Chapter 750: The Pandemic and the Stock Market
"Take your attention away from Europe and focus on your own domestic affairs first. The most urgent task now is to contain the Spanish flu." The New Orleans Morning Post of that day reported the ravages of the flu in a full page, and it was the first influential newspaper to clearly name the Spanish flu.
The newspaper asked the federal government to protect the citizens of the United States from the perspective of public opinion, and to formulate a series of containment measures to concentrate the country's strength to contain the influenza pandemic, and to hold local police departments accountable.
This is completely doable because we are now in a war period, which is a special period in which the president can gain tremendous support from the country. In addition, the United States was historically the first to initiate isolation measures and use the state machinery to conduct propaganda and educate the public about the benefits of wearing masks.
Compared to the United States' disgraceful actions a hundred years later, the United States during the Spanish Flu period is worthy of being a beacon of humanity. But a hundred years is a long time in the life of ordinary people. The people of the Hongwu Emperor's era would not have thought of the disastrous defeat at Tumu Fortress, and after Emperor Qianlong defeated the Junggar who controlled half of the world, he would not have thought that the British army would land in an unmanned place eighty years later.
History has advanced through twists and turns, and we cannot regard it as a modern society. With the development of information and the knowledge of everyone around the world, there will be no ups and downs between countries.
Sheffield doesn't dare to fool people with herd immunity in a hundred years. If he does so, he will be considered anti-intellectual. Now the result will not change, so he will think of a solution from the process.
This is one of the main differences claimed by the Soviet Union. In whose hands are the materials of production? There is no doubt that at least in the United States the materials of production are in the hands of monopoly capitalists, and the unity of monopoly capitalists is often faster than that of the proletariat.
In the medical industry where the Rockefeller family is deeply involved, countless experts and doctors took the opportunity of the influenza pandemic to speak out. One cannot blame them for seeking fame and reputation. How many people would choose not to leave their names in history?
"Oh, dear Bernard, the domestic situation now is obviously more worthy of attention than when the German navy rioted. Does our President have any special ideas?" Sheffield expressed his goodwill into the microphone. On the other side of the microphone was Bernard Baruch, the head of the War Industries Board.
"The president is now obsessed with going abroad to fight for the interests of the country." Bernard Baruch said helplessly, "The Secretary of State is also opposed, but the president thinks this is a good opportunity to let the world understand our country's ideals."
"Having such a president is also very beneficial to our country." Sheffield paused for a moment and said helplessly, "But many members of parliament may not think so. Those who are elected often follow the mood of the voters. If the citizens stop when they see the good, they will also think so. Needless to say, we must thank the great Germany."
Bernard Baruch is a well-known figure on Wall Street. In the eyes of some citizens, he is comparable to old Morgan. Old Morgan is the king of Wall Street, and the Morgan family has long been famous. But Bernard Baruch represents another image, the American dream of starting from scratch.
Just as Baruch was making waves in the stock market, World War I brought him into politics. Baruch's timing was impeccable - he bought a lot of stocks in the rising stock market and held on to the stocks that brought him unlimited wealth; at the same time, he found a place for himself in the American political arena at the beginning of the 20th century and personally created the country's wartime management system.
Bernard Baruch was one of the few financiers on Wall Street who had a good relationship with the Democratic Party. Although he was of German descent, he firmly stood on the side of the Allies. In the face of money, all national sentiments were false. If the historical trend remained unchanged, Bernard Baruch would have reappeared in the Franklin Roosevelt era as an anti-German and become the helmsman of the United States war machine that crushed the Third Reich.
The War Industries Board, which he controlled, helped the United Company gain huge profits in this war. The slave owner was not modest either. He had represented the descendants of British immigrants in the United States and formed a great Anglo-German friendship with the other side.
Sheffield is not mocking the other party because they are descendants of German immigrants. The so-called peaceful rise is of course a good thing, but it has never really happened.
The hegemony transition between Britain and the United States was not a peaceful rise, but two world wars, Germany rushed ahead of the United States. Take this world war for example, the influence of the United States before the war was not even as good as that of the Russian Empire. It was not as effective as the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Germany was the real second in the world.
