The Henson Journals

[146]

Friday, February 1st, 1924.

I motored to Darlington, and caught the express to King's Cross, where I arrived a few minutes before 2 p.m. After leaving my bags in Park Lane, I went to the hair–dresser, & had my hair cut &c. Then I went to the Athenaeum, where I found divers of my acquaintance. Oman told me that Carola's first novel, a historical romance about Mary, Queen of Scots, has been published, & is favourably noticed in this week's "Literary Supplement". Lord Muir Mackenzie told me that he had joined the Labour Party, and undertaken to take charge of their business in the House of Lords. He said that Chelmsford had made acquaintance with Ramsay Macdonald, when the latter came to India on a Commission during his (Chelmsford's) Vice–royalty. Ellison said that the Archbishop of Canterbury had received from Joynson Hicks a rather truculent letter about the proceedings at Malines, & that he had returned an answer which was intended for publication. Charles gave an ill account of Rashdall's health.

I wrote to Ella and Jimmie before leaving the Club. I dined at 21 Park Lane. Lord Haldane was the only guest beside myself. We had much talk about the political situation. Two things about himself are, perhaps, worth recording. First, he voluntarily surrendered "as a personal arrangement" £4000 of his official income: Next, [147] he covenanted, as a condition of his taking office, that he should be made Minister of Defence as well as Lord Chancellor. He said that the Lord Chancellor's pension was secured to him absolutely, and that he was under no legal obligation to undertake judicial work, but that practically he had to do so, as the expectation was so strong. I asked him what he thought was the future of Sir John Simon. He replied that though Simon was a very able man, and organized his own press (e.g. the Manchester Guardian) with much skill, he could not succeed in making himself interesting. Lord Birkenhead was, in his opinion, an able but not a great lawyer. He could not return to the Bar, even if he wished to do so as, being an ex–Lord Chancellor, he was a judge. Lord Haldane ridiculed the statement that Sir John Simon was making £70,000 per annum. He said that the sum could not exceed £30,000. Lady S. mentioned the gossip that Ramsay Macdonald was the illegitimate son of a Scottish peer. Lord H replied that R. M. was certainly illegitimate, & his father may have been a peer! It is sufficiently evident that fashionable London is in the mood to embrace the Labour Ministers, and discover that they are all disguised aristocrats! Lord H. went off in time to catch the night train to Scotland. He goes to see his wonderful old Mother, aged 99.

---