Evening star., 1920-11-07
SCOTCH AGITATION
AIMS AT FREEDOM
Nationalist Activities Under
Way in Harmony With
Gaelic Hopes.
By The HON. r. ERsKINE
OF MARI

ofoss- Atlantic Cable Service to The Star.
THAT Scottish independence movement
- IN existence Is known to very few outside
the movement itself. Without the spectac-
nlar features Of Ireland's fight for freedom.
there is nevertheless a growing feeling.
derived from the struggles of the eight
eentn and earher centuries. that Scotland
conid and should stand alone 4 nation.
Is the Hon. K. Erskine of Mari, president
OF the scots National League. who has
written the following lucid explanation OF
what the s. n. l.. is aiming at. Mr.. Er-
skine Is second son It Baron E,skine and
leading authority on Gaelic language and
1terature.1
GLASGOW, November "a CON
venient point at which to begin this
brief summary of recent nationalist
activities in Scotland is the sex-cen-
tary Of the famous declaration O.
Scottish independence. made at Ar
broath in the year 1920
It is true, Of course. that the Scot
tlsh nationalists had been active be-
fore the commemoration to which ]
allude took place. For instance. d,
tney grew up protest against tn {
exclusion of Scotland from tina
congress
Inc protest was signed by number
OF M P.'s and labor parliamentary can
aldates; and. though it was signed al
the document excited widespread inter
est IN Scotland. and was extensively
noticed In the continental press.
First Public Meeting.
Still, the recent gathering at Ar
broath calls for particular comment,
and constitutes an important event
in latterday Scottish history, mas
much, as that occasion provided the
first public meeting held under the
body which has been but recently
set en- foot and whose single ain
and object are the restoration of
Scottish independence.
There were two demonstrations at
Arbroath-the official" one, to
letter, and which stirred no waters.
and the unofficial one, which. helc
under the auspices of the Scots Ma
uonal League, raised the dust in nc
uncertain fashion.
The unofficial celebration was at
tended by at least 5000 people, a
large crowd considering that Ar
broath Is not a big place, that the
meeting had been very little adver-
ttsed beforehand and that the towns
magistrates would allow the ma
tionalist speakers only one hour in
which to commemorate the glorious
dead and to enter their plea for the
restoration of Scottish independence
At the conclusion Of the speeches
the following resolution was submit
ted to the gathering and was en-
Enthusiastically adopted, without sim
gle dissentient;
That this mass meeting of Scots
citizens protests most emphatically
against today's sham celebration of
the declaration of Scottish Independ-
ence, and demands that Scotland be
imm ediately and completely restored
to that independence which Is her
right as free and sovereign nation"
headquarters are in Glasgow. and
which has a very strong executive,
has Just announced for May day next
year tho holding in Glasgow Of .
monster all-Scotland independence
convention. A special committee,
styled the 'Glasgow committee Of
formed in order to effect arrangs-
ments. Among the members of this
committee are Neil MacLean, NJ. p;
Councillor David kirkwood. John Mac
Lean, NJ. A.; Duncan Graham, NJ. p.
Rev. Malcolm MacCullom. who recently
contested Argyll in the labor interest.
leader.
At a recent meeting in Glasgow of
tho local committee it was announced
that Robert Smillie would attend the
convention and speak at it.
The attitude of the 8. n. 1. toward
the Legislative union Of 1907 is briefly
that the treaty is q bogus one. mas
much as it was forced through the
ruption. and was signed by the
parties responsible for it in defiance
Of the sentiments of the vast major.
ity Of the Scottish people Conse.
quently the s. N. L has no intention
OF conducting an agitation against
the pretended union ION the floor OF
the. English house Of commons. Il
believes in agitation in Scotland and
by Scotsmen.
Regarding the Gaelic language and
what is styled the Celtic renais.
sance."' the attitude Of the league is
that the old Scots language (Gaelic5
Is the true one, and that English in
Scotland is but a badge of feudaiism
It may be added that Robert Smile
IS a warm supporter Of the Gaelic
language. 1t is scarcely necessarv
to say that We regard the Irish cause
as, in q measure, our own.