The Henson Journals

[136]

Wednesday, January 23rd, 1924.

The most serious danger of modern society is not, as some short–sighted critics imagine, the tendency to anarchy, but the desire to find some absolute and final authority. It is the doctrine of absolute authority which is the greatest danger of our time, and it is not less dangerous when it masquerades under the form of democracy.

A.J. Carlyle v. "The Return to Christendom" p. 118

The first "Labour" or "Socialist" ministry is announced in the papers. It includes three peers! Lord Haldane goes to the woolsack: Lord Parmoor is President of the Council: and Lord Chelmsford is Secretary of the Admiralty. The last is surprising enough. His Lordship was ever thought to be a Tory. Lenin's death is reported, and this time the report seems to be true. He was not yet 54 years old, and he has wrecked a world!

I motored with Ernest to Barnard Castle. There I called on the Headmaster of the N.E. Counties' School, & learned his reasons for refusing to lend the School Building for a Ball. We looked at the ruins of the Castle, & visited the quaint medieval house in which Oliver Cromwell is said to have passed a night. Then we had tea in the King's Head, and parted, he remaining in the Hotel in order to return to Sedburgh by the early train tomorrow, I motoring back to Auckland. The fog was so thick that William found it difficult to keep the road, & our journey took over an hour to accomplish.

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