Mei Man: I drew Superman during the Great Depression

Chapter 145 Lucky Charlie
"...At 7:28 p.m. on July 4, MacArthur's infantry, cavalry, and tank troops appeared on Pennsylvania Avenue, throwing tear gas and smoke bombs to suppress the protesters. After 45 p.m., the camp Nearly all the sheds were set on fire, flames rose 10 feet and spread to nearby woods, unwitting firefighters from six nearby fire stations rushed to fight the flames."

"It is reported that most of the protesters are veterans of the First World War with their families. There are more than 5000 people among them. They gathered in the capital Washington, DC, waiting and asking for relief from the government. According to incomplete statistics, it is estimated that at least hundreds of people were injured, two veterans were killed, and at least three children and babies were suffocated by tear gas during the entire crackdown.”

Under the impact of the Great Depression, all walks of life were deeply affected.

Among them, of course, are those veterans who participated in World War I. The compensation promised to them by the US government is their only hope of living in the current Great Depression.

In World War I, American soldiers who participated in the war added 1 cents as an overseas living allowance in addition to the salary of US$25 per person per day.But during the war, this salary was not paid to American soldiers who participated in the war.

However, after the war, because the U.S. government could not afford the cost, the U.S. government first issued a subsidy certificate to the veterans of World War I in the "Service Certification Amendment Act" formulated and passed in 1924, promising that the salary owed would be paid within 20 years. Afterwards, according to the number of days in the army, it will be calculated at US$ 1 per day, multiplied by compound interest, and paid in cash.

This 20-year salary arrears bill is itself full of calculations.

However, the occurrence of the Great Depression put the already poor veterans into a desperate situation.

In order to get compensation, these veterans brought their wives and children, wore old military uniforms, and held faded American flags, or marched silently, or spontaneously practiced and sang battle songs.

Beginning in January this year, he took great pains to come to Washington and launched a parade.

However, these protesting veterans never expected that what greeted them was not the government's welcome, but ruthless suppression.

In the entire suppression incident, except for President Hoover who was the orderer.

The most eye-catching one is naturally Douglas MacArthur, who will be called the best "actor" instead of a general in a few days.

This, once delivered a speech called "Old Soldiers Never Die" in the Congress in the future, and shouted "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away (Old soldiers never die, they just fade away)" four-star general.

Throughout the suppression process, they were relentless, and tanks and cavalry were even dispatched to destroy the camps of veterans and protesters in a raid, turning them into homeless people.

Douglas MacArthur himself, instead of being affected by this incident, achieved himself and became the later Chief of Staff of the Army.

As the media quipped: "They have earned themselves a place in the history books by sending many of the same disenfranchised poor to a tragic death."

……

"Here we are, Mr. Colin Looper."

In the passenger seat, the leader's words pulled Colin's thoughts back from the news in the newspaper.

He closed the newspaper in his hand and turned his head to look outside the car.

The huge sports field gave him a look of surprise on his face.

Obviously, he didn't expect that the location of the boss that these people said was actually in the famous Polo Stadium.

Inside the stadium, the New York Yankees baseball team is hosting the first game of the world championship game, and the sidelines are crowded with spectators watching the game.

"Boss, someone is here."

Under the leadership of the leader, Colin walked through the narrow aisle and came to a fairly empty viewing area.

A middle-aged man in a custom-made suit with drooping eyes and obvious scars on his face was sitting in the very center of the viewing booth, smoking a cigar, and around him were several hats with bulging eyes. Bodyguards or subordinates.

Being able to occupy such a place to watch the game in Polo Stadium, the home of the Yankees baseball team, the man is obviously not an ordinary role.

As for the method of contacting the other party and sending someone to invite him, it is clear without doubt that the other party's identity is not pure.

Hearing the leader's reminder, the middle-aged man withdrew his gaze from the baseball game in the middle of the field, and turned to look at Colin in front of him.

His calm appearance caused the middle-aged man to tug at the corners of his drooping eyes a little unexpectedly.

Then he took a sip of the cigar in his hand, slowly got up, stretched out his other hand and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Colin Luper, I wonder if the people I sent have scared you?"

The words of the middle-aged man obviously meant something.

On the other hand, Colin reached out his hand and touched him lightly without understanding the meaning: "Obviously, not."

Hearing Colin's answer, the man gave him another deep look with the corners of his drooping eyes, and then pointed to the seat in the viewing booth in front of him and said, "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Charlie Luciano, and I am a businessman."

Charlie Luciano?

Hearing the name introduced by the man, Colin's eyes slightly wrinkled.

Obviously, the name Luciano is no stranger.

Charlie Luciano, or 'Lucky Charlie'.

This man in a custom-made suit who looks like a wealthy businessman is a well-known existence in American history.Known as the father of modern organized crime in the United States, he presided over the first American Mafia Global Congress, which established the prosperity of the American Mafia for the next 50 years.

Even Luciano himself is the prototype of the old godfather in the movie "The Godfather".

Also the cousin of another notorious Mafia boss, 'Scarface' Al Capone.

It's just that unlike his cousin who is unscrupulous and high-profile, Luciano is better at using his brain and knows how to disguise himself.He hides behind the scenes all year round, and always keeps in mind the principle of prudence, never leaving traces in his actions, even in such tiny places as making phone calls and talking to people, he never ignores them.

It was precisely because of this that he was not worried about showing his face in front of Colin, even if he knew that Colin was the owner of the Messenger newspaper.

Even Luciano often appeared in restaurants and theaters with prominent civic leaders, entertainers, and other notable personalities as a high-profile way to hide his true identity and make him appear more respectable.

In Colin's view, this may be the real difference between Luciano and Capone. Capone's high profile is to do evil, to create tragedies, and to make the public angry.

Luciano, on the other hand, is acting in a high-profile manner while hiding his crimes, making everyone think he is a respected upper-class decent person.

(End of this chapter)