The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-11-05


 quietly increasing his industrial power and fortune. Before the war he was called the richest Prussian and his interests extended from Lor- raine to the Caucasus. which he de- sired to annex to Germany, after which he could reclaim-and his busi- ness genius was undoubted.
 Stinnes always was the center of rumors. Thyssen, on the other hand, always has been surrounded by tran guilty. An unimaginative, conse- quently a dispassionate reckoner. he is more like John D. Rockefeller than either the late Andrew Carnegie or E. H. Hartman. The public heard of him only when he went to law over Lis younger sons inheritance and when, already old. he had his un- shapely nose strengthened He lived only for his business, which began with his coal mines but spread until : he had to use his time so well that after an all night journey he was ieady for conferences at o'clock in the morning with great bankers who could not be persuaded to arise so early except by Stinnes' and Thys- sens imperial will.
 Faces Humiliation
 Now this quiet man writes a letter to the chancellor, Catholic like himself. saying that Germany is sink ing deeper and deeper daily and is facing annihilation. His first as- sertion undoubtedly is correct but his second, which pre-supposes the an initiation of great people today, cannot be easily ina agined as in the days of the prophecies concerning : Babylon. Ninevah and Judea. The condition of a country whose money is worth a thousandth part of normal
 
 pay its debts either by the usual means or in goods is Indeed terrible, but is 1t not partly the fault of the center party, which has been reported in all of the republics governments and had produced two chancellors and three ministers of finance that this condition existss
 All these governments were more concerned with party politics than with republican liberty. Thyssen be- lieves the chief cause of distress is the eight-hour work law and begs the chancellor to reintroduce the lo-hour day. which alone would en- sure, he says, sufficient raw materials and foodstuffs. Is this a fact?
 Hours of Work
 Of course, it is wrong to confuse readiness to work with actual work, and the engine driver often quits and leaves his engine at way sta- tion after his eight hours are fin ished although perhaps he actually has worked only four. But here 1t has been proven that workmen. will ling and well paid and sharing in the profits of their labors, as well as being paid for overtime, produce as much in eight hours as those who work 10 and get tired, bored and dis couraged before the day ends be- sides not having the incentive of profit sharing. What Thyssen re- gards as the revolutions greatest calamity is the only thing the worker got out of 1t. but the worker will work extra hours If he is assured that his extra labor will more quickly free his homeland from oc- equation and acquit him of repara- tions burdens. He will fight more bitterly against any attempt to re- impose the 10-hour yoke for the profit of others and any such de- mand would be dangerous in Ger many today.
 Holds Up Moral Point
 Just as Kemars success gave wings to the fascist movements so GermanAyouth may be encouraged to attempt to weaken the peace-loving German working classes through the suggestion of union with Russia and resistance to the consequences of the war. Renal tore the treaty of Sevres to pieces. Mussolini has shat tered the Jugoslav agreement and has refused to acknowledge the v-ash- ington naval pact Germany's fas..isti front would be, directed against Yer sailles and kindle new wars which, however. when they ended, would ! terminate Europes leadership. But neither Rhine1and industrials nor Italy's premier--who once was ar- rested for beggimg-seem to think of the continent.
 H Yet the belief that ono European country can save itself alone is ri- diculous. GermanyS chief resource today Is the skill and industry of her people. But where shall the surplus products be sent when all Eight against receiving them7 Co-opera- tion alone can save tho continent, ! and this must begin with a common means of transport and a common customs. Only Europe united in
 -