The Henson Journals

[8]

Thursday, November 16th, 1922.

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"There might be rebels in those days, but could scarcely be Radicals". Surtees thus contrasted the period from 1688 to 1747, in which he was specially interested with the years immediately preceding the Reform Act. The earlier period, he said, "shewed gallant men acting under the excitement of a feeling which seems now almost obsolete". A rebel disputes the authority of a particular claimant on his allegiance: a Radical disputes the right of every claimant. The one cherishes the principle of loyalty, though he denies a particular application of it. The other disallows the principle itself. A rebel's victory does but replace one ruler by another. A Radical's victory expresses itself in Revolution. The difference between loyalist and rebel is only one of direction: both are loyal to their respective Sovereigns. But the difference between rebel and Radical is profound and temperamental. It is a divergence of mentality, as well as of practice. It is distinctive of our age that Radicals abound. So deeply has the canker of scepticism eaten its way into modern minds that no allegiance is acknowledged in fore conscientiae to any authority whatsoever, so that every movement of discontent in the nations at once takes the form of challenging the very social order itself. Nothing is accepted except on sufferance, and government is always holding a wolf by the ears!

[9]

The election returns are coming in, and so far are not very pleasing. "Labour" is strengthening its position considerably, and there seems a probability that the Liberals will make a respectable muster in the new House. Lloyd George's following will be a petty fraction. Will the Conservatives gain an absolute majority?

I spent the morning in my study, and, after lunch motored into Durham, and presided at a meeting of the Board of Religious Education. Then I went to the Castle, & had an interview with McCready about the Oxbridge Mission.

The evening paper reports more "Labour" victories, but there seems a probability of a Conservative majority though a small one. Winston Churchill is at the bottom of the poll at Dundee. This will give much pleasure to many people. Neither Runciman nor Masterman is elected. This pleases me, for I regard the first as an insufferable prig, and the last as a thorough–paced knave! "Labour" has swept Durham, and much more of the North. It is sufficiently evident that the argument from municipal elections to a General Election is quite untrustworthy. A few weeks ago everybody was prophesying confidently that there would be a crushing defeat of "Labour". In point of fact "Labour" will more than double its representation. Liberalism is really dead. The fight in future will be wholly between Conservatism & property on the one side, and "Labour" & Communism on the other.

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