Jokester Jim

The Rt. Hon. James Henry ("Jim") Thomas, Lord Privy Seal, Minister in Charge of Unemployment, returned to England last week aboard the Canadian Pacific Duchess of Atholl from his four-week visit to Canada. His mission, to alleviate British unemployment by selling British goods, chiefly coal, to loyal Canadians, had been slightly impaired by reports of a big new coal field right in Canada (TIME, Sept. 23). Nevertheless "Jim" Thomas was pleased with himself and as the Duchess of Atholl docked he said to the press: "I feel sure that the sequel will be that Canada will buy from us a large amount of what she is now importing from other countries.

"Specifically I may say that the chiefs of the Canadian railways have agreed to place orders for British coal in larger amounts than they have in the past.

"Do you know, I offered jobs to Sir Henry Thornton, President of the Canadian National Railways, and to E. W. Beatty, President of the Canadian Pacific Railway, to come over here to reorganize our railways for us, but of course I made it plain that it was only a joke."