Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 293: Chaos in America and the Save Black People Foundation

"Mr. Zheng, you've really gone too far this time. You know, my entire factory was bombed. No, it should be our factory. You're now considered a shareholder of U.S. Steel."

Zheng Yi, who was far away in Arlington, received a long-distance call from John Rockefeller Jr. in person. Knowing what had happened in New York, Zheng Yi couldn't help rubbing his eyebrows uncomfortably.

He was already wondering if Arlington wasn't far enough away and if he needed to just hide back in Southeast Asia.

"John," he said, "we are partners who trust each other. I won't lie to you. First, what happened in New York really has nothing to do with me. I just have some sympathy for black people, you know, because I am also a minority, but I definitely didn't personally participate in the specific things those black people did."

This was also the reason why he hired Collins as his secretary but did not cooperate directly with Malcolm. Malcolm had done such a big thing that he would definitely not be able to show up in the United States in the future. Whoever was involved with him would be in trouble and he would become a villain in history.

"Secondly, buddy, I think that blowing up your crappy factory might actually be a good thing."

Little John: "Huh? My steel mill exploded, is that a good thing?"

"Isn't real estate your main business in New York? Honestly, with New York's current rate of development, land prices, and steel prices, can you really make money by continuing to operate your steel mills in New York? Especially since your American workers are so difficult to deal with."

"That factory of yours in New York was built by Carnegie, right? It's been years since it was built. But I have to say, the old factory has a great location. If you close the steel mill and build houses and a community, wouldn't you make a lot more money?"

"World War II is over, and peace is here. No matter how much the US develops, it won't need that much iron and iron products. I'm afraid it won't be able to recover the profits for decades. Building this factory in New York, where land is so expensive, is a complete waste."

"In Southeast Asia, on the other hand, large-scale construction projects consume a lot of steel. Singapore, Penang, Yangon, Yamaguchi, Bandar Seri Begawan, and Kolkata are all planning to replicate the US's golden age from 1900 to 1920. Steel is a top priority and will be very profitable."

"I know you've been thinking about moving for a long time, but because of the steel union unrest, the mayor and governor naturally wouldn't let you move for the sake of your job. But now the excuse is right in front of you, isn't it?"

"Do you know Hanoi? That place is the Red River Delta. There are a lot of iron ore nearby. There are large plains and rice production. The land is very cheap now. I can give it to you directly. It is close to the seaport, so you can sell iron products directly to all the cities in the Southern Alliance.
I can also tell you in advance that Hanoi will be planning to build more than three transnational railways within the next two years, connecting all of Southeast Asia. And I can assure you that, at least on my side, the workers won't make so many unreasonable demands."

Little John pondered for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, then nodded and said, "Okay, you've convinced me. America, at least New York, really doesn't need steel companies anymore."

"I'll have my son, John, personally go to Hanoi to investigate the relocation. Also... I can contact DuPont. Honestly, they've been wanting to move their factories in New York for a long time."

Zheng Yi: "Thank you."

Little John: "Zheng, I still have to remind you that you'd better have nothing to do with those black people. This matter has become too big a deal. There's no way it can be brushed aside so lightly."

Zheng Yi: "I know, but this matter really has nothing to do with me."

Little John: "I hope so. I hope this is the end of it. If it goes on like this... you'll be in trouble too."

Zheng Yi: "It really has nothing to do with me. Besides, I really don't see why this is a problem. If there's any trouble, it's the Democratic Party that's in trouble, isn't it?"

Little John: "Ah~, now that you've said that, it seems... this matter really won't be resolved anytime soon."

Zheng Yi: “…………”

Zheng Yi really knew that this matter would not be over in a short time, and it was even very likely that it had just begun, because in the past few days, his secretary Collins had been flying all over the United States, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, and New Orleans, all big cities with many black people. Collins had been to all these places.

"America...it's actually because you white people have been arrogant for too long."

He turned around and asked Li Jianqiao, "Do you know where Collins is now?"

"I've contacted my family before, and they should be in Philadelphia tonight."

"Philadelphia..."

Evening, Philadelphia.

In North Philadelphia, a black neighborhood, an old church was packed with people. The air was filled with tension and anticipation, and candlelight cast flickering shadows on the mottled walls.

