cannot be dissociated from the struggle for religious equality, ending in the Disestablishment of the Welsh Church. To-day," says a contemporary writer of note, Wales has a literary life as vital and important as any in Europe, and the Welsh language is rehabilitated and restored to its pristine, classic purity." To-day, through Sir Walford Davies and others, an effort is being made to make the contribution of Wales to musical composition and literature, as well as instrumental technique, commensurate with the musical genius of the people. Welsh drama and art, which are the decidedly weak points nationally, show signs of improvement, par- ticularly the former. Even in the sphere where Welshmen have the most decided natural gift, Theology and its handmaid Philosophy, the con- tribution is not what it ought to have been yet here the increasing national culture must tell ere long. Many of the great Welsh preachersl such as Howell Harries, Daniel Rowlands, John Elias, Williams of Wern, and Kilsby Jones, are barely known outside Wales, partly owing to the language difficulty, no doubt. There is no Welsh School of Philosophy as there is a Scotch or a Kantian (and Kant was half a Scot). Yet a few of the calibre of Sir Henry Jones would soon fill the gap. Space forbids elaboration, but in Scotland there is to-day a well marked cultural renaissance, having its roots no doubt in Burns and Scott, who did so much for the Scots vernacular or Braid Scots," which as a means of coloured expression, and with its considerable distinctive vocabulary, has almost the dignity of a separate language. A Scottish National Academy of Music is being