LOYAL TO EMPIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27346, 23 March 1950, Page 7

LOYAL TO EMPIRE

Scottish Covenant Movement SUGGESTION OF BREAK DENIED NZPA Special Correspondent Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 22. “The British Commonwealth is as much a Scottish as an English institution. I do not see how we could drive ourselves out even if we wanted to do so,” said Mr J. M. MacCormick, chairman of the Scottish National Covenant Movement, when denying a statement by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Mr Victor Warren, that one of the objectives of the Covenant was to detach Scotland from England and from the Empire. The Duke of Montrose, who is another leader of the Covenant Movement. said that Mr Warren had made this statement at a St. Patrick’s night dinner which was a time, admittedly, when very odd things might be said. “It is utter nonsense to say we shall be driven out of the United Kingdom and the Empire,” said the Duke. Mr MacCormick said that the supporters of the Covenant, far from wanting to leave the Commonwealth, desired to see a strong and united Empire which could maintain in a troubled world the ideals which were the common heritage of Scotsmen and Englishmen alike. The committee of the Covenant Movement has sent a letter to Mr J. M. Sinclair, the Minister of Finance for Northern Ireland, who was the guest of honour at the dinner at which Mr Warren made his comments. The letter states: “ There are no enemies of Britain among the Covenant leaders, their supporters or assistants, nor have there ever been. We are satisfied that the 1,000,000 or more signatories of the Covenant are loyal subjects of the King. The wording of the document itself makes that clear."