The church pews were filled with black men, women, young and old. Their eyes showed fatigue, anger, and more importantly, a longing that had been suppressed for a long time.

The original crucifix in the church had been removed and temporarily replaced with a statue of Guan Gong that was found from somewhere. Because there are not many Chinese people in Philadelphia, the size of the Guan Gong statue is obviously wrong. If you are a little far away, you can't tell what it is.

But it doesn't matter. No matter what it is, as long as they can be organized, it's fine. In history, people could even accept YSL religion, so naturally, people would not reject the worship of Guan Gong.

Collins stood on the stage, wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, with a golden badge on his chest, engraved with the Chinese characters for "loyalty and righteousness". He held three sticks of sandalwood in a pioneering gesture and shouted to himself, "Open~incense~"

Just put the incense in it.

After completing a set of procedures, the black brothers and sisters below were all confused and didn't know what she was doing. However, immediately afterwards, her low and powerful voice rang out, like a sharp knife piercing the hearts of all the black people.

"Brothers and sisters, please raise your hands if you have ever been scorned and not allowed to use the restroom when your employer hired you."

Wow~, almost all the black people raised their hands high.

"Please raise your hand if you have worked diligently but your employer has delayed your salary for more than three months."

Wow~, there are fewer people this time, but more than half of them still raised their hands.

"Raise your hands if you do the same work as white people, or even work harder, but are paid less than white people, or even less than half of their wages."

Wow~, more than half of the people raised their hands again.

"Please raise your hand if you have been treated like a criminal by the police for no reason, been roughly treated, or even beaten for no reason, or been kicked out of public places."

Wow~, this time, everyone raised their hands.

“Brothers and sisters, we came from the Southern states and they told us that people in the Northern states would accept us, but what happened?
The streets of Philadelphia, the factories, the harbor, everywhere is filled with our blood and sweat, but what do we get? Low wages, dilapidated houses, and white union gangs who use their fists and clubs to tell us: 'This is white territory, niggers get out! '"

There was a low murmur among the crowd, some people clenched their fists, and some cursed softly.

Philadelphia is a relatively special place. In fact, it is quite different from cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Detroit. There were actually not many black people here. It was during World War II that black people moved here in the so-called migration movement.

To put it bluntly, these people were basically escaped slaves from the South. During World War II, Philadelphia took on part of the responsibilities of shipbuilding and related manufacturing industries. It was so short of labor that it accommodated these black people.

However, in the final analysis, these blacks are indeed outsiders to Philadelphia, and these blacks who have just arrived in Philadelphia not long ago are indeed lacking organization. They come from different states in the South, and they are all black, but the gap between blacks is actually very large, and some people may not even speak the same language.

To be honest, Zheng Yi did not include the blacks in places like Philadelphia when calculating the black power.

The black people in this area have not yet reached the stage where they can form their own independent group culture. To put it bluntly, the black people in New York have at least established themselves in the Ryme area. There are at least dozens of slightly larger black gangs, and there are some police officers in the police station who specialize in dealing with black affairs. They have even formed their own unique things such as graffiti and H-pop culture.

In a city like Philadelphia, the situation of black people is actually far from this.

Who would have thought that Collins was so bold as to even carry out mobilization work in such a city?

Collins's gaze swept across the crowd, and he suddenly spoke passionately, "For so many years, our ancestors were robbed and kidnapped from the African continent with muskets and ropes, brought to this land, and enslaved for generations. Those white people believed that we would be their slaves forever, generation after generation."

"They thought we would remain silent forever, forever surrender. Now, the black brothers in New York have stood up and begun to resist. This time, I have brought you two million US dollars. Anyone who joins my Hongmen will be a brother for life. From birth to old age, sickness to death, we will provide for you. Today, I come to ask you, do you dare to resist?!"

The atmosphere was so heated that the black people below naturally shouted: "We dare!"

"We are no longer slaves! We are free!"

Chris continued to shout: "Okay! Then do you dare to take action and tell those white people that they are wrong. We are not slaves, we are not their tools.

We are human beings with dignity! We want work, fair wages, and a decent life. If they don’t give it to us, we will take it ourselves!

She paused, her voice deeper but more powerful. "This isn't just for us, this is for our children, for their future.

