The Henson Journals
Mon 14 July 1930
Volume 50, Pages 141 to 142
[141]
Monday, July 14th, 1930.
[struck through] I wrote letters in the Athenaeum, and then walked to 5 Barton Street, and lunched with Baddely, who has recently returned from an official tour round the world. McDougal was also lunching. Then] I walked to Townsend House, the central establishment of the G.F.S., where the Committee on morals was to meet. I missed my way, and was caught in a furious deluge. When I arrived I found the Committee in session under its chairman, the Bishop of Winchester ^(Woods)^. He does not impress me as well–fitted for the chair, being too discursive and gossiping! The Bp. of Nassau ^(Sheddon)^ drove me across to Lambeth where I joined my other Committee, (Reunion). Temple was in the Chair: but Headlam was in command. The Indian scheme was under discussion and I made a short speech. After tea, I returned to Neville Terrace, & dressed for dinner.
I dined at Porchester Terrace with Lord Buckmaster. Lord Balfour of Burleigh, and 3 ladies made up the party. We had much pleasant conversation. Mine host sent me back to my house in his own car, which was a civil attention.
[142]
July 15th, 1930
My dear Dashwood,
I do not think that I can honestly either withdraw or mitigate the phrase, "the Protestant Underworld", which ought not to have been misunderstood or misapplied by any reasonable person, nor would have been save for polemical reasons. In the House of Lords, I explained its references, and justified it by exhibiting a sheaf of Protestant literature, some of the worst of which has done duty since in the last Presidential election in U.S.A, when, you will remember, the Democratic Candidate, Al. Smith, was a Papist.
The Protestant Underworld is a kind of volcano in English Society, liable to explosions of "No Popery" fanaticism, which carries politicians off their feet by its violence, and stains the national record with the crudest exhibitions of fatuity & bigotry. Its latest victim was our own poor little revised prayer book!
Affectly & impenitently yrs
Herbert Dunelm: