Parliament's Week

The Lords: CL Received with skepticism Air Secretary Baron Thomson's assertion that Britain ought to build another giant dirigible. "It might be asked," said Lord Thomson plaintively, "why the Graf Zeppelin can go around the world while our two airships spend their time mainly in sheds. . . . There are few Dr. Eckeners in the world and we have not had time to produce our Dr. Eckeners.

"I wish to say nothing in depreciation of the Graf Zeppelin as a ship, but it cannot be compared as a structure with the R-100 and R-101, which are the strongest in the world. One of Dr. Eckener's principal experts, after seeing the R-101, said: 'That is the safest conveyance in the world, on land or sea or in the air.' "

The Commons:

P: Learned with visible relief that James Henry ("Jim") Thomas, onetime engine cleaner who as Lord Privy Seal and Minister of Employment has conspicuously failed to solve the unemployment problem (TIME, June 17, 1929, et seq.), had resigned. After appointing him Minister of Dominions,* last week, the Prime Minister penned these graceful words for the Laborite Daily Herald: "The grave question of unemployment . . . has suddenly increased to intensity all the world over, owing to causes beyond the control of this, or, indeed, of any single nation. The problem is different in kind and degree from that which faced us [the Cabinet] when we came in a year ago, and is much more difficult to deal with.

"Had the change not taken place, Mr. Thomas's efforts, which have been most useful and effective, would by now have made a noticeable impression on the figure of the unemployed, which certainly would have been under 1,000,000" (it is now 1,752,000).

P: Gave a rousing reception to big, burly Vernon Hartshorn, M.P., whom Scot MacDonald last week appointed Lord Privy Seal and Minister of Employment in succession to wiry "Jim" Thomas (see above).

"Jim's" friends have jokingly said that he looked like a Japanese admiral in the regalia of Lord Privy Seal. But towering Mr. Hartshorn should carry well the plumes. He was Postmaster General in the first MacDonald Cabinet of 1924, then became a member of Sir John Simon's India Commission (TiME, Jan. 30. 1928, et seq.) and has just become available for Cabinet rank. A giant from Glamorganshire and president of the South Wales Miners' Federation, he at least looks like just the champion to grapple with unemployment.

P: Most plaintively indeed Foreign Secretary "Uncle Arthur" Henderson complained to the House that since Red Russia was recognized by the Labor Government (TIME, Nov. 18) he has replied to 700 questions from M.P.s on this one subject.

P: Scot MacDonald told the House that after thorough examination by his Channel Tunnel Committee (TIME, March 24) the Cabinet has finally decided not to build one, although this project has been urged and argued in and out of season for more than 50 years. Reason: fear. The English are still afraid that a sneaking French Army might creep among them in the night. Said Le Matin of Paris, last week, in a jocular editorial: "If the British do not want us to pass under the Channel, we will fly over it."

P: Backing up Scot MacDonald (282 to 201) in his signing of the London Naval Treaty, the House defeated a Conservative motion to "investigate," urged by Winston Churchill who shouted: "Never since the reign of Charles II has this country been so defenseless!"

In his trenchant defense of the Treaty, Scot MacDonald said: "It is our position that mere armaments will not give security. . . . Limitation by treaty is necessary. . . . Those who so much regret that the London Conference reached only a three-and not a five-power agreement should recall that only three powers attended the Geneva conference."

*A new Cabinet post created by lopping off half of Baron Passfield's Ministry of Dominions & Colonies.

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