The Henson Journals

[14]

Wednesday, August 2nd, 1922.

Preparations for my departure tomorrow – a dull and restless proceeding. I paid the tradesmen's account: changed a cheque: wrote some necessary letters. The puzzling ease of the vicar–designate of S. Cuthbert's Gateshead must be determined, but how? One is reluctant to depress a man recovering from a bicycle accident by suggesting that he has become physically unfit for the work to which he was looking forward: and yet the work itself is far too onerous for a damaged man: and the long delay is creating a very difficult situation. Finally, I wrote to say that I would institute him on Sunday, October [1st].

Ernest, William, and I played bowls after lunch, & again William was triumphant, but I pressed him closely.

In a hired motor Clayton and I proceeded to Newbottle were I dedicated War Memorials in the parish church. Lord Joicey unveiled the window, & made a short speech from the Chancel step. I gave an address, which was listened to closely; but the people impressed me as quietly hostile. I may have been mistaken, but they were certainly not friendly. After service we dined with the mining agent, Kiskup, in whose house Ld Joicey was lodging. He spoke in high terms both of Knight (whom he described as a "volcano of energy") and of Gadd, who commends himself as an assiduous visitor. We returned to Auckland Castle after dinner, arriving about 11.5 p.m.

[15]

It is evident that Ralph's declaration in a recent sermon, that in August 1914 we were all equally mad, has given deep offence. The columns of the "Times" contain much protest, and some abuse. I wish he hadn't said it, for it does not appear to me fair, or equitable, or in any sense true. In the circumstances with which Great Britain was confronted when the German Army crossed the frontier of Belgium, I do not see how we could have done other than we did: and , with the knowledge which experience has brought, & which we did not then possess, as to the vast cost of the War in life and treasure, I still think we acted rightly. The first phase of the War was, so far as Great Britain is concerned, altogether chivalrous, heroic, morally sublime. As the conflict proceeded, and the exasperation on both sides grew intenser, a thousand degrading influences began to operate, and the moral temperature had fallen very low when the end came. The Treaty of Versailles was engineered by hatreds, and the base ambitions released by victory. It was an unworthy conclusion to a War which was not improperly described at the start as a Crusade. Lord Belfour's Note on International Indebtedness, which appears in this morning's papers is a document of unusual significance. It implies a confession of fault, and issues a summons to political repentance. Such a document cannot nether be ignored nor explained away. It must either be endorsed or repudiated

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