The Henson Journals

[178]

July 8th, 1927

Dear Sir

I am obliged to you for your letter of July 6th, in which you are good enough to invite me to enter into a public disputation with you on the subject of my speech on the Trades Disputes Bill, with which I understand you find yourself unable to agree.

If you will inform me more precisely what are the points to which you take exception, I will carefully consider whether they are such as could be usefully discussed in that way.

If, however, you merely wish to express your dissent from my opinions, I cannot think any useful purpose would be served by a public disputation.

Believe me,

Yours very faithfully,

Herbert Dunelm:

Joseph Batey Esq. M. P.

[179]

Friday, July 8th, 1927.

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I went into the City, and had an interview with the Revd Arthur Hird in Warwick Square. He was as usual very friendly and communicative, amusingly, self–conscious & world–patronizing! I walked back to the Athenaeum stopping at Partridge & Co. to order some stationery. After lunching at the Deanery, I wrote some letters including one to Mr Batey M.P., who sent me a kind of challenge to a debate in Spennymoor in which he could "answer" my speech on the Trades Disputes Bill! This could not but be a futile performance, yet it is hardly judicious to decline a public discussion (discussion). Then I walked to the Athenaeum, and had tea.

––We dined with Lady Struthers to meet the American Ambassador (Ambassador) & Mrs Houghton. Dicksee, the President of the Royal Academy, was there, at divers other folks, whose names I cannot recall. We had, after the ladies had withdrawn, some interesting talk with the Ambassadors about Bolshevism, American students of Life & Business, the question of reducing naval forces, and Prohibition. He showed himself intelligent, god–tempered, and unflinchingly patriotic.

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The Ambassador (ambassador) was very positive that Prohibition was a great social reform, and an important factor in the extra–ordinary commercial prosperity of the Republic. He was himself, I observed, drinking champagne and port.

He said that he was convinced that Germany would soon adopt Prohibition: and that Great Britain might be forced into doing so in economic self–defence. He had never heard of the Periscope, but opined that it must be one of numerous publications financed by the Anti–Prohibitionists. "Revelry" he had not read, but understood that it was a libellous book beneath the notice of self–respecting men! Sinclair Lewis was one of a band of writers who dwelt on the weak points of American life, & ignored all others. He knew Chicago well, and it was as safe as London, yet, he could not deny, that there was nearly a murder a day in the place. I could not reconcile these statements. He described the methods by which American working men were held in fairly harmonious unity with their employers: but these did not proceed beyond a great system of material bribes.

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