Just as An Yi was carefully organizing and preparing to counterattack the public criticism of the peace faction, Zhang Xi, who was on the other side of the ocean in New York, USA, was having talks with Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair in the state government living room.
In the past few years, the storm of the Great Depression has swept across the entire United States, with unemployment, bankruptcy, closures, and plummets everywhere. The pain, fear, and despair in the United States can be seen everywhere. Although President Hoover announced a number of tax cuts and public service plans,
He also asked the public utility sector to speed up the construction of new projects, and recruited important people from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce into the White House to persuade them to maintain wage levels to curb the decline in purchasing power. However, although these measures by Hoover once stopped the economic decline,
, but then he signed the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act, which stipulated that high tariffs accounted for more than half of the price of some imported goods. He also introduced policies to prohibit the free issuance of credit, tightened the money supply, and attempted to control the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
, to prevent it from engaging in backdoor diplomacy with European finance ministers. These two major measures suddenly plunged the U.S. stock market into an abyss, and it has remained in the doldrums for more than a year.
However, contrary to the U.S. economy that is on the verge of collapse, the funds and industries that Zhang Xi can control are getting larger and larger, and his reputation among the U.S. government and private people is also getting higher and higher.
Whenever an economic crisis occurs, industries such as drugs, tobacco and alcohol, radio and film, publications, and musicals that can make people temporarily forget their worries will develop explosively. Due to the cooperation of the three shipping companies acquired, and
With good relations with the California government, local police, and National Guard, and supported by fast and efficient money laundering channels such as several banks in Latin America and Canada and the United Bank of New York, drug and alcohol smuggling has become the main source of income for Huaqing Club.
It also provided Zhang Xi with a steady stream of funds to compete with the Russians and acquire and merge companies. In just over two years, he built a huge business from the east coast to the west coast.
, enterprises spanning many industries including finance, investment, steel, media, construction, energy, transportation and chemicals, as well as many bankrupt factories, along with their production machinery and patented technologies, Zhang Xi sent people to collect them and shipped them to the West Coast.
, sent to the southern Sichuan region of China via shipping fleet.
The Russians hate Zhang Xi deeply, but they have nothing to do. Under the same conditions, the Americans are naturally willing to sell things to the weak Chinese, so that they don't have to worry about the Chinese getting these machines and equipment and growing and endangering themselves.
At the same time, it will also be convenient to use some economic and diplomatic means to recover losses after the economy is on the right track in the future. After all, neither President Hoover nor ordinary officials want to see a red empire develop and grow by their own hands. Therefore,
Zhang Xi got a big deal.
While growing like a snowball, Zhang Xi deliberately made friends with the Rockefeller, Carnegie, Kennedy and Gould families. The upper class of the United States also began to actively accept this man who had hundreds of millions of assets and provided employment for tens of thousands of people.
A Chinese-American upstart, but unfortunately due to one person's arbitrary actions, the relationship between Zhang Xi and the Morgan consortium fell into a low ebb.
After the September 18th Incident broke out, U.S. Secretary of State Henry Stimson immediately protested to Japan. President Hoover denounced it as a "barbaric act of aggression." The financial community loudly demanded an explanation from Japan, but Morgan
Tom Lamont, a partner of the family, had a good-natured understanding of the Japanese and openly glorified Japan's aggression in newspapers and magazines. He believed that it was the decisive actions of the Japanese army that saved the Northeast from anarchy and that Japan occupied the Northeast.
It will not affect the overall situation of Sino-Japanese relations and continue to provide high-profile loans to Japan.
Tom Lamont's behavior was unanimously outraged by all Chinese in the United States. Zhang Xi also called Lamont, hoping that he would retract his inappropriate remarks and impose economic sanctions on Japan. However, Lamont ignored it and instead wrote an article in a newspaper,
Accused Zhang Xi of "suspicious intentions" and "rude interference in the internal affairs of the Morgan Group", and cited the "yellow peril theory" as an excuse to quickly interrupt the good cooperative relationship between the Morgan Group and the Chinese group represented by Zhang Xi for more than two years.
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However, Lamont soon paid the price for his recklessness. After the Anti-Japanese War broke out on January 28 this year, the Japanese army dispatched planes to bomb the densely populated suburbs of Shanghai, causing a large number of innocent civilians to be injured and shocking the whole world. Their horrific acts
Much nakeder than September 18th, the evidence of the atrocities was both sufficient and intuitive. Vivid photos were published in newspapers and magazines. All Americans began to accuse Lamont of deceiving the people. The credibility of the Morgan consortium was greatly damaged, and Tom
The rift between Lamont and Jack Morgan, chairman of the Morgan consortium, intensified.
After promising to help the New York State government create 5,000 jobs and provide loan guarantees for the restructuring of several companies, Zhang Xi took the initiative to turn the topic to the U.S. election in the second half of this year: "Mr. Franklin, I don't know what you think about this year's election.
What do you think about the presidential election?”
Roosevelt was overjoyed, but his face remained calm: "Hoover has only been president for one term, and he has the strong support of the Morgan consortium behind him. I think it is more likely that he will continue to run and be re-elected in the Republican Party. As for our Democratic Party, now
There are constant differences, there are four or five candidates participating in the election, and the campaign platforms proposed are so diverse that it makes people confused, it is difficult to unite to fight, and there is little hope!"
Zhang Xi waved his hand: "If the representative elected by the Republican Party is Hoover, he will definitely lose! Hoover encountered an economic crisis not long after he became president, and then the measures to deal with the crisis were ineffective. He has already lost public support. Now the Morgan consortium is due to its influence on Japan.
They are trying their best to protect us and are deeply criticized by the government and the media. Their cooperation will only make things worse, and there is no need to worry about it.”
Roosevelt smiled: "So who do you think will be the dark horse?"
Zhang Xi looked into Roosevelt's eyes and said with a serious face: "Mr. Franklin, I think if you run for election, you have a great chance of winning. After the economic crisis broke out, New York State was the most effective among the fifty states in the United States in dealing with unemployment.
With the lowest rate and fastest economic recovery, you enjoy a good reputation among the people. It would be a pity if you gave up!"
Roosevelt nodded emotionally, then sighed, touched his legs and said mockingly: "My physical and financial conditions do not allow me to run for president! Now I am very satisfied to be re-elected as the governor of New York State with a disability.
I don’t dare to think anything wrong at all!”
Zhang Xi smiled faintly: "I won't say more polite words. We have cooperated very happily in the past few years. Whether it is the acquisition of United Bank or the merger of New York Insurance Company, I have received your strong support, and last year New York
The state took the lead in repealing the 'Chinese Exclusion Act', so that Chinese people living in New York State no longer have to worry about anything. Investment and enthusiasm for life have increased rapidly. I agree with you, so after repeated consideration, I have decided to fully support your candidacy for the next term.
President, I believe that only under your leadership can the United States successfully survive this crisis and bring the economy back to normal. I wonder what the governor thinks?"
Although Roosevelt had been mentally prepared, he could not help but feel ecstatic when he heard Zhang Xi say it. However, as a successful politician, he controlled his emotions well and said with a smile: "Although I
I think the chance of success is very slim, but since you think highly of me, I might as well give it a try. I'm afraid that it will fail in the end and the money you sponsored will be wasted!"
Zhang Xi looked pleased: "With the friendship between us, even if we get nothing in the end, I won't have any regrets. After all, we have worked together!"
Roosevelt was very moved: "Zhang, I don't know what I have to do to repay your deep friendship? Tell me, I will do whatever I can!"
Zhang Xi pretended to be angry: "To talk about repayment is too far-fetched. If I really have the mentality of taking advantage of speculation, I can go to other candidates from your party. After all, they have more support now. I don't think anyone can
Would you refuse the olive branch extended by a billionaire? We are friends, aren’t we?”
Roosevelt's eyes suddenly turned red and gradually became covered with a thin layer of mist. Ever since he contracted polio eleven years ago, ridicule and ridicule have accompanied him. Although Roosevelt has been exercising unremittingly in an attempt to resume walking
and the ability to stand up. The Georgia hot springs he used to heal his illnesses were even called "the place where the laughter shook the sky", but this could not cover up the loneliness and cowardice deep in his heart.
The reason why he entered politics with a disability was to prove himself. As expected, his political opponents often used his physical defects to attack him, but he could always use his outstanding political achievements and outstanding eloquence.
With abundant energy, he turned it into an advantage. When he ran for governor of New York State for the first time, he told people through his spokesman: "A governor is not necessarily an acrobat. We did not elect him because he can do a front roll or a back roll. He
What we do is mental work, and we try to find ways to benefit the people."
Zhang Xi smiled encouragingly and deliberately changed the subject: "Soldiers who don't want to be generals are not good soldiers. I think Mr. Franklin must have had the dream of being president for a long time, and he also has his own views on the current crisis that is getting worse.
I wonder what Mr. Xi will do after being elected?”
Roosevelt's spirit perked up, and facing Zhang Xi's expectant gaze, he quickly put forward the measures he had long imagined. The more Zhang Xi listened, the more surprised he became, and the more he listened, the more focused he became. Finally, he couldn't help but join in the discussion, even after dinner time.
Don't even know.
That night, Roosevelt convened the media to officially announce that he would set up a campaign office from now on to compete for the 32nd President of the United States.
Zhang Xi quickly transferred the first five million U.S. dollars to the campaign account, tightly tying his own interests and those of Anyi Group to Roosevelt.