Cylchgronau Cymru

I he immediate effect of exclusiveness in the ad- ministration of public institutions of this kind is to divorce them from the current of national thought, so that they fail to reflect what is essentially noble and uplifting in various national movements that voice the aspirations of the common people. In Wales the voice of the native press and pulpit-admittedly the highest expression of the tenets of the rural, to say nothing of urban populations-is seldom heard within their walls. The type is thus reduced to a mere imitation of a third- rate English establishment. In your September issue, Professor Zimmern, of Aberystwyth, forcibly asked: Has Wales achieved full self-respect? Does Wales stand firm on her own feet? Does Wales know herself?" The implication of a negative answer is clear from the injunctions that follow Unbury your treasure Straighten your back." He speaks of the poison of inferiority-allow- ing the outsider of blatant voice and shallow mind to gather all the chestnuts,-of a sense of dependence and of inner bondage or slavery such as comes of great qualities unused or misused." He detects in the life of Wales characteristics not of a people that is making contribution out of its own life and genius to the life of the world, but of a little people still timidly PAN-CELTICISM GONE MAD. WE in Ireland are not particularly interested in the washing of Scotch linen in public. In fact, we feel it would be much better if it were quietly done at home. Personally I was quite unaware the garments of Celtic courtesy and the decent clothing of Celtic brotherhood needed washing so badly. The particular method adopted by Mr. Henderson will, to my think- ing, leave them in a more bedraggled condition than before. What I am chiefly concerned with, however, is the outrageous remark made about both Dr. Hyde and me in connection with the Congress. We are both be- lieved, according to Mr. Henderson, to be in favour at the Castle. Who believes it, or where did he get this precious piece of information ? Does he realise at all the meaning of his words, and, if he does, will he dare to repeat them in Ireland? No Irish editor would dream of printing such a libellous statement, and any decent Irishman would burn the paper on which it was written: The Castle in Ireland represents a British Government, hateful in itself and hated by us all. We who have spent the greater part of our energy in trying to loosen its death-grip, are forsooth to be held up in a false light, just to allow Mr. Henderson to create an atmosphere in which to air local squabbles which are no concern of ours. I now call upon him to prove or withdraw his state- ment. looking round the horizon seeking what it shall imitate and whence it can derive help." The picture may be somewhat overdrawn, but clearly the moral will be found in the proverb of Arthur's knights Deffro, mae'n ddydd The policy of the Board of Education, as voiced by the officials of its Welsh Department, and now fairly generally practised in the schools of Wales, is to encourage the culture-cult which has been for cen- turies so marked a feature of rural life in Wales. De- spite the absence of a co-ordinated library system in the past, it is doubtful whether any small democracy can show a better record of attainment in the things that matter. The practical arts have been somewhat neglected, but with the present educational facilities and the prospective provision of a wider range and a better supply of material for reading and study, this reproach will gradually pass away. The county-boroughs of Wales already possess public libraries, which are all doing good work. It is now the turn of the county educational authorities, which possess, in the new Public Libraries Act of 1919, a charter that should enable them to illumine effectually the winter darkness of scattered villages. By Agnes O'Fanelly (Benig yr Ynys). Mr. Hendeson declares twice that no person who opposed conscription was to be invited to the Scotch Congress. Well, I opposed conscription Not only that. but I was secretary to the Women's Anti-Con- scription Movement in Ireland. Nay, more-and this is, I suppose, the crowning crime of all,-I was opposed to recruiting in Ireland. Though I differed from many of my Sinn Fein friends in being anti- German all through the war, I was also anti-recruiting as far as Ireland was concerned. History having taught me that in dealing with England goods must be de- livered before being paid fpr either in men or money. This is not the time or place in which to discuss my reasons for this attitude-reasons solely based on love of my own country. I merely give facts, and they are none the less facts that I have not chosen to stand in the limelight of politics. The next matter calling for attention is the question of the invitations to read papers at the Edinburgh Congress. In June, 1919, a meeting of the Irish Com- mittee was held in Dublin (of this Mr. Henderson seems to be unaware) at which Mr. John was present, and acting, as we thought, on behalf of the Scotch Committee, expressed a strong desire to have Professor Eoin MacNeill read a paper at the coming Congress in Edinburgh. The Secretary was requested to invite Mr. NacNeill. I was present, so can vouch for the accuracy of this statement. With regard to the place of meeting of the next Congress, it is news to me to hear the Congress declined