Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-11

Berlin, Apr. 10.-(By A. P)-,
Hugo SHINES, more closely identi-
fled with German industrial life than
any other man. died this evening at
$50. Indefatigable in his labors. he
struggled against the impending end,
and was conscious to the last.
Around him were gathered his
| wife and children. To them he had
devoted in his later years all the
| time he could spare from his vast
business interests. There had been.
| no hope for his recovery for many.
hours. and the foremost medical
skill could do nothing against the
ravages of disease. ., :
Three major operations had been
| performed. the first about four
weeks ago for gallstones, and 1t was
owing to the impossibility of keep
ing the patient quiet, according to
the surgeons. that complications
arose, necessitating further opera
! tons, the last one on Sunday. 1t
| was also reported that pneumonia
| developed.
Since the grave nature OF Herr
SHINES illness became known to the
/ people Of Berlin 1t had been almost
the sole topic Of discussion; It far
| outranged In popular interest the
7 project just published by the ex-
ports committees for the settlement
of the reparation problem. The far
reaching business enterprises of tho
! man, his great influence among the
! political leaders. his very eccentrici-
ties had. since the war. taken
strong hold on the German people.
| and his death. though expected, has
caused anxious speculation as to who
may arise to take his place. The
, death OF Hugo SHINES at the very
moment the process of disentangling
the reparations knot seems about to
enter upon its final stage Is felt in
| official quarters and industrial cir
Giles as distinct loss to Germany.
Whatever the popular or official at
titude towards his political oriental
ton or his far-flung economic pro-
gram. may have been, there was a
widespread impression that SHINES
was pre-eminently qualified to take
an active part in the final adjust
ment of the problems on which the
experts committees have rendered
an exhaustive verdict. ''-,~ g..
Herr SHINES OF his own volition
and partly at the urging OF friends
persistently refused to enter into
public discussion of the reparations
problems or the French occupation
of the Ruhr. He preferred to hold
himself in readiness until the mo
ment for ultimate action had ar
rived. Even during his four years
incumbency of a seat in the Reich
stag he declined to participate in It's
debates. and only once duEiRg The
period he was a member OF the &C.
onomic parliament did the official
minutes OF that body contain re-
port of his utterances. That was
when he unfolded his program calk
ing for more production" and abU
lition Of the eight-hour day law. Of
which he was the unrelenting foe.
His own working day averaged
10 hours and he was uncompromis-
ing in declaring that q. Uniform
eight-hour day was viciously inim.
icable to Germany's economic recovs
cry. a. o.
SHINES would talk freely tdsnews-
papermen with whom he was ac-
quainted, but not for publication.
Likewise he was always Accessible
to financial leaders and businessmen
from abroad, who made pilgrimages
to Berlin solely for the purpose OF
meeting the man who had been
vaguely dubbed "the rncrowned
monarch of postwar Germany"
During their recent visit to Ber-
lin the. members of both. experts
committees met him informally. as
they preferred to discuss the. situa-
ton with him in private surround
ings rather than have him formal
Continued on Page 1o-Coi. 81