The Henson Journals

[209]

Tuesday, February 10th, 1925.

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Things went badly in the Assembly. Lang carried his amendments easily, and these really knocked the bottom out of the Committee's report, which might as well have been withdrawn. I spoke after the luncheon interval, and was very coldly received. This, perhaps, is only what I ought to expect: though I cannot but be surprized at the change in the attitude to the clergy, who on previous occasions have shown reluctance to put their necks in the yoke. The procedure has certainly been very surprising. The Archbishop of York's amendment was only produced when the Assembly met, although the Report has been circulated for some weeks. It looks strangely like a sudden surrender to the pressure of Temple. The lay people are plainly exasperated by the Anglo–Catholick aggression, and resolved to assert themselves at any cost. It is their rooted belief that the bishops are not to be trusted, and they simply will listen to no argument. They are skillfully and resolutely led by an unpleasant looking fellow, called Mr Albert Mitchell. I noticed that in his speech he went out of his way to defend the Party trusts. Sir Thomas Inskip was not able to be present, but the said Mitchell made it evident that he was acting with and for him. The capitulation of the Archbishops has destroyed the whole work of the Committee.

[210]

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I dined in Park Lane. There came to dinner two officers. One, named Morgan, the author of a recent monograph on Lord Morley was most interesting in his account of the situation in Germany. He has been resident in Berlin, where he has gained special information on the disarmament question. His account was certainly most alarming. He said that the Germans were arming with great skill. Of the 100,000 men, which by the Treaty of Versailles they were allowed to maintain, no less than 40,000 were non–commissioned officers. It was reported that the equipment of a whole army was kept in readiness just inside the Russian frontier. The estimates for, 1925. were as much as two–thirds of the pre–war Army estimate. He said that the Crown Prince now resided on his estate, and was "biding his time". The common belittlement of "little Willie" was unjustified. He agreed that the employment of black troops in occupied territory was a blunder, but maintained that their alleged outrages on the German population were greatly exaggerated. He said that experts calculated that within a year the gun manufacturing resources of Germany could be restored to their fullest capacity. All this was very melancholy hearing.

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