SCOTLAND’S CONTRIBUTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23707, 14 January 1939, Page 20

SCOTLAND’S CONTRIBUTION

Though the pride of many of the Scots was touched, the gain to Scotland from the union was even greater in the long run than to England, writes the Amejpcan historian, Mr James Truslow Adams, in the .first volume of his new work, “ Building the British Empire.” From the back-water of her national but restricted life she swung at once into the broad sea of imperial and commercial opportunity on which England was embarking. The character and ability of her citizens were at last to have opportunity consonant with their quality open before them, and not only did they benefit by it. but so did the intellectual, public, and business life of England and the entire Empire. It is hard to over-estimate the contribution which Scotland has made to the common life since the happy day for all when she consented to abandjon her isolation. The people of Great Britain have been made up. as we have seen in different periods of our story, of many strains, and among the most important of the qualities which they have contributed to the common life and character must be reckoned those which have come with the Scotch. In the American colonies the Scotch-Irish, as the Scots who have lived in Ireland for some generations and then passed to America were called, are recognised as having been the finest frontiersmen the New World Jigs known, and the same qualities contributed bv the race north of the Tweed have helped to build up the Empire in every quarter. In addition, their deep religious spirit, their stern self-discipline., their love of learning for its own sake, and their keen mentality as well as their history, literature! and wealth of legend and rohave all made an inestimable addition to the general stock of the united British race.