Without the Germans, the guillotine of the British Empire might have fallen on the head of the United States. At the same time, we should also thank the other member states of the two camps for their friendly appearances. It was precisely because there were so many challengers to the British Empire that the United States was overshadowed.
"Regarding the production of medical equipment and protective equipment, I have already reached an agreement with Adams and Rockefeller Jr. in Boston. Now we need the support of the War Industries Board. Now is a war time. With the support of the country, it will be easier for us to exclude competitors." Sheffield did not waste too much time and directly put forward his demands. Everyone was a member of the Democratic Party, so there was no need for too much rhetoric.
"Eh?" Bernard Baruch on the other end of the microphone was about to speak but stopped, and the slave owner heard it clearly.
"Of course you can't miss out." Sheffield knew that Bernard Baruch was a financier, and financiers were the most greedy group among monopoly capitalists. How could they not have the conditions?
"William, you misunderstood." Bernard Baruch said righteously, "I am now coordinating the war production of major domestic companies. If I were this kind of person, why would the president give me this job? I just want to prevent stock market fluctuations through normal financial operations. Can you tell me the list of companies producing medical equipment and protective equipment later? We should focus on taking measures in the financial field to prevent drastic stock fluctuations and affect the national economy."
"So that's how it is. I'll send the list of companies tonight." Sheffield acted as if he had suddenly realized something. It was indeed a low-end operation to take bribes. He could buy the stocks responsible for national production to make a profit, which would be much smarter. "Then I'll see how you handle this matter, Bernard. I believe Rockefeller and Boston will not object."
At the White House press conference the next day, Bernard Baruch appeared in a formal attire and said that the influenza pandemic had become extremely serious. It was time for the federal and state governments to exercise their authority. The production and sales of various medical equipment and protective supplies must be brought under the management of the War Industries Board, because the current influenza pandemic is essentially a war on another level.
The White House press conference became a tradition starting with President Wilson. Bernard Baruch attended the press conference as the chairman of the War Industries Board, which was a big deal. Comparing the influenza pandemic with the world war also showed great importance.
After the New Orleans Morning Post called on frontline police to impose blockades, Bernard Baruch himself said that in times of war, police should be given greater powers to impose blockades, and those who resisted blockades should be fined and imprisoned. And the power of law enforcement should be focused.
With the recognition of the federal government and public support, the National Police Association can do its job with justification.
"In fact, many committee members can think about it. Everyone knows that once the war is over, our good days of doing business with both camps will be over. The post-war economy will definitely be very difficult in the short term. Now that the flu has come, it's a good thing. We can implement a strict blockade and push the economic problems onto infectious diseases, right?" The cowardly slave owner couldn't attend the Democratic National Committee meeting in the short term and could only communicate with other committee members over the phone. "The stricter our blockade, the more we can be justified on economic issues in the future. Of course, the states controlled by our party can also use this as an excuse to withdraw police forces from black communities. This requires the governors to give hints."
Even if there were no Democratic governors, the National Police Association would have done the same. Sheffield paid the price of donating $1 million to the National Police Association for the police officers who were on the front line and risked their lives to fight the epidemic. After Sheffield first proposed it, families in the sugar, coal, railway, tobacco, finance, Morgan, Rockefeller, Duke, Mellon and other industries also rushed to donate generously, causing a storm in public opinion.
The factories of the United Company in various places are working overtime to produce medical equipment and protective tools. At the same time, the stock market has also experienced a severe shock due to the dual effects of war and infectious diseases.
The stocks of the company list that Sheffield gave to Bernard Baruch all rose at this time. The New York Stock Exchange was bustling with people and the atmosphere was bustling, with no social tension at all.
In major cities, citizens were rushing about, horror stories were circulating, and in the headquarters of many companies, bosses were celebrating and opening champagne to celebrate the rising stock market.
As for black people, the second largest ethnic group in the United States, they have now gained complete freedom. The hateful white supremacist police will no longer appear except to receive reports and send people to arrest patients and send them to prison.
Compared to white communities, where police officers covering their mouths and noses enforce the law violently, residents of black communities no longer have to worry about being persecuted.
(End of this chapter)
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