We cannot let them continue to live in fear and humiliation. We must let them know that their parents once stood up, fought, and fought for their dignity and rights with all their might!

Her voice grew louder and louder, as if igniting a fire in everyone's heart: "White unions? They are nothing but a bunch of self-righteous thugs. They use violence to scare us and use threats to force us to submit, but we are not afraid!
We must unite and use our fists, our wisdom, and our determination to fight them to the end! If they want to fight, we will fight! If they want to fight, we will fight! "

The church erupted in thunderous applause and shouts: "Ms. Collins is right! We can't wait! We must fight!" Others also stood up, and their voices merged into a torrent, shaking the church windows. Collins raised her hand and signaled for silence. Her eyes were firm and calm, as if she had already seen the future victory. Facing the huge waves of voices from her black compatriots, she suddenly raised her hand and signaled for silence, saying:
"But we can't fight blindly. We need to have a plan and be organized. We need to unite all the black communities, from the North Side to the West Side, from the factories to the docks. Only when we unite and unite closely under our organization can we let those white people know that we are not easy to bully."

Someone asked, "But Miss Collins, how are we going to organize this?"

"You say, you say how we should do it, and we will do it."

Collins: "Within three days, three days, people will come from the Hongmen in New York. Some of them are experienced, and they are Chinese, who are also ethnic minorities like us. They will bring us organizational experience and funds."

"The other part is our black brothers, who also came from the New York battlefield. They have weapons and have participated in World War II. I can guarantee you that they will be at the forefront in the event of a conflict."

"When they come, will you listen to them?"

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and then quickly said in unison: "Listen, we will definitely listen."

This is also the advantage of incorporating a place like Philadelphia, that is, there are basically not many original local tyrants, and even if there are, they are not strong. When Malcolm sends a strong dragon from New York, he can suppress it.

What's even more terrifying is that the same thing is not only happening in Philadelphia, but also in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit. It has happened almost exactly the same way.

Even in Detroit, a region with a tradition of racial riots, there was no need for New York to send anyone; people took the opportunity to start a chaos, taking to the streets to smash and loot things, and even using explosives to blow up car factories.

After all, a racial riot broke out in this place in 1943. After it was suppressed, the situation of black people has not been very good. It is natural that they will take this opportunity to riot again.

And this is only in northern cities.

Collins also boldly went to large southern cities such as Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, which also had a large number of black people but were still prevalent in areas where private torture of blacks was prevalent.

The result is that the blacks in these places don't need to be organized at all. It's like dry wood meeting fire, or prostitutes meeting gangsters. All they need to do is find the local black leader and give him a few hundred thousand dollars, and countless so-called social riots will break out immediately.

The blacks would kill their white bosses, rape white women, loot and burn in the streets, and then run north overnight.

The whole of America is in chaos.

The Democratic government is in a state of panic because the ones who are most in conflict with black people this time are the major labor unions, especially the Steelworkers Union and the Auto Workers Union, which are all the Democratic Party’s iron vote bank and basic base!

The upper echelons in Washington may be better off, still trying hard to smooth things over and try to win over black votes.

In fact, all the real high-level politicians can see clearly that the vote of black people in next year's general election will be a big hurdle, and there may be more trouble. To put it bluntly, this is a question of what kind of black people have the right to vote.

The law stipulates that black people must be literate if they want to vote, and polling station staff must be able to randomly select a few words for black people to read. If they cannot read them, they are not allowed to vote. So to put it bluntly, the words tested largely determine the voting rate of black people.

If you take a hello or goodbye test, no matter how low the education of black people is, they will definitely recognize it. In next year's vote, if anyone dares to take a slightly more difficult test, the sky will be opened up for you. It depends on whether these organized black people will do it or not, and you will be finished.

If there is another scandal during the election, it will be really embarrassing for the Democratic Party as the ruling party.

Therefore, this time, the senior government officials in Washington really did nothing. They just said nonsense like calling on both sides to exercise restraint. They did not dare to favor anyone. In fact, they could not favor anyone. The black people did not play with you until more than a hundred people died. American culture originally supports retaliation and escalated retaliation.

However, local candidates for Congress don't care about so many things. Congressmen don't have to consider the national election, and everyone only focuses on their own district.

Almost immediately, Republican congressmen from all over the country began to openly support these black people.

