The Henson Journals

[137]

Friday, April 16th, 1920.

I dictated a number of letters to Fearne. There arrived from the Oxford Press a number of copies for the Memoir. One copy I sent to Lord Stamfordham for the King. Olaf & Kitty his wife left us: and in the evening Mary Radford arrived with my godson, John. I received from Mr Ralph M. Easley, Chairman of the Executive Council of the National Civic Federation, a request for permission to reprint the Article on "The Church & Socialism" in the E.R. He also sent me some copies of the "National Civic Federation Review" from which I gathered that the situation in America is more like that in Great Britain than I had supposed. I wrote at once in reply as follows:–

[138]

April 16th 1920

My dear Sir,

I have to acknowledge your very interesting communication of the 1st inst., and the enclosed copies of "The National Civic Federation Review", which I have read with very great interest.

So far as I am concerned you are heartily welcome to make any use you will of the Article in the "Edinburgh Review" (Jan. 1920) which I wrote on "The Church & Socialism".

The situation in America appears to present a closer resemblance to that in Great Britain than I had supposed. On both sides of the Atlantic the eager entrance of the Churches into economic conflicts has been attended by this considerable disadvantage of inoculating them with an eager restless spirit akin to, perhaps identical with, that fanaticism which has ever been the shadow of religious zeal.

I cannot pretend to take an optimistic view of the outlook. The War has shaken everybody out of normal grooves, & induced a temper, the remotest conceivable from caution, or equity, or balanced thinking.

Believe me,

Yours v. faithfully,

H. H. Hereford.

Ralph M. Easley Esq.

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