SCOTLAND AND THE LORDS

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21024, 28 November 1933, Page 17

SCOTLAND AND THE LORDS

TO TIIM EDITOR OF TUB PHRS«. Sir,—As a patriotic Scot I treated with silent contempt some recent correspondenee in your columns in which a bilious Sassenach maligned bonnie Scotland as a country devoid of humour. It was all lies and all envy, but we Scots know what to expect from our auld enemy across the Border.

Here, however, I would like to offer some remarks, suggested by your interesting leading article on the House of Lords in "The Press" to-day. My purpose is to show that as in most other directions, Scotland leads again, and points the way towards a sensible reform of the House of Lords that is very easy of accomplishment. Scotland has a little regiment of hereditary peers, who by all reason should be entitled to a seat in the Lords just as their English brother peers are. But Scotland, too sensible and democratic to allow the hereditary principle to have too much say long ago determined that these lordly ones, mere "accidents of accidents," must not be allowed an undue place in the Legislature. So Scotland said to them: "You are Lords, but you will not be allowed on that account to go to the Lords in a body and mess up the legislation. It is right you should have a voice, however, and so you will choose 10 of your number and send them to the Lords to represent you and your interests." That was more than 200 years ago, and the sound rule still holds,* for when Scotland makes a decision it is based on such sound foundations that it stands through the centuries. Now. if England, which is twice the size of Scotland, adopted Scotland's plan and elected double the Scottish number to the Lords, we should have for England and Scotland only 48 hereditary peers in the Upper House. Even a democrat would not object to that number. If a greater number of members were required they could be chosen for their brains and not their blood. Why has this idea not occurred to the obtuse Englishman? That it has not been put forward by Scots is due simply to their modesty. Scotland has done so much for England and the Empire ever since she sent her king to reign in London that now when any political problem arises sensible Englishmen should say, "Let us see how Scotland would act in this"—and then go and do likewise. It makes my heart thrill 'with pride when I think of Scotland's great achievements in war and peace, on land and sea, in science and art. and statesmanship and literature. She is. indeed, the main prop of our great Imperial structure, and I wish the jealous critics who sometimes jeer at her even in Christchurch would remember the fact to keep them duly and decently humble.—Yours, etc., LITTLE JOCK ELLIOT. November 27, 1933.