CHILDREN OF WELSH WORKLESS
HAVE ONLY 35. PER WEEK FOR FOOD
Front Our Tirelsh. Correspondent Welsh people are reacting in various ways to the Government's evacuation schemes.
Evacuation plans for war-time refugees which coneern most of North and Mid-Wales have aroused much criticism.
The unemployed complain that the Government's allowance of 8s. 6d. per head for every child billeted in private homes is too munificent compared with the 3s. a head allowed for the children of the unemployed.
North Wales coast resorts are unanimous in protesting that 8s. 6d. per head weekly over a period of maybe years is ruinous to the livelihood of boarding-house keepers, who may receive 16s. per head per day during English military efficiency the season, and who subsist during the winter on the profits acquired in this way.
The Welsh Nationalist Party states the entire case for Wales in a memorandum issued by them on this question.
Beginning with an affirmation of the separate nationhood of 1Vcdes, it claims that the Governwent's plans entirely ignore this fact and regard the interests of
English " Reception Area"
It says : To treat Wales merely as an English reception area ' to the evident endangerment of all Welsh social tradition and social unity is to show towards Wales a spirit of militaristic totalitarianism contrary to all principles of democracy and to the rights of small nations."
The memorandum further protests against the classification of the densely populated industrial areas of South Wales as neutral zones. Their increased activity in industry and shipping in
time of war will make them extremely Important military objectives. They should be classified as evacuation areas with first right to reception in the contiguous Welsh districts.
Miners Refuse
The South Wales Miners' Federation has also refused to co-operate with the Government's defence plans—for a quite different reason.
This step has been taken as a protest against the Government's supposed collusion with Fascist powers.
Finally, the entire Welsh Press (by which is meant newspapers published in Welsh) is opposed to the present evacuation plans.
When the assessment of accommodation begins there will undoubtedly be developments.
Welsh Farmers Revolt
Important in another sphere of national life is the growing demand amongst Welsh farmers for a Welsh Farmers' Uniopi distinct from English interests.
. They claim that the needs of the Welsh small farmer differ so much from those of the English farmer, particularly in the production of sheep and oats, that the establishment of a separate union would be justified.
Cardiganshire leads this agitation, which is gaining support on all sides.