The Henson Journals

[127]

Tuesday, January 24th, 1922.

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The snow returned this morning: during the day there was a considerable fall. I went to Durham by the 10.25 a.m. train, and sate all day in Cosin's Library presiding over a Committee summoned to examine the proposed Dilapidations Bill, and the proposed constitution for the Diocesan Conferences. Little introduced the first, and Gouldsmith the last. Bothamly distinguished himself by incessant motions which were invariably rejected, he himself being the only supporter! In the end we passed a resolution welcoming the Dilapidations Bill and approving its provisions but adding a desire that the administrative power of the diocesan Board might be strengthened. We made some important amendments to the Resolutions. On the whole I was pleased with the temper and conduct of the Committee.

I lunched at the Castle with Brown of Monkwearmouth, and we discussed the situation at Rainton, where a pig–headed parson is creating a difficult situation about the schools.

Archdeacon Spooner writes to me suggesting that the Vicar of Sittingbourne might suit the requirements of B.A. I wrote to the gentleman forthwith sounding him on the subject. This makes my 4th attempt in the matter.

The papers report the speeches of Asquith and Lord Grey at the Liberal demonstration held in London last night. They were what is called "fighting" speeches, and both disclosed an unusual degree of personal animus against Lloyd George. Asquith suggested that he was treacherous: and Lord Grey that he was ungrateful. Both agreed that he was shifty, untruthful, and unsafe. [All this I believe to be largely true: but] ^Even if all this should be conceded as at least partly true, it yet remains true that^ it presents ̭only̭ one, and that the worst, side of a many sided character. A Welsh Dissenting Radical could hardly ^in the circumstances of modern party politics, ^ be loyal, or truthful, or constant, or trustworthy. But ^ apart from his magnificent natural gifts, ^ Lloyd George is also courageous, versatile, laborious and patriotic. He has 'vision', and he can ^ dare to^ take risks. These are high qualities, and in a critical changing time such as the present, they are indispensable. During the War they were inestimably valuable: but every step back to normal political conditions makes them less necessary, and renders the absence of ^some^ other qualities more lamentable.

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