The Henson Journals

[124]

Monday, July 6th, 1925.

Would it be prudent for me to write on the mining crisis? What could I say that was so well worth saying as to outweigh the potential mischiefs of saying it? Would it be useful to emphasize the three new factors viz. 1. The failure of the demand for coal. 2. The competition of new coal–fields. 3. The refusal to co–operate in working the coal–fields reasonably in order to break down "industrialism"? Would it be worth while to urge the importance of a Ballot Act for Trade Unions? and the abrogation of the "Trades Disputes Act"? and emigration on a great scale organized by the Government? Might Sir Charles P. Markham's plan of a 5 day week be adopted? In any case his retirement from the Mining Association "in disgust" is significant. "If I go to the meetings of the Mining Association I have no more influence than the smallest pit–owner in the country. I can only hold up my hand & record my vote". He speaks bitterly against the Trade Unions s both tyrannous and unhelpful. "Its officials constantly tell me that I am not running my pits properly: but they never have a suggestion to make how I might run them more efficiently". The great variety of conditions in the pits goes far to make any simple solution of the problem impossible. Probably it is the case that a considerable number of the older pits are really unremunerative, & ought to be closed. But this raises the question of disposing of the men who have worked in them.

[125]

After breakfast I walked to the Athenaeum, and wrote an article on the mining crisis, and despatched it to the Editor of the Evening Standard. I lunched in the Club, and then walked to Dean's Yard, and attended the meeting of the Church Assembly.

Ella and I dined with Sir John & Lady Struthers. It was a pleasant party consisting of the following:–

Sir Frank Dicksee, Mr & Mrs Neville Chamberlain, the Duchess of Atholl, Lord & Lady Askwith, Miss Larkin, the Swedish Minister, and the Bishop & Mrs Hensley Henson.

I took Mrs Neville Chamberlain in to dinner, & found her charming. We talked of poets, & of religion. After dinner I had a long talk with the Duchess of Atholl on the Education question. She is a very intelligent & delightful woman. If only I could school myself to endure politely the insupportable silliness of Lady Struthers, I should accept her generous hospitality with a better conscience. We returned to the Deanery by the underground, & Ella lost her neck–fur, which caused delay at Blackfriars. The weather had changed, & rain was falling when we reached the Deanery.

I went in to the House of Lords this afternoon, & heard a discussion on the proposed pact with Germany.Lord Oxford, Lord Haldane, and Lord Grey spoke, and Lord Balfour replied for the Government. There was an edifying display of unanimity on the subject.

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