The Henson Journals

[152]

Tuesday, January 6th, 1925.

A cold brilliant morning, very welcome after the wind and rain of last week. After breakfasting with Lord S. I walked to the Athenaeum & read the paper. Then I went to the hair–dresser, & had my hair cut, after which I visited Hugh Rees, and ordered him to send me everything that came out on spiritual Healing. Then I returned to the club, and wrote to my wife, to Denham, to Cruikshanks, and to Archdeacon Baines.

I lunched with Sir Henry Craik. He spoke much of politics, and with more detachment than usual. His argument against the policy of the Wheatley Bill viz: building at the expense of the State 21/2 million houses in a certain number of years, seemed to me relevant & strong. Nothing changes more quickly than popular fashion. Already the habits of the Middle Class – the most intensely domestic ^section^ of the nation – has been revolutionized by the cost & difficulty, of 'service'. What is called "co–operative housekeeping" is becoming common in London. Why should not a similar change disgust the artisans with the endless rows of little houses in which they generally live? And if it should take place, the state would have its houses left on its hands.

[153]

I went to the Church House, and attended the meeting of the Ecclesiastical Courts Commission. We concerned ourselves with what is the core of our problem – the Final Court. Most of the talking was done by Lord Phillimore & Sir Lewis Dibdin. I pressed Darwell Stone and Frere as hard as I could on the point, whether the final Court which we could construct, & which would both have its origin in a national authority, and be bound to administer "the Kings ecclesiastical law, would be "spiritually satisfactory" to "Catholics". Their answers were more confident than convincing. Canon H. A. Wilson of Cheltenham drew attention to the modern Churchmen's memorial. I took occasion to get some talk with him after the meeting.

I dined in Park Lane very pleasantly. Lady Minto, Lady Pole–Carew, Lord Gerald Wellesley, and Mr Emmott were the other guests. After dinner I had an extremely interesting talk with Lady Minto. She spoke strongly about the impolicy of appointing a Jew to be Viceroy of India, and said that Lady Reading's vulgarity was but too clearly perceived by the aristocrats of India. She said that the Prince of Wales behaved himself in India as a spoiled child, and that the effect of the visit on the people had been anything but good.

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