The Henson Journals

[182]

Wednesday, October 2nd, 1918.

1521st day

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Weather overclouded, with occasional showers. Another day was wasted in the Church & State Committee. We carried the Baptismal Franchise by 24 to 18. I spoke in favour with some earnestness, & I think an impression was made. Again, in the afternoon I was in the majority of 27 to 1 which rejected Lord Hugh Cecil's motion to exclude the Incumbent from the chairmanship of the parish council. I made a speech in answer to him, which was well received. For the rest, I was generally in a minority. I lunched with Ernest in Little Cloisters. He has been touring over Ireland visiting chaplains. He says there are 115,000 troops in that exasperating country. He had tea with Lloyd George in Manchester. I had tea in the Club, and there had interviews with Woods, the Vicar of the Church Stretton, and Miss Andrews, the daughter of the old paralyzed Vicar of Kinnersley. Then I dined pleasantly with Henry Newbolt. Sidney Lee told me that Beeching was ill; & Walsh that the old Bishop his Father was gravely indisposed. The afternoon telegrams announce the occupation of Damascus. General Allenby gives the wretched Turks no time to recover from defeat. There is an unconfirmed report that Fox Ferdie has abdicated, and that Prince Boris"rules" as regent in Bulgaria. Everybody seems to be persuaded that Turkey is about to drop out of the War; and that this double collapse means "the beginning of the end".

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