The Henson Journals

[37]

Monday, November 18th, 1920.

I called on Lea [Lee] at Broad Sanctuary, & charged him to undertake my income tax business. Then I went to the National Assembly, & sate out a dreary morning of debate. The Budget was voted: before the vote was taken, I entered a protest against the procedure. I lunched at the Athenaeum with Rashdall, & then returned to the assembly where Lang was moving a resolution on Reunion. He was very eloquent & plusquam–primatial. I made a speech, hastily conceived and ill–delivered, in which I explained my own position with relation to the Appeal of the Lambeth Conference. This brought up the Bishop of Winchester, who spoke at length but unimpressively. Welldon spoke, &, of course, gained cheers by throwing me over. Parkin also made a speech, & then the Archbishop of Canterbury made some observations, not very friendly to me! Knight joined me at the conclusion of the meeting, & we had tea & a walk in the Park. I dined at 31 Sloane Gardens with Sir John & Lady Struthers. Buckle was there, & talked most cheerfully. He observed with respect to Curzon that, though he had achieved every object of his ambition (except the Premiership), yet nobody cared in the least what he thought about anything. This appears to be true, & it is certainly very strange. I got back to the Hotel a little before 11 p.m.

[38]

Was I right in speaking this afternoon? It certainly does seem to me that what I said was true, and necessary to be known. But was it expedient to be known then & thus? It was not without significance that the only speakers who followed me were opposed, but Lord Hugh Cecil & the Bishop of Winchester are strong High Churchman, & Welldon counts for nothing. If I had said nothing, & allowed the vote to be unanimous and apparently enthusiastic, would the cause of truth have been advanced? The Archbishop of Canterbury, in his short speech, excelled himself in oracular ambiguity. He seemed to be censuring me, but he never quite did so. On the whole, I incline to think that the air was cleared. I am annoyed (though not in the least surprised) at Welldon's behaviour. That the time would come, & come quickly, when he would seek popularity by gibing at me, I knew well enough: but I had hoped it would not come so soon. This afternoon's incident will give copy to the Church papers, & put life into the slumbering fanaticisms within my own diocese. He certainly cut a very ridiculous figure while he was speaking. He screamed, repeated himself over and over again, & struck his breast like an actor. He was really in a blue funk, & when he drew cheers leapt to his chance with nervous transport!

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