The unions are controlled by the Democrats anyway.

Not only Zheng Yi, but also large financial groups such as DuPont and Rockefeller have begun to secretly donate money to Republican congressmen behind the scenes.

The big unions in the United States were really too arrogant in the two or three years after the war. They were really shitting on the necks of these capitalists. It was really unbearable.

Honestly speaking, although this incident caused quite a stir and it was true that it had disrupted social order, it was at least a means to resolve those union issues. At least Zheng Yi felt that this was much better than the American history of using McCarthyism and white terror, where people were arrested for treason without any reason or evidence, and even had the FBI kill people in prison without knowing the reason.

The same is true on the Democratic side. All members of Congress in areas where unions are located unconditionally support the unions and oppose violence against blacks.

In fact, at this point, Zheng Yi’s biggest political goal of coming to the United States has been achieved.

It is uncertain whether President Trump can be re-elected in the next term as he did in the past, but at the local level, especially in densely populated large cities that can be divided into several constituencies, it is impossible for the Democrats to take a big lead as they did in the past.

After all, historically these black people have voted for the Democratic Party, but now they will definitely vote for the Republican Party.

Naturally, white people are not easy to bully. The KKK, which had disappeared at the beginning of the century, naturally resurrected and carried out crazy revenge on black groups.

The blacks in the southern states had no power to resist and could only run to the north. The situation in the northern states was different. They really killed each other and fought back and forth. The government stayed out of it, and it gradually evolved into a gang war between the Hongmen and the KKK.

………………

Arlington Grand Hotel.

"Uncle, Mr. Jackie is here."

"Well, let him come up."

In the suite, Zheng Yi had actually been busy all day, but at night, he still had to continue to come out and receive visitors.

"Hello, Mr. Zheng, I am Jackie Robinson."

The person who came up was a tall, strong, and handsome black man.

The most famous black sports star of this era, the man who debuted from the Brooklyn Dodgers this year and led the team to win the national championship, is also the leader in opening the era of black sports in American history. This year's best rookie will win the MVP in two years.

At the same time, he also actively participated in the civil rights movement, speaking up for black people and fighting for their rights. In simple terms, he was the boxing champion Ali of the 40s.

Zheng Yi knew very well that whether in history or now, if the status of black people in the United States had improved, the main credit was entirely due to Malcolm's promotion.

But on the surface, in the 60s, the media still had to praise Martin Luther King and thank boxing champion Ali. As for Malcolm, the mainstream media would try not to mention him.

Is the United States a civilized country? How could the rights of black people be won by black people? It was because we white masters were kind-hearted and inspired by people like Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali that we gave you power from the bottom of our hearts.

It's the same in this era. Even Zheng Yi has to distance himself from Malcolm as much as possible on the surface and doesn't want to get involved with him. Apart from the black man's inner feelings, he also has to give the black man some face.

"Sit down, Mr. Jackie. I hope the security guard downstairs didn't give you any trouble."

Jackie: "Fortunately, the systemic discrimination against black people in Washington and Arlington is not that strong. Besides, they also know that I am your guest."

Zheng Yi nodded and said with a smile, "First of all, congratulations on winning this year's Rookie of the Year Award. As you know, our Hongmen Burger in New York is about to open. In addition to Audrey Hepburn, I also plan to ask you to be our spokesperson. Is that okay?"

"Of course, my pleasure."

"As for endorsement fees..."

"Ah, it's my honor to work for Mr. Zheng. I don't want any endorsement fees. This is my way of thanking you for supporting our black movement. Please do it."

As he spoke, he took out a check and solemnly stated, "Here is $20,000. It's my bonus this year. I know this amount of money doesn't mean much to you, Mr. Zheng, but it's my political statement. Please, please accept it."

Zheng Yi was stunned: "You, give me money?"

Jackie nodded.

This silly guy even made Zheng Yi laugh.

"How about this? I'll take this money as your investment in our Hongmen Burger business, and it'll count as your shares. We'll work out the share price discount later. But Mr. Jackie, I didn't invite you here this time just to discuss burgers and endorsements. I do have something I'd like your help with."

"I can donate money to establish a foundation in your name to save the black people of the South. I wonder if you are interested?"

(End of this chapter)