"DIVIDED WE FALL"

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 3

"DIVIDED WE FALL"

The third and unquestionably final rejection of the Caledonian Power Bill is a serious blow to the material restoration of the Highlands. Inverness on local considerations may rejoice at the result, but it presages the end of those hopes of the development of water power on' which an industrial future for the Highlands depends. The decision has given a pretext to the Nationalists to denounce the British Parliament for the defeat of a Scottish project, and when it is known that the majority of 227 to 141 was mainly that of English votes there appears to be a superficial justification for Scottish resentment against a-vote which not only deprives Scotland of an important industry, but cripples the whole Empire by compelling the Government to look elsewhere for indispensable supplies. But Scotland cannot shift the responsibility to other shoulders for the result, No fewer than 18 Scottish members voted against the Bill, 11 of them Socialists whose antipathy to a “ capitalist ” concern no doubt governed their action, but the dissentients included also a number of Unionists—sufficient to _ show that Scottish opinion was divided on the subject.. Against a united-Scotland the English members would not have dared to combine to defeat a Scottish project; but they were quick to see how the wind was b'owing and to take advantage of a favourable chance to secure the industry farther south. The episode provides another illustration of that “local patriotism” in Scct’aml which one of the speakers at the Convention of Royal Burghs mentioned as being the great obstacle to the achievement of a common purpose.—‘ Weekly Scotsman.’